Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Saturday, December 19, 2020
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2020 Tour de France | 2020 Giro d'Italia
Middle age is when you’re faced with two temptations, and you choose the one that will get you home at 9 o’clock. – Ronald Reagan
Upcoming racing:
- Jan 19 - 24, 2021: Santos Festival of Cycling
- Jan 24 - 31, 2021: Vuelta a San Juan
- Jan 28 - 31, 2021: Challenge Illes Belears
Latest completed racing:
- Dec 13: Gavere Cyclocross
- Dec 12: Scheldecross
- Nov 14: GP Leuven Cyclocross
- Nov 7 - 8: European Cyclocross Championships
- Oct 31: Cyclocross Koppenberg
- Oct 24: Cyclocross Ruddervoorde
- Oct 20 - Nov 8: Vuelta a España
- October 3 - 25: Giro d'Italia
BORA-hansgrohe launches 2021 Sportful kit
Here’s the team’s release:
A new meaning to the familiar chevron design and a dedicated tone of grey as the new main colour characterise BORA-hansgrohe’s 2021 outfit.
A team’s kit should always reflect its values and respect its history as well as its distinctive traits. With this objective in mind, the design of the BORA-hansgrohe kit has received a refreshed look with a cool and modern light grey colour, while keeping the iconic chevron at its core.
Here's the new jersey.
The chevron is inspired by paint brushes, with its colours being picked up in the launch video through the streaks of face paint - typical of American Football teams – used by the riders to represent above all solidarity and courage, values that form the foundation of the Band of Brothers.
"As a WorldTour Team, our first priority always lies in performance. Sportful has worked with us over the years to develop extremely fast material. But at the same time, we’d also like to present our fans and riders with striking designs. That's why we've decided to choose a dedicated light grey as the main colour in 2021. Sportful is convinced that gentle grey tones are increasingly becoming a colour trend in the fashion industry, so of course we’d like to stand at the forefront of this, right from the start. We will also remain true to our chevron." – Ralph Denk, Team Manager
“We are always committed to providing our customers and pro riders with the best technical solutions, combined with a touch of style. Our fourth year together with BORA - hansgrohe was the perfect chance to do it. With the team, we are fully aligned towards a vision aimed at performance, but we also share the same values. The new chevron design strives to put these values on lycra, while the new colour is our tribute to the team’s main sponsors and is inspired by their premium products. It’s a shade of grey that we have added to our colour palette as BORA - hansgrohe Grey. From now on, this dedicated shade will be featured only on the team’s products.” – Alessio Cremonese, CEO Sportful
MPCC (Movement for Credible Cycling) December press release
The MPCC sent me this:
Corticosteroids: we’re moving forward!
One of the main topics of the Board meeting was the prohibition by the UCI of corticosteroids use. This prohibition, initially planned for 1st January 2019, has still not been enforced as of today. The fight against corticosteroids usage has been the banner of MPCC for numerous years. MPCC’s internal rules, since their creation, followed the same path. For thirteen years now, the members of the movement have been annoyed to see that they have been on their own when it comes to committing to strict and transparent rules on cortisol levels. WADA’s Executive Committee recently decided to prohibit any injectable form of glucocorticosteroids usage starting 1st January 2022. This is a real step ahead, praised by MPCC on its whole. The movement will nevertheless keep on carrying cortisol tests in 2021 during the wait.
Concerning the current year, MPCC carried 449 cortisol level tests during the season, all of which came clear of any anomaly. Broadly speaking, the movement highlights the fact that every MPCC team committed to the internal rules of the MPCC.
Ketones: it’s stalling!
The concerns of the members of the MPCC Board about the misuse of corticosteroids are as strong as the concerns about the usage, on clear sight, of ketones. On this subject, we can only observe baby steps ahead. UCI, through the voice of its Medical Director, confirmed to our movement that it advised not to use ketones: this is a good start. As of today, ketones are not part of the UCI list of prohibited substances and methods. On own their side, members of the MPCC, following the advice of their doctors, decided to commit to not using ketones and asked, following the corticosteroids path, not to be left alone in this strict commitment. Considering that ketones can enhance performance but can also damage the health of the riders because of the potential side effect, this substance is a problem per se, and will continue to be so in the future if no decision is taken.
MPCC does not wish to see cycling viewed as a sport in which one can use dangerous substances. The Movement is also surprised by the absence of a consensus on the topic. Thus, MPCC will submit a formal request to WADA on the subject. Adding ketones to the WADA Monitoring Program would facilitate a potential consensus. Though, MPCC is glad to see a study on ecdysteroids being added to the Monitoring Program this year, as the members of the movement have been preoccupied by the possible usage of this substance in cycling.
Aderlass: we’re not making real progress!
The Board of the MPCC also raised questions about the Aderlass case [Explanation of Operation Aderlass can be found here]. Contacted by MPCC to alert UCI about the significance of this case, President Mr. David Lappartient’s answer stated that CADF carried more than 800 tests on already tested samples from 2013 to 2019, and all of them came clear of any substances prohibited by WADA. M. Lappartient confesses that “no quick conclusion can be drawn from these tests. In any case, the totality of these samples will be preserved for potential future tests should circumstances so require”
MPCC acknowledges this situation but warns that it will stay cautious about this case that shed a harsh light on the difficulties encountered by our anti-doping system to stay in touch with reality.
MPCC and its members, who amounts for 68% of the first and second division teams, consider themselves to be legitimate whistleblowers: it has been one of the keystones of the movement since its creation. Though, MPCC must also ensure that this alert goes the distance. Reunited during the meeting of December 11th, the members of the Board proved determined to maintain this course.
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