Alberto Bolero Contadero was always a little bit different from the rest of his school friends . Whilst the rest of his schoolmates in the Spanish hillside village were content to wear subtle pastel olive coloured workshirts to school , young Alberto had a penchant for bright colours especially yellow and pink thus earning himself…
I got my first orthotic at the age of seven and have gone through many different variations since . Prices that I have paid have ranged from €40 to €300 per pair . There are many different practitioners but yesterday I visited the best of them all . Over 20 years ago Jempi Wilssens made…
This year there has been a huge surge in the amount of interest in cycling and the number of cyclists on Irish roads . There are three contributing factors which have helped to spur this on ; 1 - The Government Cycle to Work initiative - When an average PAYE worker is given the chance…
Every now and then someone will ask ' can you recommend any good books on cycling ' . Well , here are a few of my favourites but please feel free to add a few of your own to the list too ; Le Metier - The seasons of a professional cyclist Michael Barrys fantastic…
What happens to a professional bike rider after he retires? The guys at the top are usually financially secure enough to pick and choose what they do next. Some become directeur sportifs, others get into tv commentary or punditry. Some will buy a small business or farm to run just to keep themselves occupied. But…
The anti doping tests that are carried out may also have an inherent flaw . The deterrent aspect is good but cyclists by their nature are competitive . The drug tests are seen by some as just another opponent to be beaten . Some riders live in a bubble where success and winning is all that matters . They do not spend much time thinking about whether they may be cheating or not .
Today I was impressed by many people at The Sean Kelly Tour . The huge team of over 300 volunteers who gave up their Sunday to help out , and many gave a good deal more time than that . The 3700 determined cyclists who were all so cheerful and friendly to each other and…
worldwidecycles The entries for the 2010 Sean Kelly Tour of Waterford are flooding in as the closing date approaches . This promises to be the best event yet so be sure to get your entry in before the closing date of Friday the 20th of August as there will be no entry on the day…
On Saturday Daniel Martin , the nephew of Stephen Roche , cousin of Nicolas and son of former professional Neil Martin won a race . The race was the Tour of Poland , the first national tour victory by Irish rider since Kelly's victory in Spain in 1988 and uncle Stephens wins in France and…
A couple of years ago I was a mechanic on the Irish team during the Tour of Britain . Each day after the stage the riders would recount different events that had occurred . One of the highlights was the day that Paidi O'Brien , all 5 ft 2 inches of him , came up…
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There is an article in today's Irish independant about a new initiative in Mayo where 1000 cyclists will be using number plates on their bikes . The reason given is to highlight road safety for cyclists as the number plates are reflective . I think that many cyclists are slightly ahead of the curve on…
I was asked recently what the best way to train for an event in 4 months time would be . After explaining the benefits of tapering and working back from the date of the event and training in 4 week blocks ,I began to wonder just how much the person would actually enjoy riding their…
Whilst watching this years Paris Roubaix I wondered to myself why Fabian Cancellara had a bike change for no obvious apparent reason . He is the biggest powerhouse of the modern era but the following video poses a few questions ; [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Nd13ARuvVE] Barry www.worldwidecycles.com
Lance Armstrong is the great American hero . He survived cancer to come back and win the Tour 7 times . He is a hero to millions of not just cycling fans but sports fans in general , and more importantly cancer victims . His Livestrong foundation appears to be doing more to fight cancer than any other organisation worldwide . I look down at my own wrist as I type and see a yellow band , a livestrong band . Is this because I am a Lance Armstrong supporter and fan , no , it's my link to someone lost to cancer . The yellow band is a symbol of hope for those with cancer and a reminder of the person who did not win their own personal battle for those who lost someone to the disease .
Have you ever gone out for a spin on a bike just after a shower of rain in summer time . The air is clear and the grass and trees are greener , and there is a really clean fresh healthy smell in the air . Have you ever pedaled up a tough climb and…
Today was like National Di2 day in the shop . One customer who purchased the electronic Shimano groupset from us called in with his bike and invited me to take it for a spin . I didn't have to be asked twice and headed off out the road to try it out in the real…
Last Saturday 1300 cyclists turned up in the town of Middleton to take part in the second annual Stephen Roche Tour de Cure . Twenty three years ago Roche placed himself firmly in the History books of cycling . Here are a few examples of just how he managed to become the only man other…
I won't miss Gerry Ryan like I would a close friend or family member , but I will miss the potential gravy that he gave to every meat and two veg kind of day .
Like many cycling fans the world over I spent a number of hours glued to the TV yesterday watching the final Ardennes classic of the year Liege Bastogne Liege . The highlight of the race for me was Philippe Gilbert's attack on the Cote de Saint Nicolas when he rocketed away from a glass-cranking Alejandro…