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Data analyst needs 'extra day of rest', busy fan site Voeckler is growing over his head
July 22, 2017
Although Ben Elker has taken thirty 'rest days' this summer as a data analyst, an extra day of rest in the Tour would do him good. The last week, in particular, looks set to be tough for the veteran couch potato and operator of the Thomas Voeckler fansite. Ben: “A third rest day would be welcome. I am participating in a clean Tour this year and I am part of 'the new cycling'. But it would be nice to have some relaxation. Without doping, your body needs extra rest.”
It would be Ben Elker's Tour this year. For the first time, he took all days off to be able to follow the cycling race. But the cycling spectacle is heavier than expected for Ben. His attempt to get a current fansite of Thomas Voeckler online in particular consumes energy. Ben: “The stages are extra tough for me this year, when most of the riders are ready I have to wait another hour for Titi to arrive. Then collect reactions on twitter, read newspapers, email Thomas and before you know it the man with the hammer comes and I fall asleep. I have a day job just following the guestbook comments on Titi's own site.”
Ben expected a quiet Tour this year. To have some time and experiment with WordPress 4.1, he decided to set up a fan site for a rider "who would struggle to ride the prologue within the time limit and always ride with his tongue in the wind." Before the mountains started, the fansite could go offline again, and Ben could concentrate purely on the first tough mountain stages. The type of error of judgment with which he has also become familiar in his work as a data analyst. His Thomas became a star, according to Armstrong even 'superman,' and rose well above Ben's level. After twenty stages the fan site for Thomas is well filled, but still not online. Now Ben is disappointed with his decision to follow the Tour cleanly this year. Ben: “I wanted to set an example, but now I understand how difficult that is. Broadcasters and newspapers have a team of specialists and a good collective labor agreement. As an occasional webmaster you are on your own. No one in this world does that without tools. It is impossible to perform at a high level without stimulants.” Still, Ben knows that his 'new cycling' is best for him. “Epo and blood transfusions are also banned for data analysts. At the next check, I'm on save."
Kenny van Hummel finishes 2009 Tour de France, indicates: 'I thought I wasn't going to make it anymore'
July 21, 2017
Kenny van Hummel still finished the 2009 Tour de France. Today he reached the finish line in character. The Skil-Shimano rider already had a hard time in earlier stages, for example in Verbier, where he crossed the line swearing. He himself therefore had a hard head that he would make it to Paris. “I thought I wasn't going to make it anymore. Fortunately, my sports director continued to support me and I was able to make up for some time in the descent. In the end you reach the finish line purely on willpower.” The Dutch sprinter actually arrived too late, but the tour organization decided to apply the rules generously. "He has ridden almost every stage on his own from the start, which is an exceptional achievement", tour organizer Christian Prudhomme explains the decision. In the final classification, Van Hummel is seven Tour de France and one day behind jersey wearer Chris Froome.
Still yellow for Boogerd?
July 20, 2017
Michael Boogerd is slowly emerging as the biggest contender for yellow in the Tour de France in 2000. Now that more and more competitors are dropping out of the race, it seems more and more real that the combative Hague will still receive the highest honor of the race that was held 17 years ago. can iron. Boogerd, who dropped out in 2000 due to a crash and was also ill, is retroactively added to the results and at the time of writing is in the provisional classification of the event as thirty-first. However, now that more and more riders from that year have admitted to doping and 'winner' Lance Armstrong has already handed in his yellow jersey, the race is getting more and more exciting. At the moment Fernando Escartin, in 2000 still eighth at more than 17 minutes from the winner, is virtually in yellow, but suspicions of doping use have also fallen on him. Boogerd indicates from his hotel room in Ghent that he is very satisfied with the course of the race. “You know what you've been training for all this time. After the finish on the Champs Elysees it was clear that the race was still completely open.” The final determination of the final classification of the sporting event is estimated by the UCI cycling federation at 2020, when the last appeal has been filed before the arbitration committee. Hopefully the winners of the Tours from 1992 to 2002 can then also be announced. UCI spokesman Enrico Carpani: “We are sure that the best sportsman will win. The 2000 Tour de France was a fantastic sporting event, and I am sure that the eventual winner will fully deserve this title.”
Are you going to cycle faster with a rocket engine on your front wheel? TU Delft investigated it on Mont Ventoux.
July 19, 2017
Are you going to cycle faster with a rocket engine on your front wheel? TU Delft investigated it on Mont Ventoux.
You always hear that you are going to cycle faster with a rocket engine on your front wheel. But is that really the case? Until now, any scientific evidence has been lacking. That is why twenty amateur cyclists from TU Delft took the test today. The experiment was conducted on Mont Ventoux, a 21-kilometer climb in the south of France. Half of the subjects rode a rocket-propelled bicycle, the other half rode a placebo dynamo. The men themselves do not know whether they drove up on Snelle Jelles or with the help of Hyundai Ultra Engine Cylinder 208. Jacco van Vught drove up the Mont Ventoux in just over twelve seconds. He just landed but he doesn't know yet whether he had a rocket motor on the bike or not. “In the forest (the first 12 kilometers ed.) I literally flew over the trees. Normally I see a lot of that. But I also had really good legs today. It was also scary. I thought: if I meet the man with the hammer now, I'll crash." The results of the investigation are not yet known. Project leader Stef Hogendaal of TU Delft: "We won't draw any conclusions until the other half has arrived."
Tour win for second in standings; traditional top spot.
July 18, 2017
As of this year, the yellow jersey and the Tour de France win will be awarded directly to the number two in the standings. As a result, it will no longer be necessary to take the number one off the course, which saves a lot of time and money. Tour director Christian Prudhomme: “The last few years have shown that it no longer pays to finish in first place. Yet our Ronde must regain its former glory. That is really only possible by letting go of the traditional glorification of first place and focusing on second place.” Prudhomme expects a new era in cycling. “Cycling takes on a new dimension. When the number two eventually takes off with the top prize, the men will develop new tactics. Riders will hold back at decisive moments. In this way, content actually becomes the new attacking.” Critics do not think that removing the first place is a sustainable solution and argue that the problem is only moved in this way. NOS reporter Maarten Ducrot: “There is a risk that riders will use performance-reducing substances such as beer and hashish. Strict control will have to take place to ensure that the riders are still somewhat fit at the start.” Analysts expect the mountain stages to determine the standings. “In a mountain stage you can both gain and lose minutes,” said former rider Michael Boogerd. “The trick is to find just the right balance. Cycling thus becomes a kind of tightrope walk where failure and winning go hand in hand.” Nairo Quintana is looking forward to the new setup. “My new great example is Jan Ullrich, who came in second five times around the turn of the century. I'm going to pop in July, but just not."
Tour de France plagued by rain breaks; peloton in the locker room for the time being.
July 16, 2017
The Tour de France is also plagued by rain breaks in the third week. Last week there was already talk that some stages would be postponed due to the rain and today the peloton has to stay longer in the dressing room. It is expected to be dry in the early evening and it is possible to start removing the sail on the route between Côte de Boussoulet and Col du Rouvey. The arrival in Roman-sur-Isère is expected around midnight.
Search for 'Red Lantern Drug' in full swing, Vansevenant still not caught.
July 15, 2017
Former cyclist Wim Vansevenant has still not been caught using narcotics, a major problem for cyclists who want to follow in the footsteps of the eternal winner of the Red Lantern in the Tour de France. On what means did the laconic Belgian comfortably finish the Tour for years? Time is running out for riders like Sven Krauss, Brett Daniel Lancaster and Addy Engels. With the Tour in full swing, Vansevenant's secret is still unknown. Team doctor Guido Achterberg of the Lotto NL - Jumbo team, of which many riders are in the race for the Red Lantern, still has hope: “Wim probably didn't use stimulants so much, but narcotics. It won't make you cycle faster, but you won't feel the pain anymore. It keeps you strong enough to race a stage at your own pace. That's exactly what our riders need to complete the Tour and still have enough power to run another good season." How they will find out the secret of 'Sevie' is still a mystery to most riders, but whoever finds it has gold in their hands. Addy Engels knows that too, who has already made some fruitless attempts. For example, he went to the GP that Vansevenant has been visiting since he was born. The proverbial Belgian hospitality does not seem to exist in Eernegem; doctor Vandendicke slams the door on every unknown person. A search through Vansevenant's garbage yielded just as little result. The potential successors of Vansevenant also think that the Red Lantern in 2017 is not a consolation prize, but rather the starting point for an excellent final ranking. Cycling Union UCI hunts for resources that make you cycle faster, not the Wimbledon miracle drug to stay alive. According to doping sinner Bernard Kohl, no less than 90 percent of the riders mainly use stimulants. At the same time, control mechanisms are becoming increasingly sophisticated. "If the UCI finally does a good job this year, then it will be possible with the lanterne rouge to ride a top-20 ranking, and not a dog that you control," said an optimistic Addy Engels.
Multi-racing moron disappoints in mountain classification: “Paris is still far.”
July 14, 2017
For the time being, it is not yet the Tour of the retarded retard. Before the Tour de France, much was expected of the drunken idiot in the green thong, but so far we have seen little of him. He did not score any points in the mountains classification. According to the running moron, it is still too early to judge his performance: “Paris is still a long way. I still have two weeks to make up for my mistakes. Of course I sometimes look in the mirror and say 'John, what are you doing?' But now it's up to me to flip the switch and show what I'm capable of. To everything.”
These Russian doping supplements are already certain of Tour 2018; it may well be the last Tour for EPO.
July 13, 2017
These Russian doping supplements are already certain of Tour 2018; it may well be the last Tour for EPO.
Now that eyes are slowly turning to the 2018 Tour, there is increasing speculation about the contenders for the yellow jersey. Russia has been a superpower in the sport for years, so they will be represented in France with many riders. These are the Russian stimulants that are already sure of the Tour.
EPO
It may well be the last Games for EPO. Known for his signature red blood cell-generating style, the veteran agent will be active in athletics, track cycling and long-distance swimming. Although it has been on the circuit for decades, EPO could well become the number 1 doping type in France.
Meldonium
Meldonium has been an integral part of the sports world since this year. It is the rising star of the shadowy Russian 'nutritionists' and can of course not be missed in the Tour de France. The Russians seem to have high expectations for their showpiece.
blood doping
Blood doping is actually already on the decline, but still managed to meet the qualifying limit for the Tour. Although it is not expected that this stimulant will play a significant role, we are curious whether it can still score high!
Bram Tankink not going to Tour due to difficulty with favorite role: "You have a different feeling on the bike"
July 12, 2017
Bram Tankink not going to Tour due to difficulty with favorite role: "You have a different feeling on the bike"
Due to the absence of Rodriguez, Zakarin and Tom Dumoulin, everyone suddenly had a chance to win the Tour de France this year. Especially veteran Bram Tankink appeared to have difficulty with the unexpected favorite role. When asked whether the veteran could handle the pressure, he replied: "You feel differently on the bike." The 38-year-old Tankink rode the Tour nine times, always entirely in the service of others. “The fact that I could finally go for my own success was of course a dream come true. As a little boy I imagined bringing the yellow to Paris.” The former foreman has a modest track record. In 2005 he won the Pro Ronde van Almelo and in 2011 the points classification of the Tour of the Basque Country. “A tour win would be a nice reward for all the work of the past few years. Don't forget that Óscar Pereiro Sio also won the Tour from scratch in 2006.” The beast from the east, as his nickname goes, wouldn't reveal anything about his actual battle plan. “I had to try my best not to be fooled. The Tour is long. I would have to grab the opportunities I was presented with with both hands. It could turn out to be a crazy Tour, with more than 190 riders who think they have a chance at the overall victory.” Tankink considered Froome and Quintana to be his biggest competitors. "But if they already hit the asphalt in the first week, I also see Adam Hansen taking a shot at the podium." In the end, the pressure turned out to be too high and Tankink asked his team Lotto NL-Jumbo not to select him.
Later in the interview with Tourtijgers, Bram Tankink reveals some secrets from the peloton. He says, among other things: “The Tour de France cannot be won without a bicycle. If you really want to participate, you can't do without it these days.” The reason for this remarkable statement is a trend that Chris Froome started in 2016 by running with the head of the race. It is expected that several riders will try to perfect this surprising tactic in 2017.
Marco Pantani gets the same time as Mollema; jury calls death of Italian 'exceptional circumstances'.
July 11, 2017
Marco Pantani gets the same time as Bauke Mollema in the twelfth stage of the Tour de France. The Italian who died in 2004 is therefore new in the general classification. According to the jury, the sudden death of Pantani from an overdose was "exceptional circumstances" and the decision is therefore justified. Earlier, the French Jeannette Mimieux (69) was given the same time as Mollema, because the bus is temporarily not running in her village.
Minors committed fraud in doping gambling scandal: gambling on doping fraud less fair than thought.
July 9, 2017
There appears to be a dark side to the recently discovered Italian doping gambling scandal, in which participants bet money on the outcome of doping cases in cycling. Many betting offices use underage couriers for the distribution of betting forms and prize money. The age of the employees ranges from 13 to 17 years. It concerns young people who deliver participant lists and prize money in their hometown after school and collect bets. They are recruited by representatives from the doping fraud gambling industry on school playgrounds and football fields. The children are shamelessly exploited. They themselves see little of the tons of effort they transport. Overtime is paid without surcharge. Kilometer declarations are never paid out. Giovanni Fabrizio (15): “I worked for this organization for three years without accruing a single cent in pension. There is no arrangement for childcare and they have never heard of a bicycle plan.” Fortunately, awareness about the abuses is growing. Paolo Donnadoni, director of the PIGDAD foundation (Pulire Il Gioco D'Azzardo Doping, Italian for Clean Doping Gambling): “Only adults work for us under good working conditions. This pays off in winning customers and satisfied staff. In this way we show that it is also possible to gamble in a fair and sustainable way.”
Man always sees an imaginary Maarten Ducrot during sex. And you too from now on.
July 8, 2017
Man always sees an imaginary Maarten Ducrot during sex. And you too from now on.
It is a curious, but no less annoying condition. A man who wishes to remain anonymous, living in Noord-Holland, has been teased for more than six months by an imaginary Maarten Ducrot during sex. He first saw the cycling commentator appear in the bedroom shortly after the 2016 Tour of Lombardy. “He stood in the doorway smoking a cigarette in silence, tapped his watch after ten minutes, then disappeared again.” The anonymous man hoped that the imaginary Ducrot's visit would be a one-off, but unfortunately that was not the case. Maarten Ducrot increasingly entered the bedroom during intercourse. “Usually he first eats a cup of soup on the edge of the bed, and then starts rummaging impatiently in the sock drawer. Recently he started an aria out of nowhere. I was frightened to death." The sex life of Anonymous has fallen into a chasse patate in recent months. "It's just really hard to please your girlfriend when Maarten Ducrot is right next to you solving a crossword puzzle." The worst thing, he thinks, is that the condition seems contagious. “Everyone I tell about it is also affected by it. I'm sure the next time you have sex you will also see Maarten Ducrot eating a bowl of soup on the edge of your bed. Bet?"
Fuentes takes a polka dot coat in the doctor's classification, the Spanish doping doctor is still looking for the right doses.
July 7, 2017
Doping doctor Eufemiano Fuentes has taken his second stage victory. With the win, the doctor of Movistar takes over the polka dot coat from Geert Leinders. The Belgian of Lotto-Belisol had two riders in the leading group during the first break. “At that moment you think, this looks good. That boy from Fuentes was only gnashing his teeth on the left,” said the Belgian team doctor. Just before the final climb, Leinders relinquished the victory because Tim Wellens and André Greipel fell unconscious from their bicycles. The fall is said to be the result of an overdose of the performance-enhancing but also mind-altering drug 2C-B. Wellens: “At sixty kilometers from the finish I saw that we were suddenly being chased by a pink gorilla. Then, as a leading group, we really started to pick up the pace. At one point we had a lead of half an hour and after that I don't really remember anything." Leinders attributes the unconsciousness of his riders more to a lack of fitness than to the use of 2C-B: “We are still looking for the right dose. At this stage of the season, not everyone is in top shape yet, so you see some riders get off their stick too early, but that's part of it." Fuentes equipped his riders with a combination of EPO, CERA, cortisone, testosterone, blood transfusions and clenbuterol. That conservative tactic paid off. “It may be boring for the audience, but we care about the result. This is not only my victory, but also that of my riders, who support me in a fantastic way every time.” Leinders denies that the classification has already been decided: “In tough rounds every doctor has a bad day, so we have to hope for that. Although it is certainly no shame to lose to a Fuentes in great shape.”
Maarten Ducrot and Herbert Dijkstra refuse to leave the comment box: "You talk about castles, but I want to know where Mollema is."
6th of July
A day after the end of the Tour de France, Herbert Dijkstra and Maarten Ducrot are still talking. The duo just sat down in a comment booth in the famous finish place Troyes on Thursday evening. Dijkstra: “Did you know that this city is surrounded by fortifications and fortresses? They had to guard the access road to present-day Italy.” Ducrot: “You are now talking about castles, but I want to know if Mollema is still there. I still haven't seen him." Dijkstra: “I saw him at the back of the group.” Ducrot: "Well, then you've seen more than I have." Dijkstra: “Unfortunately there is no camera at Mollema, that is a choice of the French director. We are not about that.” Ducrot: “Still no attack from Quintana. He's just going to sit there and watch dude, come on man! But there goes ten Dam! That is beautiful! Aargh, look at him stomping on the outer cover. Still ten Dam, I said it!" Dijkstra: “That is not ten Dam.” Ducrot: “That's ten Dam, Herbert. I always pick that one out.” Dijkstra: "It's not him." Dijkstra: "This is a difficult part, we explored that this morning." Ducrot: “Well, that…” Dijkstra: “I have to interrupt you Maarten, because I now hear rumors that Froome has resigned.” Ducrot: “That would mean that Gesink will move!” Dijkstra: "That's incredibly clever of Gesink, which means that he is driving extremely well again today." Ducrot: "I'm going to hang out the window for a while." The hotel where the two are staying does not say until when the gentlemen have booked. However, an anonymous employee was crystal clear: "Paris is still a long way."
Laurens ten Dam is back on the bike despite an amputated upper body: “Legs are still good”
July 4, 2017
Laurens ten Dam is on his way again in the Tour de France. The Team Sunweb cyclist lost his entire torso during today's stage in a seemingly harmless crash, but got back on his bike after a drinking break: “The most important thing is that the legs are good.”
Smeets launches l'Eau du Tour: “A strong fragrance for the modern man.”
July 3, 2017
Following in the footsteps of many stars, former NOS celebrity Mart Smeets is launching his new perfume line l'Eau du Tour this week. Cosmetics group Cotty, together with sports enthusiasts, has developed a fragrance that captures the essence of cycling. The fragrance, a combination of fresh sweaty air with a hint of red wine and EPO, is specifically aimed at the aging man's market. “After years of bringing the Tour to people's homes with text, images and sound, the sense of smell was missing for a total experience,” says a proud Smeets. The launch is also an admonition to his younger colleagues in the entertainment world, who are also starting their own perfume line. “Anyone who has ever been to a cycling race or a night out knows that life is not just about flowers and soap stars. l'Eau du Tour is a strong fragrance, you can win the Tour on that. Can I clap for this? And so I do!” said the celebrated reporter. Fellow commentator Maarten Ducrot: “I had written up Mart for a fragrance for some time, partly because very big changes are coming. The new cycling starts with a cleansing of body and mind; it's like Mart threw the whole pack into the hand blender. Nobody can play left-handed in perfumery now.” However, the reactions are not unanimously positive. For example, Henk Westbroek says that he 'wipes his ass with that scent from Smeets.' As a counterpart to the 'testosterone bomb' of l'Eau du Tour, Smeets will also release l'Air de Fifi together with colleague Philip Freriks, a fragrance for the Women. “A touch of distinction, for strong women who roam the city in burgundy deux pièces and a blouse with oval panels, the precious face perfectly in the make-up.” Smeets brings l'Eau du Tour into the shops before the holidays, so that cycling-loving Netherlands can start the new year with the scent of passion, elbow work and lean beer.
Michael Boogerd confesses false doping confession: "Whoever wanted to keep up as an ex-cyclist had to confess"
July 2, 2017
In recent weeks, doubts about his doping use have increased, but now Michael Boogerd has admitted that his doping confession was made up. He says he lied under growing pressure from the press, the public and fellow cyclists. Boogerd: “After the confessions of Armstrong and Rasmussen, the Netherlands cried out for its own doping sinner. I just couldn't disappoint the cycling enthusiasts. Anyone who wanted to keep up with the first two months of 2013 as a former cyclist had to confess to doping. I didn't want to give up again at decisive moments, as I often had to do in the Tour." His confession was soon doubted. Bram Tankink: “His confession was so good it couldn't be true.” Floyd Landis said in a reaction that Boogerd found an attention grabber with a shocking lack of respect for great riders such as Marco Pantani, Jan Ulrich and Tom Simpson. Boogerd will explain his false doping confession in a special broadcast of Koffietijd next week.
Schwalbe moves to cycling: "Feigned falls are the order of the day"
July 1, 2017
Since the first day of the first Tour week, schwalbes are no longer just a football phenomenon. The UCI is concerned about cyclists who fall off their bikes at the slightest thought and pretend to be injured. Due to the many falls in recent weeks, there is little doubt among experts: the schwalbe has made its entrance into cycling. A UCI spokesperson concluded: “Since Jens Voigt flew out of three corners in one descent, a trend has been visible. Falls look spectacular and get a lot of attention," said the UCI spokesperson. “Of course that is good for the sponsors, but it has nothing to do with cycling. Take a Hoogerland for example. He is suddenly the hero of the pack from an unknown Zeeland, because he couldn't stay on his bike. While staying on your bike is an essential part of cycling.” The crash of Beloki in 2003 has been labeled a schwalbe after careful study. “It seemed very real. And we also don't rule out the possibility that he intended to land softer. But a schwalbe is a schwalbe. Of course such a boy breaks his thigh in two places and his career is effectively over. But if you look closely at the images, you can see it right away: definitely a trick dive.” The UCI is considering the best strategy to reduce the schwalbes: “We have considered serious measures, because the credibility of cycling is at stake. We've already experimented with support cars hitting riders. That they know we're watching them. Nevertheless, in principle we assume the self-cleaning capacity of the peloton. Football fans are happy that the Schwalbe is now also receiving attention in other sports. Johan Derksen: “For a long time the perception was that only a couple of sissies were walking around on the football field. It is a gain that that image is now being adjusted. Football is no exception. There are sissies in all sports.”