Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Thursday, January 26, 2023
Back to news and opinion index page for links to archived stories | Commentary | Our YouTube page
2022 Tour de France | 2022 Giro d'Italia
Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace. - Nelson Mandela
David L. Stanley's masterful telling of his bout with skin cancer Melanoma: It Started with a Freckle is available in print, Kindle eBook and audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Current racing:
- Jan 22 - 29: Vuelta a San Juan
- Jan 25 - 29: Challenge Illes Balears-Volta Ciclista a Mallorca
Upcoming racing
- Jan 28 & 29: Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
- Jan 29: GP Cycliste la Marseillaise
- Jan 30 - Feb 2: Saudi Tour
Latest completed racing:
- Jan 14 - 22: Schwalbe Classic & Tour Down Under
- Jan 1: GP Sven Nys Cyclocross
- Dec 30: Azencross-Loenhout
- Dec 28: Diegem Cyclocross
- Dec 27: Heusden-Zolder Cyclocross
- Dec 26: Gavere Cyclocross
We posted the report from stage winner Quinn Simmons' Team Trek-Segafredo with the results.
Here's the report from third-place Sam Bennett's Team Bora-hansgrohe:
For stage 3 at the Vuelta a San Juan the road book promised a 170km flat stage, the weather forecast another hot day. The sprinter teams brought back the breakaway of the day with 35km from home. After a hectic finale at the Autódromo de Villicum Quinn Simmons launched a late attack and took the stage win. Sam Bennett sprinted to 3rd and was able to retain the race’s overall lead.
Quinn Simmons was the winner of stage three.
“The stage in summary: Hot, windy and nervous. The goal was to fight for the stage win with Sam Bennett and to get Sergio Higuita through the day without losing any time. The guys worked a lot again today, especially neo-pro Florian Lipowitz put in an impressive performance for the third day in a row. In the end it was very hectic and Simmons’ attack was difficult to parry. But Sam’s sprint was really strong and we are happy with another podium.” Bernhard Eisel, Sports Director
Content continues below the ads
We posted the report from second-place Louis Vervaeke's Team Soudal Quick-Step with the results.
Here's the report from Team Bora-hansgrohe:
Unusual cold and rainy weather challenged the riders today at the Trofeo Calvia at the European start of the season for BORA – hansgrohe. While an early break of four riders was in front for most of the day, BORA – hansgrohe controlled the race in the bunch in the beginning. After the Col de Soller Ben Zwiehoff was part of the decisive move of the day and fighting for today’s win. But when the initial break was caught another three riders went clear from that group and in the end, Ben took a solid 8th place while Rui Costa was victorious.
Rui Costa takes a close win.
“It was very cold and slippery today. Toni and Nils did a great job in controlling the race before the Soller. Over the top the race erupted and after the downhill I was part of a chasing group and thought it’s easier to ride a steady peace right away. When some riders joined us, it was clear that this group will fight for the win. I was able to counter some moves on the last climbs, but it was difficult for me without any teammate. In the sprint it’s always difficult for me, but I can be happy with the result and especially my shape.” – Ben Zwiehoff
“It was a solid start for us, but a lot more would have been possible. We also had Lenni in that chasing group, but he punctured just after they went away. Koni crashed in that moment, and I think both would have been part of this decisive chasing group. Ben rode a solid race but of course, it was quite difficult for him being alone. I think in the end the result is a solid start under those circumstances and it looks like we are already in good shape.” – Torsten Schmidt, Sports Director
Content continues below the ads
The team sent me this:
Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race: JAN 29
Luke Roberts - Team DSM coach"
"The Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race returns to the calendar after a two-year absence, and we are very happy to be back in Geelong for it. A slight change to this year's edition with the big lap being run in the opposite direction may have an impact on the race if the wind is up on Sunday. The local lap remains on the traditional circuit with the steep climb up Challambra Crescent, a race with an intense final that can go the way of the stronger climbers with a final attack or end in a reduced bunch finish that favors the stronger sprinters, with Marius, Chris and Matt we will have options to challenge for the victory in either scenario. After having to abandon the Tour Down Under, we are hoping that Patrick will be back in time to give us another card to play for the final."
Patrick Bevin at the Schwalbe Classic on January 14th of this year.
Line-up:
Patrick Bevin (NZL)
Romain Combaud (FRA)
Matthew Dinham (AUS)
Chris Hamilton (AUS)
Marius Mayrhofer (GER)
Tim Naberman (NED)
Martijn Tusveld (NED)
Saudi Tour: JAN 30 - FEB 03
Roy Curvers - Team DSM coach:
"With Saudi Tour, we have a nice dessert trip around the corner. We will use this race as a season kick-off for riders that will focus mainly on classics and sprints. For them, this is an ideal race with a few sprint opportunities next to some finals on more hilly terrain, and as always danger for echelons on the open desert roads. Our main focus will be setting the tone in excellent teamwork in the hunt for day results"
Line-up:
Pavel Bittner (CZE)
John Degenkolb (GER)
Alex Edmondson (AUS)
Nils Eekhoff (NED)
Sean Flynn (GBR)
Frederik Rodenberg Madsen (DEN)
Casper van Uden (NED)
Content continues below the ads
Bicycle Retailer & Industry News sent me this:
The judge in a patent dispute between SRAM and Princeton Carbon Works has granted each side some wins and some losses in pretrial orders as he signaled the case is best decided by a jury. A two-week jury trial is scheduled to start Feb. 13.
In its complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida nearly two years ago, SRAM said that the wavy rim shape on Princeton's carbon road wheels infringes on its patent for a rim shape that SRAM says was inspired in part by a humpback whale flipper. SRAM uses that design on its Zipp 454 Carbon NSW wheels, which retail for up to $4,000 per pair. Princeton has filed a countersuit questioning the validity of SRAM’s patent.
On Friday, U.S. District Judge Roy K. Altman ruled on SRAM’s motion for a partial summary judgment, Princeton’s motion of summary judgment, and Princeton's motion to strike testimony from two of SRAM’s experts.
Altman granted SRAM’s request to put a stop to one of Princeton’s possible defenses: a so-called Section 112 defense. A Section 112 defense is based on showing that the language of a patent is inadequate to define its scope. Altman said that in pre-trial responses Princeton had failed to address Section 112 and had thus waived that potential affirmative defense — a partial win for SRAM.
Next Altman said that Princeton could continue a defense that asserted that SRAM’s patent was invalid because of prior art. “(W)e think a reasonable jury could side with Princeton,” Altman said of this potential defense — a partial win for Princeton.
Altman gave a win to SRAM by denying Princeton’s motion for summary judgment on the argument that its wheel design doesn’t infringe on SRAM’s patent because the Princeton wheels lack the “convex exterior profile” described in the patent.
You can read the entire story here.
Back to news and opinion index page for links to archived stories | Commentary