Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Friday, November 9, 2018
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2018 Tour de France | 2018 Giro d'Italia
It is in spending oneself that one becomes rich. - Sarah Bernhardt
Latest completed racing:
- November 1: Cyclocross Koppenberg
- October 28: Cyclocross Ruddervorde
- October 23 - 31: Tour of Hainan
- October 21: Japan Cup
- October 9 - 14: Presidential Tour of Turkey
- October 14: Chrono des Nations
- October 13: Il Lombardia
- October 11: Gran Piemonte
- October 10: Milano-Torino
- October 9: Tre Valli Varesine
52-year old Andrea Tafi says he's found a team to allow a Paris-Roubaix return
Here's the story from Road.cc:
Andrea Tafi, the last Italian to win Paris-Roubaix, says he has found “a great team” as he aims to take part in the race next year, on the 20th anniversary of his [1999] victory.
The 52-year-old, who retired in 2005, revealed his ambitions last month of returning to the scene of one of the crowning moments of a career in which he won two other Monuments, the Tour of Flanders and the Tour of Lombardy.
Andrea Tafi on his way to winning Paris-Rubaix in 1999. Sirotti photo.
He said he had already approached the UCI regarding inclusion in the anti-doping testing pool, which is required for six months before racing, and that he was looking to ride for a Professional Continental team.
Those discussions appear to have borne fruit, according to a report in the Belgian newspaper, Het Laatste Nieuws.
“Everyone says I’m mad,” said Tafi, “but I don’t think so. I’m following my heart. I know how difficult it will be, but I also want to see what my limits are. I’m not setting a target in terms of result, I want to train and see what can come out of that.
“The coming months will be hard, but it’s something I absolutely want to do. It’s something no-one has ever done in cycling.
“I’ve found a great team but unfortunately I can’t yet say which one.”
Besides the 18 WorldTour teams which automatically gain entry to the race due to their status, organisers ASO issue wild card invitations to a number of Professional Continental teams.
You can read the entire story here.
World Anti-Doping Agency willing to meet Movement for Credible Cycling
The Movement for Credible Cycling (MPCC) sent me this update
The Movement for a Credible Cycling (MPCC) received on November 5th 2018 a response from World Anti-Doping Agency’s President Sir Craig Reedie to its last letter [second story posted in our Thursday, November 8 news page].
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)’s President states in his letter that there is “obviously a difference of opinion” between the two bodies. He concludes with a formal invitation to meet the president of the Movement for a Credible Cycling in order to “discuss these matters further.”. MPCC accepts this invitation from WADA’s governing body and thus agrees to confront these two visions.
MPCC and all its members hope that this meeting will be the perfect opportunity to obtain an explanation to its unanswered question, especially when it comes to important topics such as corticoids, tramadol and salbutamol.
Thanks to all of its members, making the movement representative of the world of cycling, MPCC succeeded in being considered by WADA as a legitimate interlocutor. The movement has now more than 500 members, including 289 riders, with most of them being contracted to first and second division teams.
Time has come for this representativity to become even stronger : riders, teams, staff members, Federations, organizers, sponsors: you are all welcome to join forces with MPCC by sending a membership request. Our common purpose is to make the voice of all of our members even louder. WADA’s invitation is proof that this voice has a genuine influence.
LEVA-EU says Bike Europe’s report on 79% anti-subsidy & dumping duty is not correct
Bike-Europe sent me this update:
BRUSSELS, Belgium – Yesterday, Bike Europe published on Draft Proposal [third story on the news page]: EU To Impose 79 Percent Anti-Subsidy & Dumping Duty on China E-Bikes. According to the European branch of the Light Electric Vehicle Association (LEVA-EU) that operates on behalf of the Collective of European Importers of Electric Bicycles, our report is not correct and is creating panic and unrest in the sector. However, sources in Brussels indicate that Bike Europe’s report is not wrong.
LEVA-EU’s reaction to yesterday’s report by Bike Europe is posted as a Comment below this report. The comment by LEVA-EU Manager Annick Roetynck states “This information is manifestly incorrect. The Commission is NOT to impose 79% anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on China E-Bikes! The Commission has only published a DRAFT for the anti-subsidy investigation, proposing 16.14% as the highest percentage of countervailing duties. This DRAFT includes nothing on the Commission’s intention for anti-dumping.”
The LEVA-EU Manager’s comment rightly points to the fact that the European Commission has not yet issued the General Disclosure Document on “Case AD643 – Anti-dumping proceeding concerning imports of electric bicycles originating in the People’s Republic of China.” According to Bike Europe’s sources in Brussels that document will be issued to stakeholders and parties which have co-operated in the proceedings, in about one week.
Bike Europe contacted its sources in Brussels immediately after it received emailed comments by LEVA-EU. Our sources make clear that the Bike Europe report that warns for an upcoming combined anti-subsidy and anti-dumping duty that is likely to be as high as 79 percent, is correct. Bike Europe’s sources elaborated by stating that our report is for 99 percent correct and that the combined anti-subsidy and anti-dumping duty is expected to be as high as indicated in our report.
You can read the entire story here.
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