15 yo on SAFE CYCLING !

COPIED in full from the article !

SAYs it so much better than i can !


Drivers, give teen bike riders like me a break

By Luke Allingham December 8, 2013 6:48PM

His Website : http://t.co/kxPBU8ZC8f

Dear Automobile Drivers,

I am a 15-year-old cyclist, and though I have become more experienced on my bike over the past few years, I still feel very uncomfortable when I ride on the busier traffic-filled streets of Chicago.


It’s not the potholes or confined spaces that make me uncomfortable; it’s that I don’t trust the drivers who surround me in vehicles that weigh up to several thousand pounds. I dream of changing this. I want to see the cycling community reach a day when we don’t read about multiple riders dying each week.

Whenever the problem of cyclist safety is discussed, there usually is a backlash from drivers who blame the cyclists. News reporters and government authorities, such as the police, don’t help the situation. Reporters often conclude the cyclist was at fault. Police and prosecutors, especially in the United States, often make the problem worse by failing to file charges against the driver.

I admit that not all cyclists follow the traffic laws, failing for example to obey red lights and stop signs. I also know that some cyclists who have been hit by cars caused or played a part in the collision. But there has to be shared accountability. In 2011 in the United States, 667 cyclists died in collisions with automobiles. There is plenty of misjudgment on both sides.

Without placing all blame on drivers, I still would argue that all too often you are the ones seriously endangering the lives of cyclists. Whether it’s a simple “accident” where you’re not paying close enough attention, intentionally hitting us, yelling at us or threatening us, you’re endangering us.


You cannot believe that a driver would intentionally hit a cyclist? It happens more often than you think. In May, a cyclist was killed by an automobile in downtown Los Angeles; authorities later declared that the crash was intentional. In Norfolk, England, a driver, Emma Way, hit a cyclist, Toby Hockley, with her car, and then took to Twitter to boast that she’d knocked a cyclist off his bicycle. She wrote: “Definitely knocked a cyclist off his bike earlier. I have the right of way — he doesn’t even pay road tax!” She later was convicted of a crime. Though hard to believe, some drivers do purposely attempt to hit cyclists.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t stop there. Though not well-known to the general public, there is a community I label “bike haters.” They spew hate and make threats toward cyclists on various social media sites, especially Twitter, which is popular among cyclists. The posts range from simple comments such as “I hate cyclists on the road” to the posting of video of specific cyclists and criticizing them. Get that bike off the road and on to the sidewalk, they often warn, or they’ll hit you. I wonder how many people are aware that it’s illegal in most cities and states to ride bicycles on sidewalks past a specific age. In Chicago, the age limit is 12.

There is an increased awareness that cyclists are being verbally attacked, thanks in part to cyclists who record their rides with GoPro cameras. In the last month, I’ve seen two different videos in which a citizen verbally harassed a cyclist — simply for being on a bike.

You may wonder — I hope you will wonder — how you can help. First and foremost, of course, never intentionally hit a cyclist, and if you do hit one, don’t flee the scene. Second, keep calm if a cyclist aggravates you. Everyone on the planet makes mistakes. Third, if you see a driver or citizen harassing a cyclist, attempt to break up the confrontation so it doesn’t escalate. Fourth, follow the laws of your city and state when driving near a cyclist. If there is a law requiring three feet of clearance when passing a cyclist, give us the three feet (the more room we have, the better). Lastly, please help spread awareness of this problem. Remind your family, friends and co-workers that cyclists are human beings, too, who usually want to live life safely.

We can make our roads safer. We shouldn’t have to read stories every week about another cyclist being killed.

Luke Allingham is a sophomore at Amundsen High School and lives in Chicago’s Lincoln Square neighborhood."


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This young fellow has been Tweeting and interviewing many of the current crop of Cycling Stars . Wonder if he will support this initiative :

https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/ioc-chairman-thomas-bach-create-an-international-umbrella-cycling-safety-organisation

23 days and 8 have signed ! Penalties apply to those who join ? NO !

When Luke wonders why Cyclists suffer , he has to look NO FURTHER !

THE NEW OMERTA ! Can UCI deal with it ?

SWAMPED by controversy caused by ineffectual leadership until the September Congress in Firenze , UCI may now find itself on shifting sands once again ?  Defeating Mc Quaid , may have been the easiest part of Brian Cookson's take over of the UCI Presidency ?

In order to retain control of the UCI , mc quaid had to " Win friends and influence people "! Was part of this effort , so many " Quid pro Quos "? Where in the UCI Aigle office , did he deposit ALL those Le Tour Sanctions that were created by about 200 Pro World Racers that were seeking " Fame and Glory " at the 100th Le Tour ?

THEY DIDN'T DOPE ? They didn't race SKY Team , to stop them WINNING the 100th Le Tour ?

Do " pigs fly " ? Were there " Anti Doping Inspectors " at Le Tour ? I met a bunch of them at the Argos -Shimano Team Hotel , as they arrived , breakfast time , on the Saturday of the 1st Etappe ! They even offered to test me , as they climbed out of the Le Tour Vehicles . I even told them who would win that day , having said as much to the Mechanics of the team , whilst topping off my wheels from their compressor .

Maybe it was bravado that caused me to name Kittel , but Thor will tell you i told him on the last Sunday at an earlier Dauphine Libere that i expected him to win that etappe and Millar will also tell you the same story of another occasion  , as will Oscar & Phillippe of others . Guess the funniest prediction was me trying to educate Horner , in how to say " Aider HandiSport " , when he arrived on the Podium of that Tour de Suisse Etappe , that night ? Not having met him before , but knowing his reputation , i had fluked that one ?

Whilst the Dutch conducted an investigation of the Rabobank Team earlier this year , Micheal Rasmussen was writing his recently revealed book . No doubt he would have tipped off a few of his previous team colleagues as a matter of courtesy ? Whilst UCI was having the new regimes " Extraordinary Management Meeting " , Razzie was letting the press know the contents of his book . Several of the 2007 Tour de France  Rabobank Team took issue with his " 100% Team PED Usuage declaration " , Oscar Freire threatening Legal action , was one result .

But then controversy sells BOOKS ! Doesn't it ?

Out of the wings popped Ryder Hesjedal , winner of the 2012 Giro d'Italia for Garmin , he went on to be the Canadian Athlete of that year ! Seems that he agreed to the facts revealed by " Razzie " , of his learning to " Dope " in 2003 !  Of course he regetted that course of action , decided that it was not for him . It is rumoured that he sat down with USADA and the Canadian ADA Authorities , towards the end of 2012 , and discussed / revealed his personal situation .

Reports confirm that he did not race for a substantial period , in fact i met him at the 2013 Giro d'Italia in Tarvisio , where he was no longer in contention for this year's podium . Seems that lack of racing time was a factor , in the lack of ability to contest that year ? Was this a period that he was excluded , as were other Garmin Racers ,who were unable to race in the US Team as they received a 6 month suspension , for owning up to their " Doping antics " , with Lance Armstrong Teams in past years ?

Lance Armstrong has even joined the media circus in the past few days :

http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/lance-armstrong-exclusive-interview-part-1

So far all that has appeared is pure vanilla . Lance keeps teasing the story that is being offered , with assersions that " more facts will be offered to WADA /UCI / Truth & Reconciliation "! So let's hope the next instalments don't put us to sleep ? Guessing that Benson of Cycling News , wants to create a " scoop " , which was Oprah's hope , when she had Lance on the January TV show ?

So far as most people/anyone can see ,  Lance appears to be the ONLY Racer who has suffered any serious consequences for their " Doping Career "!

NOT SO !

With the USADA Reasoned Decision , SKY Team decided to enforce their " No Tolerance Policy " , by quickly requiring relevation of ALL personnel's previous Career PED exposure . Net result was the departure of Racers and Support Staff by the end of the 2012 Season . Who can be sure of the " Personal Reasons " , that prompted so many well known people to depart for " pastures new "? Retirements and new teams were the result for many . Rumour and innuendo followed .

In other teams , there were departures , one well known GT Leader , levi Leipheimer , appears to have left the Pro World Race Team scene , unwillingly , since no other Team has offered him a place in the 2013 season . Seems that even though he won the Vuelta , Chris Horner , may suffer the same fate , although there is conjecture that he is demanding TOO High a salary for the 2014 Season ?

So with these results for COMING FORWARD , does anyone dispute the possibility that there are MANY Racers , with cupboards full of " rattling bones ", unwilling to trust that their relevations of giving up " PED Use " in 2003 , will leave their Cycling Career intact ?




Last year we saw the UCI score an OWN Goal , when they announced in November , some of the Pro World Teams that would be in the 2014 Season ! Those elected then included Katousha , but later that Team was removed , then reinstated after a visit to CAS ! This past week , we see a repeat of that process, and various other Teams required to present more information to satisfy the Authorities appointed to vet their credentials .

In OTHER Posts , i have stated that my view is that , this is TOO Late in the season to be conducting these procedures !   Fact is it is telling SPONSORS , that Teams are " living Hand to Mouth ", not like they behave , with their 5 and 10 year Plans and Budgets ! WHAT a way to run a business ?

Hurray , we are " Pro world Team "! Right NOW , order the kit ! Call the Racers , tell them which Races they will ride next season ! Ring the Leasing Companies , tell them we need THAT Equipment , tell the Sponsors they can Advertise the fact we are " Pro World Status "! What did i miss ?

IT IS NOT EASY RUNNING A PRO WORLD TEAM , on a dime's notice !

COME ON UCI , get it together !

Oh , by the way , YOU STILL have to decide the Pro Continental Teams , AND , they have to order KIT, Equipment , Advertising , etc !

Then you have to let the OTHERS , those that did not get the NOD , that they are staying in " Conti Status ", thus FINALLY knowing what to put on THEIR KIT , Equipment , etc !

Will we be in the same place next year Anto ? See the tweets !

1. the Inner Ring ‏@inrng20h

   Still half the World Tour teams must wait until December to know what they're doing in January, which UCI logo to put on their kit etc

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1. skippy mc carthy ‏@skippydetour4h

   @inrng My take on this http://tourdafarce.blogspot.com  ! Repeat of last year with http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/lance-armstrong-exclusive-interview-part-1 … to add to confusion ? pic.twitter.com/B7Kkhh48EQ

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2. the Inner Ring ‏@inrng2h

   @skippydetour it does feel like we've lost a year here

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3. skippy mc carthy ‏@skippydetour1h

   @inrng @jaimiefuller @tanni_GT @briancooksonUCI @GaudryT @Moran_anto Do you remember this http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/01/analysis/hoberman-qa-outlining-corruption-doping-collusion-at-the-ioc-uci_270482 … Will we be here NEXT YEAR ?

    View summary
4. Anto Moran ‏@moran_anto49m

   @skippydetour @inrng @jaimiefuller @Tanni_GT @BrianCooksonUCI @gaudryt No! We will be in a better, cleaner place!

UCI has a lot of ground to cover in Mens Road Racing , so it will come as no surprise that Womens Racing Status , promised last week , after the Management meeting , is still in the pipe line !

However Para Cycling has a place ALSO ! These Athletes were absorbed by the UCI in Hein Verbruggen's day ! I recall him telling me in his Geneva West Office , about those plans . Those plans took Para Cycling from the Para Body , into UCI control in the early 2000s .

 It appears that Colin has GOOD reason for concerns and thus his open letter here :

http://www.podiumcafe.com/2013/11/6/5072602/para-cycling-and-the-uci-colin-lynchs-open-letter

 " Life wasn't meant to be easy ", a well known phrase ,  i recall that Malcolm Fraser remark , from my early days , but IF UCI has such a thin " Track program " planned for the next years , then the 2016 Paralympic Track Events will be a DISASTER !

Those in doubt about Colin's hard graft should read his blog " 637daystogo.blogspot.com "!

MOTIVATING COOKSON ?

Tuesday night @BrianCooksonUCI  tweeted the link to the UCI Press Release ,

http://www.uci.ch/templates/UCI/UCI8/layout.asp?MenuId=MTYzMDQ&LangId=1


regarding that day's Extraordinary Management meeting ! Had you read my Blog Post " My Wish List " , you would be aware of the amount of work needed to attempt to put UCI on track to a " Brighter Future " , that his predessor tried to con the Cycling Community into thinking was his ambition ?

Since the September election , Brian and his Management Team , have been beavering away at clearing the DEAD Wood , that cluttered Aigle and obscured the path forward . It surprised me to see so much covered in the Tuesday Meeting and i tweeted to that effect :

skippy mc carthy ‏@skippydetour29 Oct

@inrng @TheRaceRadio @BrianCooksonUCI @gaudryt SEEMS that Transparency will be FOREMOST principle of UCI from TODAY! Good start CONGRATS ALL

Womens Cycling progress will be revealed later this week , hopefully including the NZ Tour that was not run in 2013 due to the Organisers having difficulty with the UCI attitude to " Anti Doping "! Funny how they let the US Mens Races run without " Full Testing " , but thrash the Ladies ! Of course there was that Canadian woman who was subjected to sanction , perhaps others , but really ? Look at ALL those US Racers that were given a 6 month " All Salaries Paid Holiday " after the USADA Reasoned Decision , but they were MEN ? Why did phat , cheat the Ladies ? How was it THEIR fault that phat and co. were asleep for 8 years under his watch ?

In reading this article , i came across the following comment , which i paste in it's entirety :

http://inrng.com/2013/10/cookson-uci-president/#comment-89040

It is this type of Influence that shapes lives , i guess that the 40 years mentioned , suggests what was written here , was revealed before Brian was seeking the Election to the UCI Presidency ?

bikecellar October 30, 2013 at 9:06 pm

The day I met Tom Simpson
By Brian Cookson, British Cycling President
It was 17 June 1967. I remember it like it was yesterday. I was still five days short of my sixteenth birthday, and in the middle of my O levels. Of course school was only a sideline, a bit of insurance. I was going to New Brighton with some mates from my club at the time, the Preston Wheelers, to see the man whose career I was going to emulate. It was the day I was to see my cycling hero.
I caught the bus up to the top of Cop Lane and waited for the mini to arrive carrying my clubmates. Was it a mini? It must have been, they all had them. They were all older than me, all working for a living, but committed racers in their own way, some better than others, 1st cats, 2nd cats, 3rd cats, whatever. All lads about town as well. They were my heroes too, in a different way.
Was it George Bradbury’s car, or was it Andy Deakin’s? Maybe I don’t remember it quite as well as I thought. Either way I do remember it was a sunny day. But then every day was a sunny day when I was that age, wasn’t it?
We drove down the A59, through Rufford, Burscough, Ormskirk and Maghull to Liverpool. I’d never been there before, despite living only 40 miles or so away. We didn’t travel so much in those days of course. My kids think I’m joking when I say I’d never been to Manchester either, until I went for a college interview at 17. Why would I have gone to Manchester or Liverpool? There were plenty of shops in Preston, then there was the seaside at Blackpool, St Annes, or Morecambe. For a really exotic outing we would go to Grange over Sands, or a coach trip to Windermere. No point going to Manchester, certainly not Liverpool. How the world has changed in such a short space of time.
So Liverpool was a bit of a culture shock to me. I knew it was where the Beatles came from, indeed that had been another of my possible career paths – I had the guitar, the haircut, the music master even called me the school Beatle for a while. But I’d dropped that, I figured the life of a pro bike rider was my destiny.
On we went past Aintree racecourse, then mile after mile of terraced streets, past a gloomy prison, a big hospital, caught a glimpse of the Everton ground at one point, then suddenly we were in the Mersey Tunnel, descending in the semi-darkness, flat at the bottom, then climbing up the other side. Someone said they let you ride a bike through early on a Sunday morning, and the climb was the hardest on Merseyside.
Suddenly we were out in the bright sunshine and into the clamouring world of the Birkenhead Docks, passing ship after ship, loading or unloading their mysterious cargo, with home ports and flags from around the world. No containers in those days, just real docks and real dockers. Cranes and boats and trains, and those dockers all hustling and bustling, busy, busy, busy. Or maybe that’s just the way it seemed to me.
Suddenly we were out of the docks and arriving in what seemed like a smaller version of Blackpool. New Brighton, our destination. I could see the sea, or rather the Mersey Estuary (I knew that from Geography), and I could see a huge outdoor swimming pool. In fact some of the lads went for a swim. I didn’t join them because I knew I was going to be a serious professional roadman and swimming during the season was not good for cycling muscles. It didn’t matter that my most significant performance to date was not getting dropped in a schoolboy criterium on Morecambe promenade. I was a serious bike rider.
Finally, we strolled up to where the races were, a few hundred yards away. A few hundred metres, I thought, preparing myself for my life as a European pro. The lower category races were going on, but my hero wasn’t due to arrive until a bit later. So we waited. I relaxed my rules and had an ice cream (don’t eat it too quick or you’ll put a chill on your stomach).
The British professionals (or were they still calling them independents that year? I forget) were getting ready, and a fearsome lot they looked, a hard bunch of men. Blokes like Arthur Metcalfe, Colin Lewis, Roger Claridge. No matter, I’d soon leapfrog over them and join a top continental team, I thought.
A sizeable crowd developed. The biggest I’d ever seen at a bike race. Where was the man we had all come to see? Is it my memory playing tricks again, or was there a hot rod car there, in the colours of the event’s sponsors Players No6 cigarettes? Bizarre.
An announcement came over the crackly tannoy. His flight had been delayed, but he was on his way. The British pros didn’t seem too pleased. Their race was about to start and they didn’t want to hang around. So they raced.
Another announcement came over the tannoy. An extra race would be held, when he arrived. So nobody would be disappointed. Was I imagining it, or did the British guys ease up a bit in their race? Were they talking along the back straight? They still didn’t seem too pleased. Surely they should have been honoured that they were going to be thrashed by one of the greats.
Then suddenly there he was. Tom Simpson. My hero. The greatest British bike rider ever. You could pick up Cycling (as it was then) any week during the season and expect that he would have won a classic, or at least given his all in a break, before suddenly blowing and finishing in a state of exhaustion. He’d won the World Championship then the Tour of Lombardy, in 1965, less than two years before, the autumn that I first went on a club run. He’d worn the yellow jersey in the Tour de France. He’d won Paris – Nice earlier that year beating some young teammate called Merckx or something unpronounceable, who everybody said was going to be pretty good. Tom was one of the favourites for the Tour, leading a British national team, a temporary blip before the Tour finally became taken over by commercialism.
Blimey, it really was him. Here, now. He looked exactly like the photos in the magazines. Tanned limbs, beaky nose, ready smile, classic black and white Peugeot kit and matching bike with Mafac brakes and Simplex gears (remember them?). A big crowd gathered around him and a couple of other continental-based guys who’d come over with him.
Meanwhile the race with the British pros had finished and it was clear some discussion was taking place. There seemed to be some reluctance, but eventually a smaller bunch took the start and a short race began. Simpson won, of course. At least in my memory he won. But then I wasn’t really watching anybody else anyway. I think we all knew it was a bit of a show really, but we appreciated the effort the guy had gone to, to please his home fans on a rare British appearance.
The race was over and we wandered back towards the car, happy enough to have seen him. Suddenly there he was again, stood by his car chatting to fans, signing autographs. I waited my turn, and was too shy to ask him a question, but I’d got something special for him to sign, something that nobody else seemed to have – a copy of his autobiography “Cycling is my Life”. And sign it he did, with a cheery smile. I still have it. He probably said something to me, but I can’t remember what. I was already in a trance.
Off we went, back to the car, back through the docks, back to Preston, dropped off at the top of Cop Lane, and walking back home, still inhabiting the dream world of the Continental pro. Maybe I’d even be his teammate one day, I thought. I’d got the cotton Peugeot-BP cap from an advert in Cycling, I reckoned the rest of the kit would look fine on me too, once I’d filled out a bit. Days later, I got a stern rebuke from a team mate “Never mind that, you never offered any petrol money!” I was mortified – the biggest sin of all is to be tight with your mates.
But I had done what I’d wanted. I’d met my hero, the guy I was basing my life on. I had his autograph to prove it. I was happy and went about my training with renewed seriousness. The O levels? Well, I passed enough to get into the sixth form, even French because I knew I’d need it when I joined Tom over there.
Now my memory is moving on a bit. Its less than a month later. I’m a junior now and I’m in the changing rooms on a Thursday evening for the Eccleston Handicaps that take place every week. Andy Deakin (was it him, or is my memory playing tricks again?) comes into the changing rooms. He’s got a serious look on his face. “Hey lads” he says “Simmy’s died”.
We are stunned. What can you say or do? It was on the BBC radio in Andy’s mini, so it must be true. We don’t cry, we’re northerners, we are just stunned. Stunned, baffled and bemused. What’s happened, was it a crash on a descent, yeah that happened to that French bloke Riviere or something a few years back, didn’t kill him but finished his career, didn’t it? Maybe that was it?
No. It seems the reports are saying exhaustion or heart failure or something. Wow, we think, we always knew Tom could push himself, we’d seen the photos and read the reports in Sporting Cyclist, but to push yourself that far was something else. Maybe there was more to it. Didn’t make sense. We raced anyway, but our hearts weren’t in it.
It didn’t take long for the stories to start to emerge. Cycling on the front page of my Dad’s Daily Express for once. Doping was there in big letters, it seemed amphetamines had been found in his kit. Amphetamines? Wasn’t that what some mods took in clubs in Manchester or London? Film was shown on the News of Tom cheerfully showing the contents of his personal medical box – “muscle fortifiers” and all, whatever they were. It seemed pretty clear – it wasn’t the only factor, the extreme heat, dehydration, general exhaustion all seemed to have combined. But there was doping. I was shattered.
I still clung to my belief that I would make it as a pro for a few more years, but now I look back I realise that my heart wasn’t really in it any more. I still loved the sport and gave it all the commitment I could, whilst going through A levels and college and getting a proper qualification to see me through the real world. Of course by that time, reality had set in. I won a few races, even a Division Championship, but I wasn’t ever going to be anywhere near good enough to be a pro. I knew that.
But it did teach me something and it did give me one very, very clear moral position. Doping is a scourge, and sometimes people need to be protected from their own and others’ failings, their greed and their folly, if sport is to be worthy of our ambition, worthy of our commitment, worthy of our devotion.
Tom Simpson should still be with us today, an elder statesman, an icon for the young riders we are bringing so successfully into our sport. Instead he has been dead for forty years. He let us down. I understand the thought processes he went through, the moral conundrums he faced. But still, he made the wrong choice and he paid the ultimate price. Easy for me to say, I know.
The mystery is that so few people seemed to learn the lesson. Forty years later we are still going through the process of weeding out those who think it is acceptable to take those sort of risks, or worse to risk the health of young riders, men and women, in their care, just to win bike races and make money. At last, however, we seem to be making progress. That makes me happy. I know there are problems in many other sports, too. But I don’t really care about other sports. I care about our sport, our young people, our beautiful races.
That’s why I will always do everything I can and why I will continue to speak out on this sadly persistent issue. When I read of the latest “hero” to be questioned by the authorities, and hear of their protestations of innocence, their pathetic claims of laboratory mistakes, devious conspiracies against them and so on and so on, I smile, sadly. Forgive my scepticism. Truth will out. What goes around comes around. I know that, you know that, they know that. How do they sleep at night?
When I think of their cynicism, I think of Tom Simpson. And I think of a broken dream. The broken dream of thousands and thousands of us over the years.
Rest in peace, Tom.


Quite an insight into a youthful person's background and motivation . Here is another tweet sent :

skippy mc carthy ‏@skippydetour28 Oct

@TheRaceRadio @gaudryt @BrianCooksonUCI Makes mc quaid look as if he was out of his depth http://www.cyclinginquisition.com/2013/10/colombia-must-rise-to-occassion.html … About time UCI took CONTROL

Here is another "  can of worms " that  UCI will need to get to grips with !

Those that follow the following Blog written by Steve Tilford will see more than a few eye opening episodes that he has encountered , as he has sought to race  at the highest level , without succumbing to the same temptations , that saw some US racers take a 6 month Winter Break :

http://stevetilford.com/2013/10/31/remorseful-ryder-hesjedal/comment-page-1/#comment-36430

My hope is that there are others such as Steve , that can shed light on those that pretend to be "CLEAN " and thus continue to enforce the " OMERTA " that controls the PELOTON even in 2014!

Some people that can help push Cycling's Future further forward , need to be brought on board by UCI ! One such was responsible for the creation of the Cervelo Team , some years ago . Here is a link to his latest Blog , which reveals a lot about their success :

http://gerard.cc/2013/10/30/selling-cycling/#comment-4994

There are many more such as @jamiefuller , who could contribute to a successful future for UCI Endeavours !

2014 Le Tour Announced !

Le Tour once again claims the attention of the Cycling Community ! 20 years after appearing in the South of England , Le tour will have a " Grand Depart " in Yorkshire . With 2 etappes in the Dales ,
the racers will move to the flatlands for the 3rd Depart being from Cambridge . Whilst the Racers will have only 3 days of racing in the UK , many of them will arrive on the Tuesday prior to the Grand Depart , so as to complete the formalities required before the Competition .

Continental travels will commence in Le Tourquet as the 4th Etappe will race to Lille . Following the "Clockwise direction " , racers will visit many World War 1 areas as they race across the cobbles in those areas that feature in the Spring Classics . . After 10 Etappes they will arrive at Besancon for the Rest Day , then continue through the Voges and Alpes . Two days of Mountain Top Finishes , without  L'Alpe D'Huez and the Gallibier , then on across the south to Carcassonne for another Rest Day , before heading into the Pyrennes for Pla D'Adet and Hautacam finishes .

Seems that Time Trial Skills , will be a redundant skill on this Le Tour , since it is only on Stage 20 and for only 54km , that those like Tony Martin and Fabian Cancellara get to stretch their legs .

With only 3 MTF to entertain the Le Tour Tifosi , there will be a sharp contrast with previous Editions of Le Tour . Could this mean that " New Stars " will be discovered ? Could this Edition , be the first time that "Racers " will have NO EXCUSES for seeking PED assistance for their efforts ?

WHEN are we the public , going to be told of those that were discovered on the 2013 Le Tour ? phat the rat had reasons for hiding PED users before the 100th Edition , but the Election has come and GONE ! For 100 years , most if not ALL Editions had Racers that sought recognition by way of " Chancing their LUCK" but since arrival in Paris , ALL Parties have taken the OATH of OMERTA , in respect of what the " Anti Doping Teams " , discovered !

DAILY ETAPPES : 5th July to 27th July

  5/  Stage 1: Leeds                                          Harrogate
  6/  Stage 2: York                                            Sheffield
  7/  Stage 3: Cambridge                                London
  8/  Stage 4: Le Touquet Paris-Plage      Lille
  9/  Stage 5: Ypres                                           Arenberg Porte du Hainaut

10/ Stage 6: Arras                                            Reims
11/ Stage 7: Epernay                                      Nancy
12/ Stage 8: Tomblaine                                 Gérardmer
13/ Stage 9: Gérardmer                                 Mulhouse
14/ Stage 10: Mulhouse                                 Planche des Belles Filles

15/                  Rest day in Besançon
16/ Stage 11: Besançon                                  Oyonnax
17/ Stage 12: Bourg-en-Bresse                    Saint-Etienne
18/ Stage 13: Saint-Etienne                          Chamrousse
19/ Stage 14: Grenoble                                   Risoul

20/ Stage 15: Tallard                                        Nîmes
 21/                        Rest day in Carcassonne
22/ Stage 16: Carcassonne                              Bagnères-de-Luchon
23/ Stage 17: Saint-Gaudens                          St-Lary-Soulan (Pla d’Adet)

24/ Stage 18: Pau                                                 Hautacam
25/ Stage 19: Maubourguet val d’Adour   Bergerac
26/ Stage 20: Bergerac                                      Périgueux (TT)
27/ Stage 21: Evry                                               Paris

Whilst many were thinking of the 2014 Le Tour presentation , the fight for Sydney and the surrounding country was fought by TRUE HEROES ! They came from all over ! Some were repaying the efforts by NSW Firefighters in past seasons , others were truly inspired by that quality most Aussies REVERE ! 

MATESHIP ! 

Whatever their Motives , as an aussie , i want to say THANKYOU ! When you Folk decide to visit the Le Tour , find me , i would like to BUY YOU A BEER !

It came as a surprise to see an Aussie , leave his day job , put in 14hrs on an evening shift , then go back to work ! Good one Tony !  Wish that your job as Prime Minister of Oz , did not include you being able to contradict the UN Efforts in " Global Warming "!

STROPPY BASKET !

ARTICLE Wasn't worth repeating anyway !

  "

From:   To:   skippi@ausi.com Subject:   Illegal copy of content - Cease and desist notice Date:   Wed 09/25/13 11:10 AM Attachments Name Type Save View Part 1   text/plain Save Part 2   text/html Save

Hello, I would like to ask you to remove the copy of my article you published at http://tourdafrance.blogspot.fr/. Indeed, these contents and the image of the map at the end of the post represent an infringement on my copyright as stated at http://www.velo Please consider this request as a cease and desist notice within a reasonable delay, that is before 26 September 9.00PM. Please confirm me by e-mail the copy of the contents has been removed. If I don't get a confirmation in time, I might consider any further issues, including legal action. Sorry for this "administrative" approach but I must protect my content since apparently the time and money I invest in this article and all other contents published on velo is not considered as it should be. Copyright applies globally and it is not because something is published on the Internet that it is freely available for copying or any other ways of duplication. If you'd read the article you should have noticed that I insisted on this in the article itself. Thanks in advance for your prompt reply, Best regards, Thomas Vergouwen velo / +33.6.32.64.xxxx Not worth the kb to reply ! Certainly not worth a phone call ! Spent my time on this : http://www.giveachildabreakfast.co.uk/

Le TOUR 2014 ! Inspired Guesses ?

Whilst the " Le Tour Grand Depart " from Yorkshire has been in  the public Domain for most of the past twelve months , there are those that are constantly seeking information about the remaining Etappes ! It is something that i have been aware of over the years , but  , i was surprised today to see that i am already a week behind one of the sites upon which i rely !

Plagerism is about the only way i can bring to you the efforts of those that have done the work . I rely on their efforts and thus this post will be a copy of the latest blog on 7th Sept 2013 , then updated on the 11th !

See next post ! REMOVED AS ORDERED by the owner

Before getting into the post , i should like to add a photo that refers to the Angliru Climb today :

Having seen Chris Horner , ROAR up the 22% grades , leaving Nibili in his wake , i can't help but think that the only way to the finish line for me would have been in this manner , to the right !

When i saw this photo , i was reminded of another over exuberant Racer , who never seemed to smile , certainly not as he rode on the climbs ! These days i doubt he has a lot to smile about and judging from Sheryl's comments on Piers Morgen Show of CNN he has become a memory she would prefer to ignore .




Whilst watching the Eurosport TV Coverage i was dismayed to see the OUTLANDISH STUPIDITY displayed by those that consider themselves fans of the Vuelta ! There were those who went to the trouble of dressing themselves , in a manner their friends would recognise , perhaps even encouraging the TV Camerapeople to record them . They then behaved , as if they wanted to cause the Racers to crash , rather than quietly applauding their efforts .

There was one guy , bare from the waist up , tremendous upperbody physique but was running like an elderly woman , what was between the ears ?  Time and again we saw people running with flags , really looking like they weren't sure for what  purpose ? Any of you at home that felt like they had to duck , when the flags or banners dropped over the camera , because the Motorcycle had driven through , with the camera showing the action behind ? In many cases , all the camera was recording was the following motorbike which was trying to squeeze through without touching the Idiot Bystanders , less interested in the action because they were attempting to amuse the camera & audience with their facial expressions and antics!

The Official standing in the red car finally decided to send some motorbikes through , far too long after they were needed ! Each year we are entertained by these " Antics " , yet , the Organisers continually ignore the possibility that either Race protagonists or spectators will be unlucky , get hit and bring the race to a stop ? It was indeed fortunate that both Horner & Nibali were able to avoid being tipped off their bikes . Judging by Chris's condition after the finish , how could he have got back on his bike on such a strong climb ? When i am in 27 on a 15%+ , i can hardly weave across a 4M wide road to get going again , let alone drive directly ahead . I train on 20% climbs regularly in my back yard here in the Inntal of the Tirol , there is even a 22% post for a 200m climb that i struggle over . One of my bikes won't go up 22% without skidding of the chain , can you imagine that on the Angliru ?

MORE CRAP FLIES as the contenders move into the final 14 days , before the Election in Firenze ! We all know of Brian Cookson's Blog :

http://briancookson.org/en/blog/

What i had not seen until this week is another blog for phat the rat :

http://mcquaidvscookson.wordpress.com/

Another Blog i enjoy reading , has weighed in with some interesting insight to the current situation :

http://redkiteprayer.com/2013/09/not-dead-yet/comment-page-1/#comment-780772

Along the way , i have been taking a look at the Twitter feed of the man that caused phat to lose the Irish Nomination :
https://twitter.com/moran_anto

and that of his compatriot :

https://twitter.com/irishpeloton

My Tourdafarce.blogspot.com blog may well be worth a visit for those , not entirely sure of the state of play in the UCI Election .

Whilst searching for another site i follow authored by Charles Pelkey , i came across one of his latest exploits as a Lawyer :

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/06/blind-cat-guy-taser-lj-faith_n_3714418.html



As promised the plagerism , if you want to read the considerable number of comments follow this link :

TWAT ordered removal , couldn't be bothered to give him the finger !

doesn't he have better things to do ?

TAIL NOW WAGGING THE DOG ! Jamaicans giving the IOC , the finger ?

ATHLETICS , the premiere Sport of the IOC , has been cast into TURMOIL overnight , by the relevations of so many Olympians from Jamaica TESTING POSITIVE to a variety of " Banned  Products "! This in the same week that the US Sprinter Tyson Gay revealed that he has decided to withdraw from Competition , as he announces that he has been discovered in May , to have failed an Out of Competition Test !

Previously , in writing to Jacques Rogge , IOC President , on 17th January 2013 ,  i asked that he counsel Pat Mc Quaid and Hein Verbruggen to desist from their disruptive actions in the UCI ! From that point on the affairs of the UCI slid DOWNHILL , pricipally caused by their desire to hide the " Dubious Past activities of thre UCI , under their governance !

That letter was in my blog :  http://www.tourdafrance.blogspot.com/JacquesRoggeACT!

Today i will attempt to write a Stronger Letter , which one hopes he will notice , perhaps read  , maybe even decide is worthy of reply ?

  "  Attn , Jacques Rogge , Chairman of IOC . via Twitter .com/IOCMedia

Sir ,
My previous letter of 17th January 2013 in respect of the goings on at the UCI and the maladministration of your fellow IOC members , Pat Mc Quaid ( also known as the athlete " Jim Burns ") and Hein Verbruggen , went unanswered .

Since that date the UCI has descended into CHAOS , and is unlikely to be resurrected before the UCI Congress at Firenze in September 2013 .

You will be fully aware of the past week's activities in the " Flagship Sport , that is Athletics "! My previous attempts to " promote a Truth & Reconciliation Commission for ALL SPORTS , via a Change.org Petition has fallen on deaf ears ,  with the IOC , WADA & UCI ! There are so many Sports that have their Athletes calling out for action on " Doping " , that it would seem that instead of you being allowed to read the Newspaper , you are handed " Censored Sections ", thus not seeing , what the common man has come to expect , in their morning read of the sports section of any language newspaper .

Already there is speculation that the " Rio 2016 Olympic Games " , will be called the " Chemical Games "! It amazes me , that SPONSORS are willing to have their Good Names , dragged through the mire that the IOC , is so blithely creating by ignoring the BASIC FACTS in respect of Athletic Performance !

So you are about to hand over the Post of Head of the Olympic Movement , SO WHAT ! Do you wish to be known as the person that emulated " Nero ", he , The Emperor of Rome that chose to do NOTHING ?

As an Olympic Athlete , representing your country , did you not swear an OATH ? As Chairman of the IOC , do you not have RESPONSIBILITY for what takes place under your Guardianship ?

Frankly , the time has passed for you to preserve your legacy , the LUNATICS have already started running the ASYLUM that is the IOC Head Office in Lausanne !

Either introduce a " Truth & Reconciliation Commission for ALL SPORTS " , forthwith , or Hang your head in SHAME , turn over the Keys to your Office and go somewhere , that Ordinary Sports Fans and Athletes cannot smell the stench of Corruption !

sincerely

Skippy Mc Carthy

Copies to :@IOCMedia , @DavidWalshST , @Paulkmmage , @steephillTV , @ATLbike ,