Tag: Autumn Classics

Cannondale, F des J, Giant, Greenedge, Sky, Trek - they all tried to take control in the finale in Belfast in Stage Two on Saturday. But none could. It's not until you see a situation like we did in Belfast that you realise just how good Mario Cipollini's Acqua Sapone and Cav's HTC trains really were. In the event, it was irrelevant; Kittel was in a different league. He was way back and would usually have been out of it but turned left, found clear road, turned on the boosters and left the others scrabbling for the placings.

World 200 metres flying start record holder, Nicholas Paul’s recent Worlds kilometre 59.791 silver medal behind Jeffrey Hoogland’s 58.418, winning ride jogged my memory regarding ‘Kilo Kings’ from Trinidad & Tobago. A decade ago I caught up with Gene Samuel who took Worlds Kilometre bronze in 1991…

And so the warm weather (excluding Tour of the Med) precursors to the bike season proper have concluded. Down Under, Qatar, Oman, Algarve, etc have all had their brief moments in the spotlight, Langkawi has kicked off with a win to Zab in the time trial (no surprises that Zab is nowhere near the Classics! Not a sketchy conditions type of rider is the great DZ.) Now we head to the heartland of the sport and the portion of the season where the hardmen have their moments to shine.

Joshua Tarling has just taken the biggest win of his young life – the World Junior Individual Time Trial Championships in Woolongong by 19 seconds from Hamish McKenzie of Australia at 49.395 kph, and he's been snapped up by the mighty INEOS team, continuing the trend for young talents to skip u23 and go straight to the World Tour.

The A C Yule Trophy, awarded to the fastest rider from the organising club (Aberdeen Wheelers), was won by veteran roadman Bob Cowie in a time of 25min 13secs. The event was won by Dave Black (Sandy Wallace Cycles) from Forres, in a time of 22min 26secs, beating Tri-changing Gear's Sean Monaghan into 2nd place by a mere 6secs. Sean's Tri-changing Gear team-mate, Colin Duncan was 3rd in 22min 45secs.

Strade Bianchi baby! The white roads of Tuscany get another run on the Pro Tour today. This is a relatively new one day classic, and an Italian take on the cobbled classics of the legendary Belgian spring.