Gran Corsa folk

Introducing the Gran Corsa crew and riders: Our support team were introduced to us, quite impressive and it’s starting to feel like a “pro tour”. Crew Phil Deeker heads up the team, with several tour challenges under his belt and a very experienced rider in his own right, the brief ran on time and detailed

Stage 1. Done!

Here’s my 3 day report, sorry folks it’s a bit of a long one, but hopefully you’ll make it to the last dot. D-2 – Arrive Turin Friday 27 May 2011 – Turin Packed to the hilt with 50kg of luggage including bike which weighed in less than my 17kg of food, we departed from

Pimped, pumped and packed

The last 2 months have seen the Blue Bike pimped, with Rotor Cranks and Q rings, Exposure lights and a some custom kit for the saddle occupier from Bioracer. New chain and cassette bring the pimping to a close. Tyres have been replaced, pumped and are rearing, rider has yet to feel pumped, but I

I have a chainwhip…

… and I know how to use it! In my happy OCD existence, getting organised for the Giro has been ongoing for a while, with an order for some custom Bioracer kit back in February, to ordering 100 mini, medium and large zip lock bags, not to mention the plethora of bike bits and bobs,

@MarkCavendish makes my day

Anyone who’s been anywhere near the pointy end of a peleton hammering towards the white line at the end of a race, knows firstly it’s not easy and secondly you need big cajones to get anywhere near the front. As a pigeon chested, Schleck-armed, cajonesless, lightweight grimpeur, I’m squirted out the back of a bunch

Giro d’Italia for amateurs

In June I’ll be taking on the Giro d’Italia, the very same the pros race, with this years route covering 3496km in 21 stages. A little maths indicates an average of 170km per day with around 2,400m of climbing per day. Mmm a little close to riding 18 Etapes back to back. The Pros race

Perfecting the art of U-turns

My poor Garmin appears to be developing a slight personality disorder, for years it’s been zip-tied to the stem on my various bikes, every time I switch it on it must be quietly mumbling a mantra of “Hope I don’t mess up today”. Between constantly recalculating routes and getting yelled at for sending me down

@giroditalia our countdown begins

Was hoping the #Giro wouldn’t start, cos what starts will end and when it ends we will start. There’s no going back, the fact that the Pro teams are now on the Italian roads, means we will be there in 23 days to trace their foot steps. As I look at my to do list,

What does UCI stand for?

Watching the race radio debate unfold, I only really listened with one ear, kind of understanding both sides, but not informed enough to have my own opinion on the matter. I like exciting racing, but also understand rider safety, given they make their living on the roads, not in the safety of an office with

Put me back on my bike

“Men and mountains have been traditional enemies since the dawn of time. High peaks present a constant challenge to man’s ambition, his need to prove to himself that he can conquer nature.”, wrote Roger St. Pierre in a 1967 Daily Mirror tribute to Tom Simpson. But sometimes nature gets the better of us and with