BikeRadar.com

Bjarne Riis to promote autobiography in London next week

BikeRadar, UK — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:30:00 GMT

Former pro cyclist and current Saxo Bank team owner Bjarne Riis will take part in a Q and A next week in support of his autobiography, Riis - Stages of Light and Dark.

The book, already a best seller in his native Denmark, has been translated into English for the first time and following its publication earlier this month, the Dane will visit Sigma Sports in Kingston upon Thames, London at 7.00pm on 30 May to answer questions from the public.

In 1996, Riis made history by becoming the first Dane to take overall victory at the Tour de France. 11 years later, his win was struck from the record books (and subsequently reinstated, with conditions) after he admitted his win was fuelled by EPO.

His autobiography chronicles his life, from the shy eight-year-old who discovered the sport, to the champion cyclist turned banned substance user and finally the owner of his own professional cycling team. It's available now, published by Vision Sports Publishing, on 14 May for £12.99.

Video: Skoda Skills - how to ride in a group

BikeRadar, UK — Thu, 24 May 2012 12:55:00 GMT

Running in conjunction with the 'How to' section from our sister magazine Cycling Plus, here's the first in a multi-part road cycling skills series featuring pro tips from members of the British Continental squad Team Raleigh-GAC.

First up is a skill essential should you start riding with a cycling club - group riding. Here, Canadian pro Jamie Sparling talks through the essential things to keep in mind in a packed bunch.

The series comes from a coaching day courtesy of Skoda at Hillingdon Cycle Circuit in London, where six winners of a Cycling Plus competition were given a day's tuition from the guys of Team Raleigh-GAC.

The series continues in the coming weeks with tips on cornering and descending.

If you've enjoyed reading this, our new fitness site BikeRadar Training might be for you. It's a free online resource for you to record and analyse all aspects of your training, log your training routes, get yourself tailored training plans, see how you're doing on our leaderboards, set goals and plan your season with a comprehensive events guide.

Bike news round-up: Le Coq Sportif TdF yellow jersey

BikeRadar UK — Thu, 24 May 2012 12:47:00 GMT

From the latest product news to details of routes and events, our news round-up is a collection of short snippets of information in one handy article.

Today we bring you news of a change in manufacturer of the four Tour de France leaders jerseys, Rapha's Sample Sale heads outside London for the first time, a unique bike-themed stand-up gig, plus news from Profile Design and Bike Blenheim Palace.

Product and team news

Le Coq Sportif reunited with Tour de France

Le Coq Sportif have a long history with the Tour de France, having being the manufacturers of the yellow jersey in the days of Anquetil, Merckx and Hinault during a period spanning almost 40 years. After more than two decades away from the event, the French firm are back for 2012, replacing Nike as the makers of all four leaders jerseys. They are made from polyester, have almost full length zippers (don't tell Stephen Roche!) and cost £60 from stores including Wiggle, Evans Cycles and Cycle Surgery.

Rapha to hold sample sale in Manchester this weekend

The first ever Rapha Sample Sale outside of London is set for Manchester this weekend (26 May). End-of-line stock, returns and one-off samples will all be up for grabs at Thomas Street Post Office (M4 1NA) from 10am-6pm. To complete the weekend, they are organizing a ride from Manchester to Nonnas Restaurant in Chesterfield, arriving in time for the climax of the Giro d’Italia. See the Rapha Facebook page for more details.

Profile Design road wheel range given UCI green light

Profile Design’s full range of road wheels has been given the thumbs up by the UCI for use in competition. The governing body’s stringent process rules out scores of products each year which don’t pass muster, but all PD’s wheels, including the Altair 52 and 80 Semi Carbon Clincher, Altair 52 and 80 Full Carbon Clincher, Altair 52 and 80 Tubular and Armada 24 have been authorized in the “non-standard” category for road and track competition. The category includes rims higher than 2.5cm, fewer than 16 spokes and a spoke thickness of over 2.4mm.

Fox demo day at Mojo Suspension

Mojo Suspension is hosting a Fox demo weekend on 2-3 June at Cwmcarn Forest Drive. They’ll be setting up shop in the bottom car park with the latest Fox gear to try out, including the new DOSS seat post and Float CTD shocks. Staff will be there between 9am and 5.30pm on both days to answer any questions. Demo sessions are being run on a first come, first serve basis – email ashley@mojo.co.uk to book your place.

Routes, racing and rides

Off-road sportive added to Bike Blenheim Palace line-up

A 40km mountain biking sportive has been added to this year’s Bike Blenheim Palace festival (18-19 August). The route travels along the trails with the Blenheim Palace Estate as well as the surrounding Cotswolds. The £28 ride, which takes place on the Saturday, joins the 60/100-mile sportive, a 20km time trial , a bike polo tournament and the Brompton World Championships in an ever-expanding cycling extravaganza. www.bikeblenheimpalace.com

Stand-up comic to host unique bike-themed gig this Saturday

Stand-up comic Phil Kay will lead a bike tour around Grizedale Forest this Saturday, ending up at retailer Wheelbase’s store in Staveley for a unique one-off gig. Bike nut Kay will dish out his unique brand of humour through a megaphone during the ride, which begins at 5pm at the Cafe in the Forest at Grizedale, with the gig following at 8pm. Tickets are priced at £15; click here to buy a ticket.

BikeRadar Training: Wiggle Bournemouth Sportive

BikeRadar, UK — Thu, 24 May 2012 12:40:00 GMT

It looks set to be a scorcher this Sunday for the Wiggle Bournemouth Sportive, a ride for people who want to soak up sun, sea and cycling on the south coast.

Voted as one of the top 10 sportives by Cycling Plus, it's set across the counties of Dorset, Hampshire and Wiltshire and balances quiet roads, sublime scenery and the challenge of climbs of Win Green, Bulbarrow and Milton Abbas.

There are two route options on offer; a standard 70-mile option (£24) or a more gruelling 100-mile route (£26). Entry includes showers, electronic timing, feed stations, parking, over £10 of free energy products, mechanical support, bike wash facilities and a marked route.

Century rides like this can be a tough ask for newcomers not used to all-day stints in the saddle and it could be worthwhile to check out one of our professional training plans designed to help prepare for upcoming events.

You can select plans based on your riding level and the type of events you want to improve on, whether that means sportives, time trails or road races. Our eight week plans have been exclusively designed by Koolstof Coaching and cost £9.99. The promotional code promo1 will get you 40 percent off any plan until the end of July, too.

Your plan comes with a free interactive training diary where you can enter and download all your training data, speed, GPS map data, heart rate and power readings. Also included is a 30-page booklet, A Cyclist's Guide to Riding Sportives, which will give you the inside track on the events:

Introduction to sportives
Training explained
Which bike and equipment to buy
Clothing and kit
Bike fit
Basic bicycle maintenance
How to ride in groups safely
Descending and cornering tips
Nutrition guidelines
Fuelling your ride
Why cyclists need to stretch
Event day checklist
Riding the event

Once you’ve got the training plan that's right for you, give it a go and put your new found fitness to the test by choosing an event from our calendar.

CamelBak Baja LR hydration pack review

Guy Kesteven, What Mountain Bike — Thu, 24 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT

The Baja LR isn't one of CamelBak's mountain bike packs. Instead, it was designed for Stand Up Paddling, the kayaking-meets-surﬁng craze taking California by (presumably wobbly) storm. SUP demands a close-ﬁtting, lightweight and weatherproof pack where instant access to essential gear is crucial. Pretty similar to fast, keep-the-ﬂow, technical trail rides then…

The two big chest pockets are useful for items such as gels, bars, Buffs, phones and multi-tools. Big hip pockets store more gear under Velcro-closed ﬂaps. There’s even a splashproof Neoprene stash at the back. The mesh back is great for inner tubes, a stashed jacket or extra bladder, while two tunnel pockets turn out to be perfect for pump storage. You never know when the safety whistle might come in handy and you’ll probably even ﬁnd a bike-related use for the elasticated paddle loop, too. A stash of quick-release pastries, perhaps.

The bafﬂed 2-litre lumbar reservoir keeps water weight low down, while the upwardly-routed drinks pipe is perfect for instant sipping and CamelBak’s lockable bite valve is still the best in the business by far. The sliding-buckle elastic sternum straps keep it body hugging on the steepest descents and drops, when most packs would be ﬂopping around or trying to escape over your lid. The downside is the sweaty Neoprene belt and back panels, but there’s an almost identical Ultra LR pack for runners that’s all breathable fabric.

This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

Hope Hoops Pro 3 SP-XC3 mountain bike wheelset review

Justin Loretz, What Mountain Bike — Thu, 24 May 2012 10:00:00 GMT

This wheelset from Lancashire alloy-turners Hope Technology blends new-age wheel technology with old-fashioned, high-quality tradition. Key to this lightweight 1,423g wheelset are Hope’s own Pro 3 hubs with their unique tri-arm rotor design.

The hubs are among the lightest you’ll ﬁnd, but on the downside it means you’re stuck using Hope’s own, admittedly effective and durable, Pro-3-speciﬁc discs. The hubs use Hope’s four-pawl ratchet, 24-tooth engagement cassette body, which is both fast to pick up and loud.

Hope spec the Pro 3 with 24 Sapim spokes and brass nipples, on Stan’s ZTR Crest tubeless rims. Our test wheels have had a rough life, living outside 24/7 and being asked to deal with harsher riding than maybe they should, but they’ve needed only the most minor spoke adjustment.

This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

Video: Smart ENVE 6.7 Clincher - First look

John Whitney in Bath, UK — Thu, 24 May 2012 10:00:00 GMT

The fruits of the partnership between ENVE and aerodynamicist Simon Smart continue to bear fruit. Last month we brought you an exclusive look at two new additions to their SES range, the time trial-specific 8.9 Tubular and the 3.4 Clincher, and today it's the turn of the 6.7 Clincher.

As with models in the Smart Enve System range, the 6.7s are developed as a complete wheelset - hence the variable rim depths (60mm on the front, 70mm at the rear) and widths (26mm/24mm). The science behind this says that having a wider and shallower front rim maximises stability across a broad section of wind angles, while having a deeper and narrower rear rim minimizes drag of the trailing edge and cuts turbulence.

Weight of the complete set is 1,415g, complete with Chris King R45 hubs and Sapim CX-Ray bladed spokes.

They are available now from UK distributor Saddleback for £2,400 per set (£1,100 front/£1,300 rear).

Boardman SLR 9.0 review

Cycling Plus — Thu, 24 May 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Boardman's new entry-level SLR model boasts a semi-compact monocoque frame and full-carbon fork with a tapered steerer that comes from the same mould as the pro-level 9.8. The 9.0 only differs in the carbon layup around the bottom bracket, as the higher spec version has increased stiffness.

Highs: The SLR delivers a no-nonsense, performance-orientated frame with a great value component package
Lows: We could hear some cable rattle on rougher roads
Buy if: You like a firm and responsive ride from a bike that craves speed

Chris Boardman believes that the most efficient way of connecting two points on a bike is with a straight line, so there's no superfluous shaping here – and tube profiles focus on performance rather than aesthetics. Internal cables run through carbon inner guides that have stainless steel elbows, to prevent abrasion.

The seatstays are flat and straight, and the box section chainstays about as deep, thick and widely set as they could be, only stepping down in size for the carbon dropouts. Boardman’s own carbon seatpost has quite a lot of setback, and supports a Fizik Arione, still one of our favourite saddles. The Ritchey cockpit is very secure, with a good ergo drop to the bar.

Even with a 53/39-tooth chainset, the SLR climbs tidily in the big ring, such is the power transfer of the frame and wheels. Mavic’s Ksyrium Equipe wheels accelerate fast, and the Vittoria Zaffiro pro tyres give decent feel and consistent grip. The SRAM Force drivetrain performs perfectly and the lower-spec brake callipers don’t lack braking power.

With no concessions to curves, the Boardman has a directness and efficiency that'll please riders wanting to press on. Over rough roads it tracks confidently, but is unapologetically firm. Bigger hits are taken care of and there's no interfering road buzz, just a very communicative frame. The handling and riding position are very balanced, the SLR a bike you can feel a part of and get involved with, building confidence quickly.

Cornering is accurate and the bike holds a line well, but is stable enough for mid corner changes to not cause palpitations. Our large machine’s 16cm head tube gives options for the racer to get a low tuck, or a less aggressive position without too many spacers. The SLR 9.0’s lower stiffness around its bottom bracket won’t concern most of us, as there’s no noticeable flex there, and it didn’t affect our enjoyment.

This article was originally published in Cycling Plus magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

DT Swiss and Schwalbe 2013 mountain bike products

Rob Wilmott in Biel, Switzerland — Wed, 23 May 2012 23:56:00 GMT

At their factory in Biel, Switzerland, DT Swiss have just launched an array of 2013 mountain bike products, along with tyre partners Schwalbe. Headlining the action were the new Spline hubs and 650B tyres.

With such a large range of wheels, DT Swiss have tried to simplify their naming protocols by categorising each range.

First comes application range, with the quality being shown by number of characters – one letter for the most basic, and three letters for the very best, such as Cross [Country] – XRC, XR, X; Mountain – XM, M; Enduro – EXC, EX, E; Freeride – FX/FR.

Next is Main Feature, which for MTB designates weight in grams, such as 950, 1150, 1450 and so on.

Then comes the Family, denoting hub design – Dicut, Tricon, Spline or Classic. Finally we’ve got Sub Features, such as T (tubular), C (clincher, unless there’s no tubular version available), TL (tubeless), H (hybrid) and 29 (29er). Simple.

DT Swiss pride themselves on being the only manufacturer worldwide to make every wheel component themselves. They now have production sites in the USA, Taiwan, Poland and France, with all design and testing done in Biel. Eight women hand-build the wheels in Poland because they’ve been proved to be more precise than men.

The big wheel announcement came in the form of new Spline hubs, with the name derived from Straight Pull Line. DT Swiss have made straight-pull hubs for more than 10 years, with Bontrager-badged hubs helping Lance Armstrong to seven Tour de France wins. They’re now using their own name, though.

The M1700 Spline 650B rear wheel with Thru Axle

The mountain bike versions have already been used by pro riders at World Cup events this year. They’re the basis for three cross-country wheelsets in 26in or 29in, and one mountain wheelset in 26in or 650B.

The Spline M1700 is the only 650B tubular wheelset on the market, and a specific fork, wheels and rims will be on sale for 2013 in Europe at least. For now it’s only available in the weighty Mountain version, but lighter models will follow. The lightest cross-country 650B wheels are exclusive to the Scott-Swisspower team until after the Olympics, and at the moment the necessary tyres are only custom-made specials. That’s likely to change too, though.

At a claimed 1555g, the Spline XR1450 29 is one of the lightest aluminium 29er wheelsets on the market. As with most DT Swiss wheels, it will be available with a quick-release or thru-axle. The company believe that quick-releases are already dead on 29ers and will soon go the same route on 26in wheels, as even cross-country riders accept the 50g or so penalty for the extra security and stiffness a 15mm thru-axle offers.

Triple Connection Tricon wheels are now fully user serviceable, with all tools and spare parts available. The rim inserts for the straight double-threaded spokes keep the rim bed lighter and airtight for tubeless tyres. The Torx nipples give the spoke tool more grip, enabling the higher spoke tension necessary. Also, all mid- to high-end rims will have new, baked-on decals for 2013. These should prove tougher and be impossible to scratch or peel off.

Clarifying that DT Swiss never bought Pace, only their fork business, the first fork debuted was the Carbon Hollow Arch XRC 100. You can trace its DNA back to a Pace design. Sporting new wiper seals and damping oil and lube developed with Swiss company Panolin, which can be mixed to tune the fork, it was also displayed in 650B configuration. DT’s remote lockout lever now has rubber and plastic inserts, to be kinder to carbon bars. And at 6mm wide it can fit anywhere on your bar without compromising the other controls. It’s only 11g and the lightest on the market, if you’re a weight weenie.

Following on from the M212 Mountain rear shock comes the X313 Cross shock. At 198g for the three-mode unit it’s impressively light. But blowing it out of the water is the X313 Carbon Cross shock, with a carbon-fibre shell and internals bringing it in at 150g. Both shocks use the same remote lever as the Twin Shot fork. Pricing for the X313 will be competitive, at about €300. The carbon will retail for more, although no prices are available yet.

Schwalbe restake their claim in the 650B market

A 650b Schwalbe Hans Dampf

Danny Hart’s World Championship-winning tyre supplier have also recoded their product designations. For 2013, Active (A) Line tyres will all offer at least 50tpi and Kevlar guards. Performance (P) Line MTB tyres will all have dual rubber compounds. Evolution (E) Line rubber will continue to offer the highest grade materials and latest technology. Tyre walls will show square icon boxes for each feature, with the tyre line letter first and the diameter shown in bold characters elsewhere.

Almost all of the products in Schwalbe’s MTB range will be available in 29in. The brand’s own rolling resistance tests, conducted over different terrains and obstacles, showed the 29ers to roll 5-6 percent faster. They also topped the table for feelings of safety, ride experience and security for the 50 riders involved, compared to 26in wheels.

Schwalbe offered 650B tyres four years ago and removed them from the catalogue last year, after limited uptake. They’re now back and available in Racing Ralph, Rocket Ron, Nobby Nic, Hans Dampf and Rapid Rob patterns and several widths.

The Rocket Ron has undergone some changes, with tougher shoulder blocks to limit tyre squirm and a reconfigured centre block that’s claimed to reduce rolling resistance by about 15 percent. Each tread block has a siped surface to increase grip, and a new sidewall finish improves sealing to make it tubeless-ready.

The Hans Dampf enduro tyre has evolved, with a Super Gravity (SG) version now on offer that claims to be as strong as a downhill tyre but as light as a freeride. It has a Snake Skin sidewall to resist cuts. Already ridden in prototype form in the World Cup downhills this season, we were assured that its weight will be 995g. Compared to a 1200-1300g downhill tyre with six carcass layers, the SG tyre has fewer layers. The sidewall stiffness fits between that of downhill and enduro tyres but with a more flexible tread than downhill rubber would usually offer.

A new rubber compound also sits between those used for downhill and cross-country to offer the proposed performance. The reinforced Kevlar bead and Snake Skin protection should help resilience, and in tubeless configuration could save about 800g over a downhill tyre and tube setup. That just happens to be where it can make the most difference.

DT Swiss and Schwalbe 2013

Rob Wilmott in Biel, Switzerland — Wed, 23 May 2012 23:56:00 GMT

With such a large range of wheels, DT Swiss have tried to simplify their naming protocols by categorising each range.

Next is Main Feature, which for MTB designates weight in grams, such as 950, 1150, 1450 and so on.

The M1700 Spline 650B rear wheel with Thru Axle

Schwalbe restake their claim in the 650B market

A 650b Schwalbe Hans Dampf

UCI announces Olympic mountain bike spots by nation

Sue George, Cyclingnews.com — Wed, 23 May 2012 17:38:00 GMT

This article was originally published on Cyclingnews.com.

The UCI announced the number of mountain bike spots qualified for each nation for the 2012 London Olympic Games on Wednesday. The spots are based on three criteria specified by the UCI including nations ranking and performance within the individual continental regions.

The UCI Olympic qualification ranking was determined by summing the points of the UCI rankings by nation Olympic format as of May 23, 2011 and May 23, 2012.In case of equal points, the nations were ranked by their best place in the UCI rankings by nation.

For the men's race, the top 24 ranked nations qualified one, two or three riders depending on their specific ranking. In addition, seven other nations also qualified one rider each based on individual rankings as of the 2011 Continental Championships for Asia, America, Africa and Oceania. Finally, Guam qualified one rider under a special provision which states that if an NOC obtains a qualifying place under criterion no. 2, but has already qualified under criterion no. 1, the next best ranked NOC in the respective continental championships ranking will qualify.

For the women's race, the top 18 ranked nations qualified one or two riders depending on their specific ranking. In addition, four other nations also qualified one rider each based on individual rankings as of the 2011 Continental Championships for Asia, America, Africa and Oceania.

In total, 50 men and 30 women are allocated spots by nation for the Olympic Games. A complete listing of the number of mountain bike racers qualified per nation is below.

Although there was some minor shuffling in the rankings after this past weekend's World Cup in La Bresse, France, there were no changes in the number of racers each nation qualified relative to what Cyclingnews posted last week thank the calculations of Rob Jones.

What happens next is that nations will decide whether to accept all qualified spots and then name their riders to the teams. Any unclaimed spots will be re-allocated by the UCI.

The Olympic mountain bike races will happen at Hadleigh Farm in Essex on Saturday, August 11 and Sunday, August 12.

Olympic Mountain Bike race qualifying by nations

Men

#	Country	Spots
1	Switzerland	3
2	France	3
3	Czech Republic	3
4	Spain	3
5	Germany	3
6	Italy	2
7	Netherlands	2
8	South Africa	2
9	United States of America	2
10	Austria	2
11	Canada	2
12	Poland	2
13	Belgium	2
14	Great Britain	1
15	Sweden	1
16	Australia	1
17	Japan	1
18	Brazil	1
19	Ukraine	1
20	Hungary	1
21	Russian Federation	1
22	Argentina	1
23	Greece	1
24	Cyprus	1
25	Namibia (Africa)	1
26	Rwanda (Africa)	1
27	Colombia (America)	1
28	Costa Rica (America)	1
29	Hong Kong, China (Asia)	1
30	People's Republic of China (Asia)	1
31	New Zealand (Oceania)	1
32	Guam	1

Women

#	Country	Spots
1	Canada	2
2	Switzerland	2
3	France	2
4	Poland	2
5	United States of America	2
6	Slovenia	2
7	Germany	2
8	Norway	2
9	Russian Federation	1
10	Czech Republic	1
11	Italy	1
12	Austria	1
13	Netherlands	1
14	New Zealand	1
15	Ukraine	1
16	Great Britain	1
17	Sweden	1
18	Denmark	1
19	South Africa (Africa)	1
20	Colombia (America)	1
21	People's Republic of China (Asia)	1
22	Australia (Oceania)	1

Giro d'Italia 17: Rodriguez wins in pink

Cyclingnews.com — Wed, 23 May 2012 16:36:00 GMT

This article was originally published on Cyclingnews.com.

Spain’s Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) won a dramatic stage 17 at the 2012 Giro d’Italia, overcoming some of his closest rivals in the general classification as the race headed into the Dolomites for the first time.

A leading group of about 25 riders was dismantled in brutal fashion as it started the final big climb of the stage. Liquigas-Cannondale’s injection of pace resulted in a breakaway group of six riders for the final 25km, with all of them handily placed in the GC.

In the end it was Rodriguez who marginally handled the descent and small uphill finish best. He crossed the line in Cortina d'Ampezzo ahead of Ivan Basso (Liquigas Cannondale), Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Barracuda), Rigoberto Uran (Sky), Michele Scarponi (Lampre-ISD) and Domenico Pozzovivo (Colnago-CSF), consolidating his lead in the overall standings and retaining the pink jersey after an epic mountain stage that captivated everyone who witnessed it.

With four uncompromising climbs ahead of them, each one woven into the folklore of the Giro, there was a palpable tension in the air amongst the riders as they waited at the start in Pfalzen, close to the Italian/Austrian border. Temperatures were in the mid teens and there was a generous covering of clouds, offering the riders protection in the early stages.

At the 50km point, a bunch of five broke away. Matteo Rabottini (Farnese-Vini), Branislau Samoilau (Movistar), Kevin Seeldraeyers (Astana), Matteo Montaguti (Ag2r-La Mondiale), and Jose Serpa (Androni) pulled clear and steadily built up a lead of roughly five minutes as the riders got over the first big climb of the day, the Falzarego. Rabottini, who won stage 15 in dramatic fashion on Sunday, added more points here to extend his lead at the top of the mountains classification.

By the time they reached the top of the Passo Duran with 55km to race, the gap had come down to 1:30. Back in the main group, which by this point had shrunk to around 40 riders, Liquigas was in control and keeping Basso’s powder dry for the business end of the race and protecting him most effectively. But all of the main GC contenders were there, including both of Astana’s leaders, Roman Kreuziger and Paolo Tiralongo.

The next climb, the Forcella, came along fast, and by this time, Mikel Nieve (Euskaltel-Euskadi) had caught up with Seeldraeyers, who had been dropped by the leaders. Rodriguez’s position was starting to look precarious back in the main group, which had shrunk to 25 now and contained none of the pink jersey holder’s Katusha teammates. Moments later Kreuziger was the first of the big names to crack as he lost touch with his GC rivals and fell off their pace.

The excitement amongst the crowd was about to be turned up a notch as the main chase group swallowed up the breakaway riders as they started the final, gruelling climb, the Passo Giau. Before they had a chance to catch their breath, Liquigas made its devastating attack and within minutes the leaders were strung out like laundry on a line. When the dust had settled it was those leading six riders who were left to fight it out for the remainder of the climb and the fast descent that followed.

As they approached the top, Pozzovivo attacked. Scarponi cramped up and he and Uran were temporarily dropped. They managed to fight their way back to the wheels of the leading four with 2km left to go. As they wearily closed on the finish line, which was on a gentle final gradient that probably seemed much steeper after the sweat and toil they had left on the road, Basso and Scarponi took it in turns to attack. But Rodriguez was poised in behind and produced a devastating late burst to prevail, winning his second stage of the race and confirming his superiority over his closest pursuers for pink.

In the end, there wasn’t a great deal of change at the top of overall GC, with the exception of the Astana duo, who were the big losers on the day. To those simply looking at the bare result and the overall standings, the stage may look an uneventful one. But it was far from it, and we’ll know more tomorrow in terms of its impact on the well being of the men who pushed themselves to the limit in search of Giro glory.

BikeRadar Training: Story of a 1000 mile challenge winner

BikeRadar UK — Wed, 23 May 2012 16:00:00 GMT

The miles continue to be racked up on the BikeRadar Training leaderboard by an ever growing army of members.

With eight people now having completed the 1000 mile challenge, one competitor, Latimer.Todd (USA) is halfway again towards a leg-sapping 2,000. He spoke to us about the secrets to his mammoth mileage.

"Riding in Florida is a little bit of heaven and hell, much like marriage," he said. "The tropical climate allows year round riding, with only the occasional tropical storm or hurricane screwing things up. The only climbing you can really get here are the bridges and occasional hills, mostly caused by sink holes.

"With average temperatures in the high 80s the pavement usually hits 120-140 Fahrenheit midday - not fun. It adds third degree burns to road rash when you make a mistake! The wind is another real pain, with mostly variable winds trying to predict the direction is pretty tough and makes planning a ride a real toss of the dice.

"So yes I get to ride all the time and no I don’t have any climbing. But I do have to deal with the heat and without climbs I don’t get to enjoy the rest on the descent. So it’s a wash I guess, but the payoff is the ride. Good, bad, hot, fast or slow, it doesn’t matter, its all about saddle time".

Register for BikeRadar Training today for free

Cervelo P5 – First ride review

Ben Delaney, US editor-in-chief — Wed, 23 May 2012 15:00:00 GMT

The Cervélo P5 time trial bike has enjoyed success at this year's Giro d’Italia and Amgen Tour of California, under Garmin-Barracuda. And with the bike still in limited supply – only a dozen exist and only a few Garmin riders used it at the Giro; the others rode P4s – we were grateful to get a chance to test ride the UCI legal version of it in California.

There are five key elements to the P5: aerodynamics, ride feel, hydraulic brakes, fully integrated Shimano electronic Di2 design and fit adjustability. While we didn't test the bike's aero capabilities, Cervélo engineers know their way around a wind tunnel, so we’ll take them at their word that this is a fast bike. We can comment on the other four elements.

Ride & handling: Stiff and efficient

The high stiffness of the rear end and bottom bracket area of the P5 are immediately obvious when you're up and out of the saddle. It’s not a sprinting bike but it is a TT bike. That means efficiency and power transfer is everything, so the stiffness is welcome.

We big-ringed the P5 over rolling vineyard roads and even took it up some climbs that kicked to 28 percent – most certainly not in the big ring! The bike’s pedaling efficiency shone throughout.

It was harder to gauge the stiffness of the front end because there was some flex in the handlebars when we were riding on the cowhorns, pulling up for a sprint acceleration or cornering hard over rough pavement. But in the aero position – where you’re supposed to be on this bike – handling was perfectly confident, even with gusts of wind.

The bike’s substantial side profile makes sidewinds noticeable, but you feel a steady pressure, not sketchy gusts with rapid changes in pressure.

It should be noted that sidewind feel is largely affected by wheel choice. We test rode the bike with Mavic’s CC80 front wheel and Comete disc. The bike comes with 'training' wheels – a Vision Team30 set. That's because Cervélo assumes the typical customer will have their own aero hoops. The Mavic wheels felt great – fast and stable.

Video: Cervelo P5 - first look

Frame & equipment: Innovative braking and fitting can be complemented with Di2

We first test rode the Magura brake calipers at Sea Otter, using the company's mechanical-to-hydraulic converter. This was our first experience with the RT8 TT hydraulic levers. Will they change your life? Nope. But for anyone who's ever ridden a time trial bike with lousy, weak brakes there's a substantial difference. Braking is strong and controlled.

The Magura brakes don’t so much advance the stopping equation as eliminate a previous problem with many TT bikes – now, the brakes stop you securely. Nothing more, nothing less.

The calipers are adjusted at the lever with an Allen key. The levers also double as quick-releases. Flip them forward and the calipers pop open for wheel removal.

We rode the Cervélo P5 with Mavic's Comete disc and CC80 front wheel (the Garmin-Barracuda spec)

Cervélo’s design sets the aesthetic standard for a high-end bike with Shimano Di2 – the battery is invisible. It’s surprising how many $10,000 bikes have bolts (even zip ties) securing the battery like an afterthought. Tucking the Di2 battery into a hidden port in the down tube might not improve performance – though small aerodynamic arguments could be made – but it definitely improves the look substantially.

Speaking of Di2, the P5 comes as either a $4,500 (£3,499.99) frameset or with one of two builds: mechanical Shimano Dura-Ace ($6,000) or electric Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 ($10,000). It feels incongruous to have relatively old school bar-end shifters on a bike this high tech.

Of course, the fastest bike in the world won’t do you a bit of good if it doesn’t fit you. At the saddle, the seatpost doubles the fore/aft adjustability of a standard saddle’s rails, making an extremely forward position possible.

The 3T Aduro aerobar comes in three heights – X-Lo, Lo and High-V. We test rode the High-V. The X-Lo has also had more reach built into it, after feedback from sponsored riders. From there, 5mm spacers can be used to fine-tune the height.

Fore/aft adjustment of the extensions is easy and pad width can also be set in a number of places. Fore/aft of the basebar, however, is what it is.

Triathletes looking at this bike should be aware that there's a triathlon frameset that retails for $6,500 (£4,499.99). It features the same frame but a more aero fork that also serves as a fairing over the front caliper. Cervélo have been working with TorHans and XLab for custom nutrition boxes that bolt on to the P5’s top tube as well.

Castelli unveil clothing tailor-made for mountains

BikeRadar UK — Wed, 23 May 2012 14:31:00 GMT

Today sees the Giro d'Italia hit the high mountains of the Dolomites, so what better time for Castelli, kit supplier to Team Garmin-Barracuda, to unveil some new garments tailor-made to tackle them.

First up is the 90g Climbers' jersey, which is made from the 'super light' Strada Light 3D mesh fabric and is cut to eliminate excess flapping in the wind. Castelli reckon, because of the mesh material, it's their quickest drying jersey yet and sacrifices 3 watts at 40km/h compared to the Aero Race jersey.

The matching Inferno Bibshorts are constructed from seven different fabrics and, like the jersey, is claimed to be their coolest and lightest yet. They contain titanium dioxide (the active ingredient in sunscreen) but because some fabrics are open meshes, they recommend you still use cream on the front and side of the legs. The seamless Progetto X2 Air seatpad, used in Castelli's Body Paint shorts, is also used here.

Pricing hasn't been confirmed yet for either garment

They've both been seen in the recent mountain stages of this year's Giro, worn by, amongst others, Ryder Hesjedal, who holds second place going into the final week. It will be some time though before the public can get their hands on them - they are part of the summer 2013 collection, which means next spring at the earliest.

Cervelo P5 – First ride

Ben Delaney, US editor-in-chief — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:35:00 GMT

The Cervélo P5 has enjoyed success at this year's Giro d’Italia and Amgen Tour of California, under Garmin-Barracuda. And with the bike still in limited supply – only a dozen exist and only a few Garmin riders used it at the Giro; the others rode P4s – we were grateful to get a chance to test ride it in California.

There are five key elements to the P5: aerodynamics, ride feel, hydraulic brakes, fully integrated Shimano Di2 design and fit adjustability. While we didn't test the bike's aero capabilities, Cervélo engineers know their way around a wind tunnel, so we’ll take them at their word that this is a fast bike. We can comment on the other four elements.

Ride & handling: Stiff and efficient, the P5 is built for TTs

We big-ringed the P5 over rolling vineyard roads and even took it up some climbs that kicked to 28 percent – most certainly not in the big ring! The bike’s pedaling efficiency shone throughout.

The bike’s substantial side profile makes sidewinds noticeable, but you feel a steady pressure, not sketchy gusts with rapid changes in pressure.

Frame & equipment: Innovative braking and fitting can be complemented with Di2

The Magura brakes don’t so much advance the stopping equation as eliminate a previous problem with many TT bikes – now, the brakes stop you securely. Nothing more, nothing less.

The calipers are adjusted at the lever with an Allen key. The levers also double as quick-releases. Flip them forward and the calipers pop open for wheel removal.

Fore/aft adjustment of the extensions is easy and pad width can also be set in a number of places. Fore/aft of the basebar, however, is what it is.

Triathletes looking at this bike should be aware that there's a triathlon version. It features the same frame but a much more aero fork that also serves as a fairing over the front caliper. Cervélo have been working with TorHans and XLab for custom nutrition boxes that bolt on to the P5’s top tube.

Castelli San Remo Speed Suit review

Triathlon Plus — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:00:00 GMT

This high-end hybrid speed suit is basically a pair of Castelli Body Paint cycling shorts put together with an aero road racing jersey and offers some of the aero advantages of a time trial or track-style skinsuit with the practical features you need for the road, including a secure rear pockets and a zip down the torso.

The tight performance fit, one-piece design and silicone dots on the front and sides are designed to make it more aerodynamic, and Castelli say it can save 10-15 watts at 25mph. The incredible comfort and solid practicality are a draw, too.

The soft fabric, flat leg grippers and Progetto X2 pad show the quality of this kit and are really comfortable. It’s not as aero as a full-on skinsuit, though, and the thickness of the pad rules it out for triathlon use. It comes at a high price too, though to buy Body Paint shorts and Castelli’s Aero Race jersey as separates would cost more.

This article was originally published in Triathlon Plus magazine, available on Zinio.

Nutrition round-up: USN Delite Bar packs big protein punch

John Whitney in Bath, UK — Wed, 23 May 2012 11:38:00 GMT

Only you can decide what balance of carbs, protein and fat you need from your energy snacks and nutrition products, but here's a quick round-up of the latest options to hit our desks.

USN Delite Bar

Heavier on the stomach than a sledgehammer to the midriff, USN's latest monster protein product, the Delite Bar, certainly packs a punch. Each bar contains a not insubstantial 30g of protein and comes in two flavours - Cookies and Cream (76g/315kcals) and Toffee Almond (96g/412kcals). The latter is the richer of the two, with more weight, more fat (16g against 11g) and more carbs (37g against 24g).

We found the chocolate and toffee certainly helps with palatability but there's still that non-specific protein taste once you get further into the bar. If you were hungry before eating one, you won't be for a while afterwards. But if you struggle to get your daily requirement of protein in, then these could help you.

They're not so light on your wallet, either. They come in boxes of 12 direct from USN for £41.88 (Cookies and Cream) and £45 (Toffee Almond), meaning each bar costs a maximum of £3.75. If we weren't feeling queasy before, we are now. www.usn.co.uk

Kinetica

This Irish firm's latest energy gel off the production line, Fuel Gel, is packed with several ingredients that claim to boost physical and mental performance. Each 35ml serving (110kcal), is filled with 27g of carbohydrates (Glucose, Fructose, Maltodextrin), L Carnitine (to help convert fat into energy), L Tyrosine (mental alertness and focus) and a reasonably high 81mg of caffeine.

It comes in Strawberry Zing and Fruit Punch flavours, and both had a medicine-like taste which wasn't such an issue when the hunger pangs came a knocking. We had some of our best rides of the spring with these stuffed in our pockets, which is pretty much all you can ask for from a gel. They are available in packs of 24 from Kinetica's website for £36. www.kineticasports.com

Maxim

Although 35mL is about the standard serving size for a gel, it's sometimes good to have a little bit extra. Step forward Maxim's whopping 100ml gel pouches, which has a screw cap in case you want to take it in doses. If not, each sachet contains 300kcal and 74.3g of carbohydrates, along with stimulants guarana and caffeine. As well as the orange here, they come in four other flavours (citrus fruits, grapefruit and orange, passion fruit and orange and strawberry). www.fisheroutdoor.co.uk

Sponser

Swiss firm Sponser are still relatively new to the UK, but are better known on the continent with their association to star athletes such as former mountain biking cross-country world champion Christoph Sauser. Their Recovery Drink (Strawberry-Banana), which comes in the sachets above (box of 6, £11.99) or a 1,200g tub (£34.99), contains casein and whey proteins (10g per sachet) and 39g carbs (218kcal). As with many drinks of this type, you're supposed to add water but we've always found that milk tastes much better. This drink is no exception. www.sponseruk.com

Video: SiDi Ergo 3 Liquigas edition

BikeRadar, UK — Wed, 23 May 2012 11:00:00 GMT

You may be familiar with the Wishlist section in our sister magazine Procycling, which uncovers the latest tech the pros are using.

Well, it's gone digital and in the first video they take a look at the Liquigas team edition SiDi Ergo 3. They are limited edition shoes, celebrating the long-standing relationship between the two companies and are currently adorning the feet of Giro d'italia GC contender Ivan Basso. Check out the video below for the full lowdown.

Video: SiDi Ergo 3 Liquigas edition

BikeRadar, UK — Wed, 23 May 2012 10:23:00 GMT

You may be familiar with the Wishlist section in our sister magazine Procycling, which uncovers the latest tech the pros are using.

Superstar Switch AM mountain bike wheelset review

Guy Kesteven, Mountain Biking UK — Wed, 23 May 2012 10:00:00 GMT

The Alex Supra rims used for Superstar's Switch AM wheels are reliably tough and broad enough to handle fat tyres without being heavy and slow on the bike, and production sets will be laser etched.

They’re hand-built in the UK with top quality Sapim CX Ray spokes and while they’re not the tightest-laced wheels, Superstar offer lifetime retensioning as part of the price. The Switch hubs will handle a full range of axle options and the bearings last okay.

They’re not tubeless as standard, but full spares support and reduced cost crash replacement, plus custom colour and spoke options for an extra £50 make them a bargain. There’s a new faster-reacting freehub, SKF bearing hubset in the pipeline too.

This article was originally published in Mountain Biking UK magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

NS Core 3 review

Jake Ireland, Mountain Biking UK — Wed, 23 May 2012 08:00:00 GMT

Polish dirt jump bike pioneers NS have broken into the all-round hard-hitter bracket with their Core series of bikes. With rider feedback and development at the core of the company, we were expecting greatness. But while the basic Core 3 has a good frame, the low-quality, heavy spec and budget fork lets it down.

Ride & handling: Needs a few spec changes to shine

While it's firmly aimed at play riding rather than cross-country duties, we managed to get enough seatpost out of the Core 3 to be able to get pedalling, although any rider much taller than 5ft 6in was pushing the post past its limit on our size medium test bike.

Sam Pilgrim’s signature grips combined with an NS Terra bar wasn’t the most comfortable cockpit we’ve ever experienced. The bar felt as if it had no sweep, and the thick grips with minimal pattern will have limited appeal and got very slippery when wet.

The NS's ride was surprisingly harsh, even on surfaced trails. The Suntour Duro fork had problems reacting to small bumps effectively, even with the preload on both legs wound to a minimum. The spring was ideal for trail riding but the fork’s stickiness rendered it ineffective for any slight impacts.

It was disappointing on dirt jumps too, and tended to blow through its travel with little support, even with the preload wound all the way on. Small bump sensitivity isn’t an issue at the jumps though, because the fork remained pretty smooth after the initial part of the stroke. The fork seems to suffer from a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none problem.

Throughout the testing, the Kenda Kinetic tyres were a disappointment, too. They were slow-rolling and created a lot of trail noise, as well as giving a lot of feedback and vibration at 30psi. When ragging technical singletrack, the NS came into its own. Its size allowed us to move the bike around easily, though once again the spec hampered performance.

The brake pads had a large amount of free play in the callipers, and even after an hour of fiddling, we still couldn’t get the basic mechanical callipers to feel positive and sharp. This resulted in a really spongy feel when we tried to slow down. It’s disappointing, especially as the frame could shine with a few spec changes – not least a new fork.

Frame & equipment: Bombproof but heavy

NS build their hardtails from steel because they believe it’s the best material for the purpose. It’s strong, and NS reckon it reduces vibration too. Unfortunately, there's a weight penalty with steel, and the Core is comes in at 16.8kg (37lb, without pedals).

The ‘Trimoly’ tubeset is made up of a chromoly down tube, top tube and chainstays, with simple steel tubing elsewhere. The frame of the Core 2, the next bike up in the range, is 100 percent chromoly, which makes it lighter than the Core 3. The frame has a standard 1.125in head tube, normal 135mm rear end and a 25.4mm seatpost size, which could prove a problem as 25.4mm posts aren’t easy to replace.

One of our biggest qualms with the Core is that the mech hanger isn’t replacable. Although it’s not a massive issue with a steel frame, if it’s bent a lot (which is likely, given the type of riding that the bike is designed for), it’s only going to get weaker.

Since the 3 is the entry-level bike in the Core range, the spec is nothing special, but it's all kit that should last well and take a good beating. Suntour’s Duro fork is up front with 130mm (5.1in) of travel and rebound adjustment, with the cockpit completed by an NS Quark stem and Terra bar. Tektro’s Novela mechanical disk brakes are in charge of stopping duty, with 180mm rotors front and rear.

The drivetrain is a SRAM SX-4 eight-speed setup, with dual chainrings up front to assist on the climbs. The Truvativ Ruktion crankset uses the hard-wearing Howitzer bottom bracket system. The wheelset is made up of wide Jalco rims and Joytech hubs, with the front axle being nutted while the rear is a quick-release. Kenda’s Kinetic tyres do their best to keep contact with the ground.

This article was originally published in Mountain Biking UK magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.

Gran Fondo New York draws 5,000 riders

Becky Ferreira in New York City — Tue, 22 May 2012 20:14:00 GMT

More than 10,000 cyclists came to the Bike Expo NYC, which ran from May 18^th-19^th at the Penn Plaza Pavilion, leading up to the 2^nd annual Gran Fondo New York on Sunday, May 20^th. Though the Expo was first organized as a place for the 5,000 Gran Fondo riders to pick up their race packages (which included Giordana cycling jerseys, chip timing, meals and more), thousands of people not registered for the ride showed up to browse through the 50 booths at the event.

"The expo was packed for two full days,” said GFNY founder and organizer Uli Fluhme. “It was exciting to have all these high profile road cycling companies exhibit in the heart of NYC. Pinarello, Giordana, ELITE, Limar, Campagnolo, Mavic, Vittoria, you name it.”

There was a strong Italian presence among the exhibitors.

“We are very proud and excited to be at the New York City Expo for the Gran Fondo,” said Chiara Pinarello of Pinarello bicycles, based in Villorba, Italy. “It’s a great occasion for us to be here and help out the 5,000 riders.”

A new Italian company, Granfondo Roma, also attracted crowds of GFNY racers to their booth, promoting their inaugural gran fondo in Rome, scheduled for October 14^th, 2012. Granfondo Roma’s course will feature many of Rome’s legendary monuments, including the Coliseum. In another popular nod to Italian culture, T. Edward Wines’ booth hosted tastings. All 5,000 riders received a bottle of their Sicilian red wine, to “aid the recovery.”

Pinarello had a big presence at the Gran Fondo New York, amplifying the Italian atmosphere

The gran fondo riders were lucky enough to snag the last sunny day before New York descended into a week of rain. With barely a cloud in the sky, riders were on their marks bright and early at 7am on the lower level of the George Washington Bridge.

Wladimiro D’Ascenzo of Bellante Stazione, Italy won the men’s competition, followed by Anthony Fatuzzo of Fair Lawn, New Jersey and Igor Volshteyn of New York City. Canadian Susan Jones won the women’s race relatively unchallenged, though Ana Maria Bonilla Paez of Bogota, Colombia wrestled second place off of Tara Kupersmith of Greenwich, Connecticut by a mere second.

The after-party took place nearby the finish line in Weehawken, New Jersey.

“The midtown Manhattan views were just gorgeous,” Fluhme said. “It was the perfect setting for riders to hang out and enjoy the Delverde pasta served from a coach bus that was completely rebuilt as a rolling kitchen.”

Registration is open for the 2013 race, and Fluhme is busy planning more improvements.

“The biggest change in terms of registration is the free addition of insurance. If a registered participant gets ill or injured, 365Competitor provides a full refund of the entry fee,” he said. “We expect to grow GFNY to 8,000 to 10,000 participants in the next two years.”

Great Manchester Cycle 26-mile ride sells out

BikeRadar UK — Tue, 22 May 2012 19:16:00 GMT

The Daily Mirror Great Manchester Cycle, a closed road mass ride on Monday 4 June, has reached its 2500 rider capacity for the 26-mile 'Rule the Roads' option. But with two weeks to go, there are still slots open for the 13-mile 'Get Out and Pedal' and 52-mile 'Test Yourself' rides. You can also win a place by entering the competition being run by our sister title Cycling Plus.

The routes are all based on a 13-mile loop which includes a stretch on the city's busiest road, the Mancunian Way, which will of course be closed to motor traffic for the duration of the event. All rides cost £10/£5 (adults/kids) to enter, with children between 3-7 able to ride for free.

The event is timed to coincide with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee weekend and is being dubbed "the UK’s biggest street party."

For more information, visit www.greatcycle.org.

Giro d'Italia 16: Izagirre triumphs to Falzes

Susan Westemeyer, Cyclingnews.com — Tue, 22 May 2012 16:58:00 GMT

This article was originally published on Cyclingnews.com.

Jon Izagirre soloed in to the finish line of the sixteenth stage of the Giro d'Italia, bringing in the victory for Euskaltel-Euskadi. The 23-year-old Basque rider had escaped out of a 10-man breakaway group on the final climb, and finished 16 seconds ahead of Alessandro De Marchi (Androni Giacattoli-Venezuela) and Stef Clement (Rabobank).

The peloton took the day off, more or less, and let the 10-man escape group carve out a nearly 13 minute gap. After a comfortable final climb, the field with the favourites ambled across the line nearly nine minutes after the rejoicing Izagirre. There were no changes in the top of the GC as Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) continues to lead the Giro d'Italia.

It was the second win of the year – and the second pro win – for the second year pro Izagirre. At the end of last month he won the time trial at the Vuelta a Asturias.

Another successful escape group

It took a while for the day's break to establish itself, but once again, the group came through to the end. After eighty-some kilometers, Alessandro De Marchi (Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela), Mathias Frank (BMC Racing Team), Jon Izagirre (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Luca Mazzanti (Farnese Vini-Sella Italia), Lars Ytting Bak (Lotto Belisol), Nicolas Maes (Omega Pharma-QuickStep), José Herrada Lopez (Movistar), Stef Clement (Rabobank), Matthias Brändle (NetApp) and Manuele Boaro (Saxo Bank) finally got away and moved quickly to a big lead.

With Herrada as the top ranked rider, at more than 32 minutes down, the field was happy to let them go and give themselves a quiet day to transition back into racing before facing the upcoming brutal mountain stages.

Fans come in all shapes and sizes

The race had started out very fast – which is why no group could come about – but once the break went, the peloton put the brakes on. The gap grew and grew, climbing all the way up to 12 and a half minutes before slowing coming down in the final 20km.

The attacks out of the group started almost as soon as they started the final climb to the finish. A cobblestone passage near the beginning of the climb didn't bring any changes, as Herrada led the way up. Izagirre was the next to try, and then Frank. Those two built up a small lead over Herrara with another gap back to the rest with 4km to go.

Izagirre took the lead, followed by De Marchi, as Frank and Herrada chased. The Basque rider ground his way up the climb, slowly building up his lead. He continued to pull away as the course flattened out near the end, as the three chasers, later joined by Clement, played for position.

The Euskaltel-Euskadi rider rejoiced as he crossed the finish line, and 16 seconds later De Marchi and Clement came in to fill out the podium.

The rest of the field was still to come, and it was a smaller group which tackled the final climb – but one which included all the favourites. They stayed together riding comfortably up to the finish. Liquigas-Cannondale and Garmin-Barracuda were most often at the front.

But then a Colnago-CSF Inox rider shot out of the of the field with about 1200 meters to go. Stefano Pirazzi was soon joined by Sky's Juan Antonio Flecha, and Flecha zipped around him at the end to take the eleventh place, nearly nine minutes after Izagirre, with the field almost directly behind.