Diary

13
Jan

Dear friends, today I had a wonderful feeling! I went to greet the boys of Bardiani. I call them kids, but they could be my children. They were taking pictures and they asked me to make some with them. We just joked and exchanged simple lines. While talking with them, watching them, I started surfing with my mind ... I thought about their life, their future, all that legacy of roads, sweat, hard work, joy, disappointment, public, bags on the fly, massages, transfers, bike chases, sprints, and hopefully many "Misses".

The human mind is amazing: it was like watching the movie about their lives. I know very well the kind of hope thanks to which all their projects move forward: the girlfriend who will became their wife, the bonuses that will eventually increase over the years and will allow them to buy their first house, a car, a watch... Everything may seem so hard and far. You have to really want it to make it become true.

Maybe the one who will win the Tour de France, the Roubaix, the Flanders or the World Cup is not among you (although I will pray with all my heart). But be warned that you are approaching the most exciting and stimulant time of your life. Good luck guys!

By Mario Cipollini
11
Jan

Great choice by RCS. From my perspective it could not go any better than that: I have two teams with my bikes in the Tour of Italy. Good luck guys!

By Mario Cipollini
3
Jan

Greetings my friends, Happy 2013. Hopefully it will be a good year, especially for cycling. I wish we could see dynamic cyclists who will inflame and arouse us. And enough of investigations and magistrates. I hope that the legacy of the Armstrong case will not impact on the cycling season that is about to begin. We should look forward to seeing the performances of our athletes, the changes in the various teams, the fights uphill, in the final sprint and in the walls of Belgium. Not in the courts. See you soon my friends.

By Mario Cipollini
24
Oct

Dear friends, it’s been a while since we last spoke of our shared passion: cycling! As the season came to a close with the Giro di Lombardia, dark clouds gathered on the horizon which dampened our will to dream…

There have been two tragic events in recent weeks. First in terms of its sentimental impact was the death of Fiorenzo Magni. Our Fiorenzo, the champion, the man, the innovator, the enlightened one. Those of us who were lucky enough to have known him are aware that only a few men like him are born every century.

The second clamorous event was the “beheading” of Lance Armstrong. There is much to say on the case and I will share my thoughts with you shortly. In the meantime though, a thought for Fiorenzo: I believe that wherever he is he will do his best to make cycling an even greater sport than it already is.

By Mario Cipollini
23
Sep

Valkenburg crowns Gilbert, who was very good at striking at the right time.

He managed to balance his season performances that were below his expectations with this amazing acceleration (called "shot") very similar to the famous one of Saronni at Goodwood.

A stunning Boasson Hagen wins against Valverde who was among the favorites. Dakencolb gets the fourth position.
And we? Maybe good ...

Too blatant and obvious action by Nibali and company, but sterile for Italy and fundamental for Gilbert (not even the national Flemish team could have done better). Philippe should make a gift to Paolini and Nibali. In the jargon the attack Nibali is called "telephoned". However, I think it was quite ridiculous as it looked like he made to show off during the World Championship. At the end, it remained unfruitful.
Personally, I would have saved the young Moser, I'd been playing backup at Nibali, I would have not scorched him during the descent to allow Vincenzo to take to the second tear of Valkenburg.

Two words on the route?
Those streets are good for the classic races, but the World Championship is something else.

By Mario Cipollini
8
Sep

Tour of Spain - Very nice end of the race. Great progression of Gilbert. It seems like a rehearsal of Valkemburg. Valverde took it easy in the 500 meters, otherwise he would have won.

By Mario Cipollini
6
Sep

Tour of Spain - Daniele finally! Bennati wins the fast stage. He is the one who can face the challenges of a stage race better than all the sprinters. I'd like to watch again yesterday's race "from the top". Moreover, as I believe he belongs to my school, it might be the right time to do a reality check! However, well done, he broke the ice: a victory before the season is over is the best way to spend the winter as he is in high spirits and many expectations (to keep). The others rested at a 50 speed on average. Maybe!

By Mario Cipollini
5
Sep

Tour of Spain - Spirit of bygone times! It is difficult to describe the beauty of today's stage. Contador was great!
The day off may have impacted the performance of Rodriguez. As a matter of fact, his new team was not able to defend his captain, but nothing should belittle the merits of a champion who today gave a cycling lesson to all, athletes and modern sport directors included.
After the boredom and monotony of the Giro and the Tour, we take our revenge with the emotions we have been experiencing in this Iberian race.
Today, the great shape of Rodriguez seems to sink in a sea of ​​sadness as the ace of Joachim showed in the last 20 km. Valverde manages to make an exceptional performance thanks to the expert team orchestrated by Unzue and by few friends during the race. He would not have done the same by himself. Bravo anyway! What to expect till Sunday? Who knows! This race accustomed us to extraordinary events. What else can happen?

By Mario Cipollini
5
Sep

Tour of Spain - Relaxing day after the last clash to the very last (crazy stuff, "they just beat the living daylights out of each other" as we say in Lucca). If you watch the race, you may think that Contador cannot believe his own eyes when Purito responds to every attack. The last chance for Alberto is the Bola del Mundo where, hoping to have tired the legs of his rival, he could leave him behind and win the Vuelta. Valverde is also very strong, I was stunned to see every last climb of him. Bravissimo Cataldo, great achievement.

By Mario Cipollini
3
Sep

Watching the Vuelta is a lot of fun: not so much at the beginning, but in the final climb there is a lot of competition. In my opinion, Contador does not believe his eyes when Rodrigez cuts him off. I believe that today Alberto will try to catch up with Purito. And for this reason the Vuelta becomes even more fun.

By Mario Cipollini
2
Sep

Extraordinary final stage. The four claimants to the stage and the Vuelta did not spare themselves. The last 4 km deserve to be in the film archive of cycling. Rodriguez is the very good form and he shows it by winning easily the various stages. Contador, possibly having some issues with his legs, faces the consequences. I guess he is quite angry ... Let's see the revenge today and tomorrow, but maybe things will not change!

By Mario Cipollini
1
Sep

A rush at the end! The Argos Shimano fails to dash in pursuit and therefore, it does not take Degenkolb to the sprint. Cummings, the one that has more energy in the end after a stage race, wins. Today the real Vuelta begins and if Contador is what he wants to show, it is likely that he will dominate in the climb before the arrival. Will Rodriguez and Froome find an agreement? We hope to enjoy the show.

By Mario Cipollini
31
Aug

Yesterday went as expected with the victory of Purito, virtually unbeatable on arrivals of this type.
The real Vuelta starts this weekend, we'll see the match Rodriguez-Contador? At least we hope so!

By Mario Cipollini
31
Aug

Hi friends, sorry for the delay in blogging but unfortunately professional commitments abroad have led me far from you. Let's try to catch up on the latest news. So, we missed (but I believe you did not !) the first part of the Vuelta. What to comment? In my opinion, it looks like a very interesting race because it is well-balanced.
Waiting for Contador makes this race very attractive, as it is waiting for the confirmation for Froome. Other favorites to win are Rodriguez, who is showing a regular growth in stage races as well as good performances in the singular chrono-races as it occurred today; and Valverde, who seems to be at the top again. Let's see what is going to happen on the real mountains. I think the competition will be among the local athletes, Contador and Rodriguez, among whom Froome may have his spotlight if he is able to seize the day.
I would like to share a première with you. I am currently in Friedrichshafen to launch my latest model of bike "Bond". Have a look at it!

By Mario Cipollini
29
Jul

The atmosphere in London today was surreal. At the starting line on The Mall, in front of Buckingham Palace, amidst the comings and goings of workers, masseuses, mechanics, wheels, support vehicles, etc., I was amazed to find myself standing in front of…Charles and Camilla! They were extremely kind and friendly to everyone, which contributed to the overall buzz at the start of the race.

So what of the race itself? With a loss for Team GB came a loss for Cavendish! This is how it seemed to those of us who were there, everyone pitted against the juggernaut that is Team Sky. It seems that they are taking too much away from cycling, to the detriment of the team. As a result, the GB riders overdid things a few kilometres in, which, by the end of the race, made the expected sprint finish a virtual impossibility.

Tactically speaking, the English riders made the error of not closing when Nibali, Gilbert and a dozen or so others broke away from the group. Perhaps Cavendish was unable to keep up with the pace set by Wiggins. They had hoped to close again on the flat, but to no avail: they kept breaking away from the group and moving back in again at the head of the pack (see Cancellara & Co.). English hopes faded 30km or so short of the finish line, just when they were going to up the pace. Those out in front were making excellent headway, while the riders further back were running out of energy.

It also seemed like the end of the line for “Spartacus”, having misjudged a turn and crashed into the safety barriers. What a shame! Another medal lost, perhaps two (Wednesday is the time trial).

And coming up from behind, Alexandre "Vino" Vinokourov! The Wolf! He has never stopped believing in himself and has kept pushing forward all the way. A medal for his career, for his integrity and for his unwavering dedication to the sport.

By Mario Cipollini
21
Jul

There was never any doubt as to how the day would end. Unbeatable against the clock, Wiggins takes victory at this year's Tour as expected. Anyone stronger than him on the climb must ride in support, even if the uphill finishes during this Tour had an average gradient of 6%. Under such conditions, even Contador would have had a hard time making a mark. It was a totally dry Tour, never too hot, but with ever stronger teams and ever more powerful sponsors...An easy win, some might say! There has been little to truly capture the imagination of the spectators during this year's Tour. I hope that Nibali looks back on this experience and considers not what he has done, but what he now has to do!

By Mario Cipollini
19
Jul

If there's nothing better to watch then we might as well follow this Tour, but the true battles for victory are to be seen elsewhere. I must say that watching it on TV is becoming a bit boring. Things only start to get interesting when Froome takes to the stage to show the world that he is the strongest of the Tour (on the uphill at least)! What I really want to know is why. Vincenzo drained his energy reserves, but put up a great fight nonetheless.

By Mario Cipollini
18
Jul

I had hoped for better from the riders: the Tourmalet at 1200 per hour is no great shakes. Vincenzo put in a winning effort, particularly given who he was up against.

In the end, all he could do was try to put as much distance between him and them as possible. The final climb was at 1550 per hour, which is nothing to write home about, especially considering that they only came in a minute ahead of Voeckler.

Well done Thomas.

By Mario Cipollini
16
Jul

Today was pretty much a rest day. The stage was fought by the six-man breakaway. Fédrigo rarely slips up when he’s out in front.

By Mario Cipollini
15
Jul

If anyone had been planning on making life difficult for the yellow jersey today, there were any number of ways to do so. It's an easy comment to make for those of us watching from the comfort of our armchairs, but time is passing and Paris looms on the horizon.

It was fun to watch the five breakaway riders fight it out for the finish. It goes without saying that they wouldn't let Sagan put any distance between himself and the rest of the group, but Sanchez really outdid himself. He's an athlete whom I greatly admire and it's always a treat to watch him in action. What to say about Rolland? He saw his chance and he took it!

And Evans? When you're faced with such a lack of sportsmanship from those around you, even the grandeur of the Tour de France isn't enough to protect you.

By Mario Cipollini
14
Jul

At last, an enjoyable and exciting stage to watch. Evans was the one to set the pace today, even if the short climb left him little room for manoeuvre. Interesting behaviour from Wiggins who, in order to push Boasson Hagen’s sprint (somewhat low on energy considering he has been a support rider for this year’s Tour), managed to put himself on the wrong side of Leon Sanchez and Rabobank. Greipel put on a great show, not only on the sprint, but for having made it to the end of the stage, unlike his rival sprinters, who fell by the wayside in the final stages. Cavendish must be the most disheartened of the team right now. His team clearly has other priorities aside from his sprints. He must be furious.

By Mario Cipollini
13
Jul

A predictable day overall. It was a tricky start without any real chance to shine in the final kilometres. The stage brought no surprises of any sort, especially given that the top riders were set on recuperating (not an easy thing to do over six hours of cycling). Not much for the spectators today, the only real hint of excitement being offered by Gos who, being the expert “pistard” that he is, switched slightly as Sagan was trying to pass and avoided catching him (let’s leave aside any comments on how they set up the draft to launch his sprint).

By Mario Cipollini
12
Jul

What an exciting stage. The younger cyclists are finally making some headway. If it hadn’t been for the power games from today’s winner Rolland, we would have seen some great action from Froome, Thibaut Pinot with Van den Broeck, Tejay Van Garderen and Nibali. In my humble opinion, today’s push from Froome has shown that he is now a contender for the top spot.

Froome’s attack just a few kilometres from the finish line really caught my attention. I personally believe that his team will allow him to act as more than just support rider and that he can now hold himself in readiness (à la Magrini) should Wiggo fall by the wayside. Today’s stage was all about stamina and there’s no doubt that by the end of the day, energy reserves were low. At this point, it is vital they are replenished enough to carry them through the next stages.

The VAM was 1404 m/h on the Croix de Fer, equivalent to 5.20 w/kg, 1390 m/h on the Col de Mollard, (5.14 w/kg), and 1372 m/h on Toussuire (5.27w/kg). The pace was also maintained on the first climb (Madeleine). Nearly three hours uphill at about 5 watt/kg burn 1250 Kcal/h (3600 Kcal), which, given the effort involved, are almost all derived from carbohydrates.

The athletes with a better base level of fitness burned more fat stores, conserving their glycogen reserves for the last leg of the stage. It goes without saying that the stronger athletes used less carbs compared to those who had to work harder. Nevertheless, all used up their muscle glycogen reserves (about 700g for a cyclist weighing 70kg). It’s now absolutely crucial that they are replaced during the night.

By Mario Cipollini
12
Jul

Today is the first real mountain stage, with an uphill finish. Until today, there was no doubting the strength of Team Sky, with Wiggins firmly in the top slot and Froome on his heels, watching for the first sign of fatigue from the team captain. We must trust in the courage and strength of those coming up from behind and hope that they have what it takes not to give up just yet, but to give Team Sky a run for their money. Today is a day for making headway.


By Mario Cipollini
11
Jul

Fast but predictable stage. It’s a shame about Scarponi, although he had the legs for it, he had the wrong adversary in his sights. Voeckler is one of those cyclists who once they reach the head of the pack, rarely slip up, and perhaps Michele would have done well to keep this in mind.

By Mario Cipollini
8
Jul

It was curious to see Wiggins pedalling so hard uphill against the clock, only to slow his pace on the flat (not Bradley’s usual style). After taking a look at some of the photos on the Internet, I was able to properly compare the wheel diameter with the length of the crankset. I think it’s safe to say that he used 200mm cranks, most likely for the better performance they provide during sustained racing. If this was indeed the case, where does he stand with the regulations?

By Mario Cipollini