Dimension Data rider Nic Dlamini got his arm broken “while resisting arrest” while training in Cape Town.


https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/nichol ... th-africa/

I watched the vid down in the link, and if the click heard is his arm breaking it probably explains why my breakfast nearly came back up.

This came up in my Instagram feed... I hadn't taken time to follow the detail. That is insane

The rangers are claiming he resisted arrest. It’s as yet unclear what he was being arrested for, that he felt the need to resist.

Yeah... they also claim he injured himself.

Sounds like they just tried the usual assault a cyclist technique of trying to grab his bars as he rode past, there's your resisting arrest right there. The fact it caused him to crash just confirms it.

Was chatting to a couple SA mates about it. They reckon the rangers in that particular section (tokai/silvermines) are complete plum. Always there to check the permits, never there to, you know, actually ranger the park and protect people who pay fees. Muggings and car breaking are common but that type of action isn't rare against regulars who might not have a visible permit on a bike.

Also happy Christmas all.

Tour Down Under under away. Pretty nasty fall on stage 2 with big names down.


On another subject, Pevenage is in need of money and publishes a book about doping... the shameless rat...

Interesting website here : https://www.dopeology.org/

Fuglsang in hot water apparently... A Danish newspaper accuses him of suspicious relationships with Dr Ferrari...

https://politiken.dk/sport/cykling/art7634811/Secret-report-connects-Jakob-Fuglsang-with-infamous-banned-doping-doctor

Holy shit. Surely he could not be that stupid.

Nothing official for the moment... But that would be sad...

A lot of suspicions surround Astana anyway...

Vino has said it’s all rumours, nothing to see here.



So that means it’s probably 100% true.

Reminds me when our previous President was caught by the media heading discretely out to meet his mistress on a scooter. I can't wait for the photos of Ferrari

It is interesting. The Anti-Doping body confirmed they indeed investigated Fuglsang and Lutsenko following informations they received that they may have been working with Dr Ferrari but stated that, after inquiry, they did not report to UCI.

This statement is strange because it doesn't say they cleared Fuglsang and Lutsenko, only that they did not follow through.

Classics are on us and Quickstep seem to be ready with 2 victories at KUURNE-BRUSSEL-KUURNE and OMLOOP HET NIEUWSBLAD.

In the meantime, Bruyneel is opening up about how deep he collapsed in the aftermath of the US Postal scandal... Personally, I struggle to have sympathy, though I am convinced there is a lot of hypocrisy around this too. While US Postal have paid, may got away and still get away with cheating.

https://www.cyclingopinions.com/2020/03/02/bruyneel-needed-psychological-help/

Jasper Stuyven, who won the Omloop, rides for Trek-Segafredo. Belgian TV commentator actually analysed that lots of teams seem to be copying the Quickstep tactics of riding with multiple main men, one of whom will attack early to force others on the defensive. Could be an interesting spring classics season if that continues.

How many teams can however afford the quality of riders that Quickstep can line up on a single race?

None. But if, say, Mads Pedersen, Bettiol, Teunissen go early, one of Quickstep's men has to go too. And those three teams would still have top quality riders in the bunch who could profit if the early(-ish) break fails.

Nico Portal has died suddenly today. Sad news.

Just read it on Facebook. So young. RIP.

So sad. Seemed such a happy, approachable guy. RIP

Ineos have just released a statement that he died from a suspected heart attack. He retired at 30 after being diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat.

I remember him at Sky where he was a pretty good domestique. After he retired I think he stayed with the team working as support staff, if I recall correctly.

Sad loss for his family and friends

Edit: I see Portal was DS at Sky/Ineos.

Terrible

Like the Alpha-Shitball; Lance; Bruyneel regrets being caught; nothing else. The morality of a sewer rat.

Good work by Trek-Segafredo and EF Pro Cycling to put Nibali and Higuita in good positions at the Paris-Nice race. It looks like FDJ on the other hand doesn't still know how to handle echelon as Pinot lost 18s. Worse for Alaphilippe who took a bike change at the wrong time and Quintana who fell. They both lost 1:25.

The racing at P-N is full-on crazy this year. There’s some top quality sprinters there, but at this rate none of them will get a look in.

So it looks like Strade Bianche is going ahead this year.

And Milan-San Remo will also go ahead, but with a new inland route instead of going over the Turchino and up the coast.



The new route might be harder, or it might be easier. It will definitely be hotter. It'll be a Primavera like no other.

And then Il Lombardia will be just one week after that. The races are coming thick and fast now.

Well young Evenepoel is not late in his development! He sent a big hello to all Giro contenders. Early days and so on... but the way he accelerated away from Benett and Chaves, seating in his saddle, was impressive.

Not pro, but kinda-pro related. Let's say pro-adjacent. An Irish lad has just broken Contador's World Everesting Record.

http://www.stickybottle.com/latest-news/irish-cyclist-mclaughlin-breaks-contadors-everesting-world-record/?fbclid=IwAR3Jj09FZTXk1GdGYexf0ueen2g9NZbdBuBoCEV5nr2ylB9QBDZlrlpnqOs

Annemiek VanVleuten wins Strade Bianche for her 4th win on the bounce going back to Worlds last year.

Very tasty 6 man group off the front of the men’s race with 38km to go and no real peloton formed to chase. Fuglsang, vanAert, Schachmann, Bettiol, vanAvermaet and Formolo.

Wout Van Aert in an impressive performance really

And Bernal, Evenepoel sending messages to the competition. The shortened season is going to be exciting.

Can't wait to see Quintana on the Mont Ventoux as well. Especially since Warren Barguil has shown he is in good form on the Route d'Occitanie with a good ride there. A strong support for Quintana at the tour.