Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
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2019 Tour de France | 2019 Giro d'Italia
The average IQ in America is - and this can be proven mathematically - average. - P. J. O'Rourke
Upcoming racing:
- Dec 15: Vlaamse Druivencross
- Dec 22: World Cup, Namur
- Dec 26: World Cup Heusden-Zolder
- Dec 27: Azencross
- Dec 29: Superprestige Diegen
- Jan 1: GP Sven Nys
- Feb 22: GP Leuven
Latest completed racing:
- Dec 7: IKO Cyclocross-Essen
- Nov 17: Flandriencross
- Nov 10: European Cyclocross Championships
- Nov 3: Telenet Superprestige Ruddervoorde
- Oct 27: Superprestige Gavere Cyclocross
- Oct 26: Cincinnati Cyclocross
- Oct 17-22: Tour of Guangxi
- Oct 20: Japan Cup
- Oct 20: Chrono des Nations
Rohan Dennis joins Team INEOS
Team INEOS sent me this press release:
Rohan Dennis has completed his ‘dream move’ to Team INEOS, signing a two-year deal. The 29-year old arrives as the reigning World individual time trial champion, having won the title for the second year in a row in Harrogate in September.
Rohan Dennis racing at the 2019 Tour of Switzerland. Sirotti photo
With 28 race wins to his name already, Dennis is excited about the next chapter of his career at Team INEOS, commenting: “This has been a dream of mine since turning professional.
“Watching on from afar, I’ve always been a huge fan of the team – ever since the early years. It’s always been a goal of mine to ride for this team, so to finally fulfil that dream is a brilliant feeling and a huge honour.
“I already feel a connection to this team – a team that really believes in innovation, especially in time trialling, which is obviously something I’m hugely passionate about.
“I hope I can do the team colours proud over the course of my time here.”
Dennis will link-up with his new teammates for the first time at December Camp this week – and is in line to make his Team INEOS debut on home roads in Australia in the New Year.
He’s understandably excited about the opening few months of his time with the team, adding: “I’m really excited about getting to camp – it’s a crucial period, both in terms of building relationships and setting goals for the coming season.
“I know a lot of the guys already, from speaking in the peloton over the years, so there’s already friendships built, but building on those relationships and getting to know the whole team will be important."
He added: “Racing in Australia is always special, especially for my family who rarely get to see me race – so it’ll be extra special to race for the first time for INEOS in front of them."
Team Principal, Sir Dave Brailsford, welcomed the arrival of Dennis, commenting: “We all know what a world class talent Rohan is. He is one of the best and most-exciting time trial riders in modern cycling and we are very pleased to have signed him at Team INEOS.
“We are all about building a team that is the optimum blend of youth and experience. Rohan knows what it takes to win. We can give him an environment now where he can best fulfil his own future ambitions at the same time as showing other younger riders at the Team what you have to do to succeed at the very highest level.”
Russia banned from major sports events for four years
BBC posted this news:
Russia has been handed a four-year ban from all major sporting events by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada).
It means the Russia flag and anthem will not be allowed at events such as the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics and football's 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
But athletes who can prove they are untainted by the doping scandal will be able to compete under a neutral flag.
Russian prime minister Dmitry Medvedev said the ban was part of "chronic anti-Russian hysteria". "It is obvious that significant doping problems still exist in Russia, I mean our sporting community," he said. "This is impossible to deny.
"But on the other hand the fact that all these decisions are repeated, often affecting athletes who have already been punished in one way or another, not to mention some other points - of course this makes one think that this is part of anti-Russian hysteria which has become chronic."
You can read the entire story here.
Trademark board says Ross abandonment trial can proceed
Bicycle Retailer & Industry News sent me this business update:
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (BRAIN) — A U.S. Patent and Trademark Office board will continue to review a petition by members of the Ross family to regain ownership of the Ross Bicycles trademark, which the family members claim has been abandoned by its current registrant.
Century Sports, Inc., the registrant, had asked the board to suspend its proceedings while it sued the Rosses for trademark infringement.
Century says it continues to use the Ross name, selling and shipping hundreds of Ross bikes to a wholesaler as recently as July 2019. Century filed the infringement suit in August, charging that Randy Ross, Sean Ross, and their company, Ross Bicycles LLC, are using the trademark to market a forthcoming line of bikes.
Generally trademarks can be ruled abandoned if they have not been used in commerce for three or more years.
Michael Webster, the trademark board’s interlocutory attorney, ruled that the cancelation proceedings are too far along to be suspended now because of the related civil suit.
“It is the policy of the board to suspend proceedings when the parties are involved in a civil action which may be dispositive of or have a bearing on the board case … In this case, (Century’s) motion to suspend was filed after the trial periods ended and almost a month after (Ross Bicycles LLC) filed its brief on the case,” Webster wrote in an order released Monday.
“Accordingly, the motion to suspend pending disposition of the civil action is denied. Because the briefing periods have closed the case will be submitted for final decision,” Webster concluded. He did not indicate when that decision should be expected.
Century has submitted exhibits to the board showing that it has continued to market and sell Ross bikes, including making presentations to a Walmart buyer recently.
The Rosses have argued that much of that evidence is inadmissible for procedural reasons. They also argue that even despite the recent activity shown in the exhibits, the trademark’s previous owner, Rand International, had abandoned it at least from 2010-2013, and any recent activity would not revive the mark.
You can read the entire story here.
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