Cycling Journal Tourman

  At the 4th Cyclo Cross World Cup you saw an unfamiliar gentleman standing at the top of the podium.  The Belgian Laurens Sweeck got his first World Cup triumph in Maasmechelen.  The Belgian had to stand in the second row for a long time.  Although he is one of the absolute elite in the world of cyclo crossers, the other greats always stood in front of him on the podium at the World Cup races.  Pidcock, Van Aert and Van der Poel haven't shown themselves this year.  His compatriot Eli Iserbyt outdid him three times. But this time Iserbyt's strategy didn't work.  His team-mate Vanthourenhour did the dirty work again, but it didn't add up.  Was the Belgian lucky yesterday that Lars Van der Haar lost his top position due to a breakdown.  The first signs of wear and tear showed up today.  He was no longer able to catch up with Lars Van der Haar and Laurens Sweeck and had to be content with third place. Otherwise we saw the usual superiority ...

    Corona makes it possible.  Due to the postponement of the start in Copenhagen by one year, two foreign starts in a row have now become possible.  Normally one changes in between inland.  The next tour will leave out a lot of France.  This time, focus on the middle.  It's always there somehow.  But this time almost exclusively.  Well, if you start in the Basque Country, the Pyrenees are a must.  After that, however, one stays more with the Bordeaux Lion line.  Next year the Massif Central will be even more central than usual.  On the other hand, the sun never rises in the north, but it is not seen on the Mediterranean either.  The sun of the tour.. But it has been shining again over the Puy de Dome for some time.  One remembers the duels between Poupou and Aquetil.  That was still in the sixties.  But there hasn't been a reunion since 1988.  This also has to do with ecological reasons.  Normally...

Woerden has nothing to do with the Woerdense Verlaat.  In this place we had to stay overnight with our boat.  Due to low water, locks could only be locked once a day.  Few people know that in Holland there is often a bad water shortage in summer.  The Rhine, which is so mighty in our country, is just a trickle here.  Rather smaller than the Sieg.  At least that is what is called the Rhine here.  But Worden has nothing to do with it.  Especially not the Cyclo Cross.  The Dutch Eleite drivers like to use it.  It also takes place in the evening.  With flooding streets, lanterns.  Kind of like the Schmitter Nacht near Cologne, just more off-road.  You also drive through a building.  The large barn is a popular meeting place for those who want to take photos.  And so the boys are already used to the lightning storm. Belgian toppers are rarely seen in Woerden.  They prefer to stay at home.  Because there is m...

  Let's talk about the winter sport of cycling.  Let's talk about the cyclo cross.  There is skiing in all weathers, even if the slopes are completely icy or muddy, there is no excuse.  The conditions are the same for everyone.  A World Cup in cycling is for the tough guys and girls. Skiers, on the other hand, often look like mimosas.  The snow is too hard or too soft.  Or too dangerous.  The superstars must not be endangered.  Not in victory and not in health.  After all, there is a whole press nation behind it.  And of course the entire ski industry of this world. Well, there are cases like this in road cycling too.  When the roads have become impassable due to mud or snow.  Otherwise you would never cancel Paris Rpubaix, because there a cow shit on the cobblestones. Eli Iserbyt is the cyclo cross star of the pre-winter season.  In America he has dominated his two World Cup races and in Tabor he has won his third co...

  A few days ago the Giro d'Italia 2023 was presented.  Of course there isn't the fuss like the Tour de France.  In Italy it is.  But maybe not so much in the rest of the world. It's fair to say that in their better days the Italians were in charge in many parts of the world. Don't know if those were good times for everyone.  A former cycling star had even appeared in the jersey of a Roman emperor in his good times.  Now Mario Cipollini will have to change the outfit with the striped one of the prisons.  The judges sentenced him to three years in prison for assaulting his former wife. Let's talk about the Giro 2023. It runs under the motto all roads lead to Rome.  And after circling around Rome quite boldly at the beginning, cyclists then come by plane on the last day.  Incidentally, an intermediate station before that is Campo Imperatore, located on the Gran Sasso.  The Mussolini story is well known.  In addition, the site was part...

  Now it is final.  Team Lotto Dstny, as it will be called next year, says goodbye to the World Tour.  Along with the other team, Israel Premier Tech.  Both teams did not collect enough points at the end of the three years to keep the class. Lotto's long-standing co-sponsor has therefore already said goodbye and moved to Quickstep.  Next year the team will be called Soudal Quickstep.  That should show who really sticks to the World Tour and is now ready to pay properly. Names are smoke and mirrors in cycling.  The teams usually belong to a company that passes on the name for them.  To generous or less generous sponsors.  For their money, they get the opportunity to be present on television for hours at cycle races.  Of course, the fans cry when their team is doing badly.  If you have a penchant for any brand, then of course you can't resist proudly presenting your team's jersey at a wide variety of cycling tours.  hey look peop...

  People like to drive in Asia at the end of the season.  It can do no more harm.  For the shape.  I mean.  And there's plenty of coal again.  You're welcome to take them with you.  On winter vacation.  In the sunny south. Not only Japan is the destination.  There is also warm rain in Malaysia Before Corona, it was also in China.  But that's on hold for a while now. The course is not demanding.  At the Japan Cup.  One might think.  A nice fair race over 144 km.  With numerous rounds.  You can win something in every round.  Especially a few yen.  Numerous European teams still gyrate in this carousel.  Cofidis and Simon Geschke are also there, after all 5 World Tour teams have gathered.  Three of them were probably still in the relegation battle long before the report and really needed the UCI points.  But not anymore.  Because Lotto Soudal is out of the race and the other two will def...