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Sad news, with the recent death of two-time Tour winner, the flamboyant Laurent Fignon Mark Cavendish has taken the first leader's jersey in the 2010 Vuelta which kicked off in Seville on August 28th. Plenty more opportunities for Mark Cavendish to show just who is the best sprinter in the world. The British team for the 2010 World Championships in Melbourne on October 3rd has been announced. Could this be Cavendsish's year?
Cycling: What's It All About?
The things people do for fun are both varied and rewarding. Some people like to read, some go in for watching football matches, some enjoy a potter in the garden, and many like to get out on the hills. Well, I have to say  I enjoy all of the above. But I also get a lot of fun out of cycling. Cycling is often thought of as a bit of a niche sport, not many people do it, fewer still actually do it competitively. Well, how wrong you are. It is, I believe, one of the fastest growing leisure activities in the UK and more and more people are having a go. There are many different ways you can get involved. Kids (of all ages) might well go for mountain biking or BMX. Touring is a fantastic way to explore our countryside from the north of Scotland to England's south coast, or even better the big mountains of France.
Summit of the Tourmalet, 2010 Etape Alternatively, for something a bit different why not try grass-track riding, or, for some real excitement, riding your local velodrome track. When it comes to track cycling, hot on the back of Team GB's success at the Beijing Olympics we are now rebuilding toward 2012 with a crop of exciting youngsters coming through to challenge the old hands. And now British Cycling's mastermind Dave Brailsford has turned his hand to the road and Team Sky has been launched fresh for 2010, with the likes of Bradley Wiggins on board. Interesting times Over the last few years, the popularity of cycle sportives has grown exponentially. These are semi-competitive day rides which tend to include a few (?) challenging hills such as the Bealach na Ba (Google it!). We even have a classic local sportive right here in Cumbria, the Cumberland Challenge. And if you feel  really competitive there is always road racing and time trialling. I have to say I enjoy all of the above. And that really is what cycling is all about. A bit of everything, but most important it's about having fun. As last year, I will be keeping my customary blow-by-blow blog cum diary through the year. The main focus of 2010 has been this year's Etape du Tour, which I rode in July. The Etape returned to the Pyrenees again with a summit finish on the mighty Tourmalet. In the build-up to this, I have enjoyed trips to Spain in February and the Pyrenees in May, with a chance to recce the route. With 2009 still fresh in the memory I found there is so much to look back on, and the blogs are still to be found using the menu on the left of the page. Hopefully, my website will inspire, motivate or interest you enough to have a go if you don't already. And if you are lucky enough to live in Cumbria
why not try riding some of our wonderful (steep) Lake District hills, or head into the remote and quiet Scottish Borders, or simply stretch your legs along the glorious Solway coast. You too can enjoy scenery like this, whatever the weather!
Join a club Not sure where to start? Are you a club member? If not, why not join your local club? In Cumbria there are a number cycling clubs who will welcome you with open arms. Our club is Border City Wheelers, if you want to see what they have to offer check out our club website.
This site is a bit of an indulgence but I will make no apologies. I don't think I'm an anorak (better ask my kids about that) and I have purposely tried to avoid the technical jargon which many cyclists seem so keen on using in casual conversation. Feel free to have a wander through the links at the top of the page, hopefully there will be something there of interest. But, if nothing else, get yer bike out and get riding.... today!
Cumbrian Cyclist was last updated: 31 August, 2010 | |
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