Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Wednesday,
November 18, 2015
Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Wednesday,
November 18, 2015
Back to news and opinion index page for links to archived stories | Commentary
José Joaquin Rojas to have heart surgery
Movistar rider José Joaquin Rojas will have heart surgery Wednesday to repair a problem found during a pre-season check up by the team staff.
The problem, called Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome was found by both the electrocardiogram and ultrasound. It is said be a problem for competitive athletes, but no trouble for people not trying to beat Tom Boonen or Chris Froome.
José Joaquin Rojas
The syndrome affects the heart's electrical signals and leads to rapid heart beat, or tachycardia. Here's the definition for people with big foreheads:
Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome (WPW) is one of several disorders of the electrical system of the heart that are commonly referred to as pre-excitation syndromes.
WPW is caused by the presence of an abnormal accessory electrical conduction pathway between the atria and the ventricles. Electrical signals traveling down this abnormal pathway (known as the bundle of Kent) may stimulate the ventricles to contract prematurely, resulting in a unique type of supraventricular tachycardia referred to as an atrioventricular reciprocating tachycardia.
The surgery will involve insertion of a catheter through the groin allowing the doctor to burn the fibers causing the anomaly.
It is thought Rojas' hospital stay will be brief.
Cycling Gods Merckx and Sercu at Ghent 6-day
Fifty years ago Eddy Merckx and Patrick Sercu won the Ghent 6-Day. And here they are at the 2015 edition, shooting start pistols. The pair took a lap of honor in a golf cart. Here's my Eddy Merckx photo gallery. The team of Sercu and Merkcx won fifteen 6-Days.
Sercu, a blinding-fast sprinter in his prime, holds the record for 6-Day wins at 88 out of the 223 he rode. He was also world sprint champion five times. Oh, and he won six Tour de France stages and eleven giro stages.
China to fight bicycle anti-dumping measures more strongly
This was in Bicycle Europe today:
BEIJING, China – The imposition and/or renewal of anti-dumping duties on the import of China made bicycles and other products will be more difficult as of December 11, 2016. In 2001 China joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) and under its membership terms, it would automatically be treated as a ‘market economy’ after 15 years.
Ever since it joined the WTO in 2001, China has frequently attracted complaints that its exports are being ‘dumped’, or sold at unfairly low prices on foreign markets. Under world trade rules, importing countries can slap punitive tariffs on goods that are suspected of being dumped. The EU started levying dumping duties on bike imports from China in 1993. In May 2013 the European Commission decided to continue the existing dumping measures for another five years.
Last week a Beijing envoy said at a WTO meeting that, “Complaints about its cheap exports will need to meet a higher standard from December 2016.” Dumping claims should be based on a comparison with domestic prices in the exporting country, but according to China complaining countries often used their own calculations to justify their accusations. “That should stop as of December next year,” the Beijing envoy said in the Reuters report.
In September alone, the WTO said it had been notified of EU anti-dumping actions on 22 categories of Chinese exports, from solar power components to various types of steel products and metals, as well as food ingredients such as aspartame, citric acid and monosodium glutamate.
Grega Bole re-joins Nippo-Vini Fantini
Here's the news from the team:
The Slovenian rider with 12 victories and many placings in his career will be one of the main reinforcements of the 2016 for the #OrangeBlue team. Already part of the group in 2014 when Nippo Vini Fantini was a Continental team. “It's like coming back to my family” he declared.
Nippo Vini Fantini is happy to announce a one year contract signature with Grega Bole, for the 2016 season. The team is growing looking forward to the improvement of his young talents launched in 2015 season and the complete re-launch of his leader Damiano Cunego. The team decided to give continuity with the 2015, with many renewals, and some focused reinforcements. Already announced the Japanese National Champion Kuboki, young talented rider, ready to measure itself on European races and Gianfranco Zilioli, Italian rider in the team Androni in the 2015 season, already with experience as Professional rider, but still young.
Today's news is abut the third reinforcement of the team, the Slovenian rider Grega Bole. Class and experience certified also by 12 victories among Pro riders and many important placements. Among them also the important victory of Plouay in 2011, World Tour race.
Grega Bole in 2014
For the rider that in 2015 was in CCC Spandi Polkowice it is a coming back experience, after having been already part of the Nippo Vini Fantini project in 2014 when the team was in the Continental category where he reached 4 successes, 2 in Asia (Korea & Qinghai Lake) and 2 in Europe in France (Ardennes) and Poland.
“For me is like coming back into a family” declared Grega Bole “here it is a pleasure to ride. the team works hard but always with the smile and with the enthusiasm created by a family environment. I want to thank the Sports Director Stefano Giuliani and the General Manager Francesco Pelosi because I know they trust on me for this 2016. A particular mention also to Rocco Menna, the founder of this team. I’m here to help the team and when it will be possible also to try to win for me and for my teammates.”
Grega Bole will take part of the first short training-camp of the season next Thursday in Zola Predosa (BO).
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