Author: Harold Dalton

Just as soon as it started, the Marc Hirschi madness is over: UAE Team Emirates has announced the signing of Marc Hirschi for the 2021 season. The 22 year old from Bern, Switzerland had a breakthrough season in the pro ranks in 2020 with highlights including a stunning solo stage win in the Tour de France, victory at Flèche Wallone, second place at Liege-Bastogne-Liege and a bronze medal at the World Championships. Hirschi will join the team at their pre-season camp in UAE. Marc Hirschi : “Firstly, I’d like to thank my previous team for everything they’ve done for me over…

In our favorite cycling story of the young year so far, Riccardo Ricco–the man who so badly botched a self-administered blood transfusion the day his doping ban ended that he ended up in a coma–has come out against the Covid-19 vaccine. In a now-hidden Facebook post, Ricco argued “I do what I want with my body. Nobody can make me do something that if it were to have a negative effect on my body, I would be the only one that would lose.” Which, you know, seems like a historic U-turn from the Ricco we all know and love (?).…

The UAE Team Emirates cycling team has now officially received the vaccine for Covid-19. A total of 27 riders, including the Tour de France 2020 winner Tadej Pogačar, plus 32 staff have now received the vaccine. That’s good news for the sport of cycling. And it’s good news for public health. But it’s kinda bad news if you believe the vaccine should be distributed based on need rather than status. The Abu Dhabi based team (ok, they probably don’t spend much time in Abu Dhabi) was always first in line to receive vaccines from the UAE’s supply due to its…

You’d think Marc Hirschi’s 2020 season would have teams doing anything to have him on board. He picked up a stage win at the Tour, as well as fan attention for his breathless attacking, and also won the Fleche Wallonne. He also finished second in Liège-Bastogne-Liège and third at the World Championships. It was quite something. But surprisingly, Team DSM — formerly Team Sunweb — terminated his contract with immediate effect, a year before it was due to expire. The reason? Well, uh. They don’t say. When we asked, they just told us, quite agonizingly, that “it has been agreed…

It’s that time of year. The UCI has published its latest Yearbook, “Cycling 2020.” We suppose calling it Cycling 2077 would’ve been confusing. Cycling 2020 is a coffee table photo book that reflects “this unusual year which nevertheless produced intense sporting moments, by paying tribute both to the athletes and the beauty of our sport.” Thematically, it’s quite predictable. While some events were canceled and the sport struggled for a while, major events did eventually resume and culminated in an excellent racing season. The UCI is rather proud that eSports flourished in the new climate and people began using bicycles…

Our friends at Fusion Media have partnered with one of the world’s greatest bicycle manufacturers, Raleigh, to “lead on PR strategy and activation to help reach existing and new audiences.” Excitingly, and fairly unsurprisingly given Adam Tranter’s other gig as cycling mayor for Coventry, Fusion Media will also support Raleigh with increased activity in policy and cycling advocacy. This is an area in which all British cycling companies need to step up, so this increased activity is very much cause for celebration. For over 12 years, London-based Fusion Media has focused on marketing and communications services for active and sports…

The Union Cycliste Internationale has officially partnered with Atlanta-based cycling tech company Wahoo Fitness, with the latter becoming the Official Supplier of the UCI Road World Championships. The partnership lasts for the next two editions of the Worlds. Apparently this deal means Wahoo will be “making its top-of-the-range products available for all participants,” though competing sponsorships and individual preferences always make for a convoluted Worlds even without the addition of an Official Supplier. Wahoo makes a whole suite of cycling technology products, such as home trainers (smart trainers in particular), heart rate monitors, bike computers and cycling training software. So…

Brooks saddles. They’re big, they’re leathery, and they’re comfy. They’re also the only saddle that you’d want to use if you want to dig deep into the etymology of the phrase “riding on the rivet.” They’ve been made in England since 1882. That’s about 100 years off from Cyclry’s favorite decade, which is why we don’t cover them much, but check this out: despite having been made in England for 140 years, you can’t buy them in England any more. A statement on the Brooks England website reads “Ongoing changes in the Brexit situation have made it necessary to temporarily…