Cycling
The View from 22 — Sex and success, Conservative vs. Labour unity and the two-wheeled tyranny of cyclists
What do Margaret Thatcher, Sheryl Sandberg and Angela Merkel have in common? They are the ultimate alpha-female icons, according to Alison Wolf. In this week’s Spectator cover feature, Alison examines the… Continue reading
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Lance Armstrong, the Greatest Cheat in the History of Sport, Prepares to Admit His Sins - Spectator Blogs
The news, reported by the New York Times, that Lance Armstrong is preparing to confess his sins reminds me of this passage from the Book of Daniel: Thou, O king,… Continue reading
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Lance Armstrong: It Wasn't Just About the Bike - Spectator Blogs
In one sense, I have some sympathy for Lance Armstrong. He has been hounded by the American anti-doping agency USADA who, like other federal agencies, are remorseless foes. Once they… Continue reading
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The government needs to make cycling safer, and so do we all
In the last week alone by winning Olympic gold and through his victory in the Tour de France, Bradley Wiggins has single-handedly raised the profile of cycling in this country.… Continue reading
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How dangerous is cycling?
Am I dicing with death every morning and evening? The Times would say so. I cycle to work, and, for the past two days, the Times has given over its… Continue reading
38 CommentsWestminster’s Festina Affair
Cycling fans will recall the Festina Affair that crippled the 1998 version of the Tour de France. The discovery that the peloton could be considered a travelling pharmacy did not… Continue reading
6 CommentsNo More Facts for Lance
It seems that, in cycling as everything else, when the facts become intolerable it’s no longer credible to insist upon them. That being the case it’s not, perhaps, a great… Continue reading
9 CommentsWouter Weylandt’s Cortege
There was no racing in the Giro d’Italia yesterday. Instead the peloton rode at a funereal pace to honour Wouter Weylandt, the Belgian sprinter killed in a crash on Monday.… Continue reading
0 CommentsWouter Weylandt, 1984-2011
I was all set to write a post complaining that, as usual, the Anglophone press never pays enough attention* to the Giro d’Italia but for the saddest of all possible… Continue reading
2 CommentsThe Crack-Up
Lance Armstrong, shattered, is surrounded by the press after hauling himself to the finish line at Morzine on Sunday. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images When a great champion cracks in the… Continue reading
3 CommentsThe Road to Hell is Paved with Cobblestones
I’m not going to write about the Tour de France every day – just as I won’t about the cricket season as soon as anything interesting or significant happens –… Continue reading
2 CommentsThe Ethics of Cycle-Sadism
Fabian Cancellara is one hell of a bike rider, but Sartacus blundered today. That’s him on the left and in the Yellow Jersey reminding the peloton that they wouldn’t race… Continue reading
1 CommentThe Nobility of Defeat
As you know, it’s Ivan Basso in the picture here and on Saturday, for the first time and on the penultimate stage, in this year’s Giro d’Italia he will… Continue reading
5 CommentsIs Lance Armstrong a Cheat?
This is a question of faith and those who believe won’t let anything change their mind, while those who can’t believe in the Miracle of Lance won’t be satisfied until… Continue reading
9 CommentsForza Evans!
Cadel Evans wins Stage 7 of the 2010 Giro d’Italia in Montalcino. Photo: Luk Beines/AFP/Getty Images. What with being deprived of, for various reasons*, Contador, Menchov, Valverde, Pellizotti, di Luca,… Continue reading
3 CommentsThe Rights of Fans vs The Rights of Stars
Tuesday’s stage in the Tour de France was interesting and, in its way, revealing. Ultimately, it was about power and interest. Should the race be run be its organisers or,… Continue reading
3 CommentsToday vs Yesterday: Tour de France Special Edition
The Tour de France begins tomorrow and it will not surprise long-time readers that my main concern is that Lance Armstrong does not win it again. Like any sensible enthusiast… Continue reading
4 CommentsLance Armstrong and the Giro: Part 2
I’ll give Lance Armstrong’s fans this: they know how to count to seven. Beyond that, however, they’re rather like members of a cult who refuse to accept that there could… Continue reading
9 CommentsTour de France: Prison Edition
The Giro d’Italia isn’t the only cycling story around right now. Not by a long shot! Consider this: Close to 200 prisoners will cycle around France next month, watched by… Continue reading
3 CommentsLance Armstrong and the Giro d’Italia
Among the plethora of things I hold against Lance Armstrong is the way that his story – no matter how inspiring and heroic and extraordinary it has been – has… Continue reading
30 Comments