Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Wednesday, November 10, 2021
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2021 Tour de France | 2021 Giro d'Italia
There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves. - Will Rogers
Upcoming racing:
- Nov 13: GP Leuven
- Dec 13: Gavere Cyclocross
- Jan 16 - 23, 2022: Le Tour de Langkawi
- Jan 26 - 29, 2022: Challenge Illes Balears
Latest completed racing:
- Nov 7: Elite Men European Cyclocross Championships
- Nov 6: Elite Women European Cyclocross Championships
- Nov 1: Koppenberg Cyclocross
- Oct 31: Vlaamse Druivenveldrit Overijse Cross
- Oct 24: Ronde van Drenthe
- Oct 23: Ruddervoorde Cyclocross
Les Woodland's book Sticky Buns Across America: Back-roads riding from sea to shining sea is available as an audiobook here.
Peloton stocks tumble after it lowers forecast
Bicycle Retailer & Industry News sent me this:
NEW YORK (BRAIN) — Peloton Interactive Inc. shares were down more than 34% on Friday after the company lowered its forecasts for 2022 sales.
"We anticipated fiscal 2022 would be a very challenging year to forecast, given unusual year-ago comparisons, demand uncertainty amidst re-opening economies, and widely-reported supply chain constraints and commodity cost pressures," the company said.
"While we are reducing our near-term forecast, our confidence in and commitment to our strategy is unchanged. Software and streaming media have redefined at-home fitness and are driving a migration of workouts into the home, a consumer behavioral shift that we believe is still in its early stages. This trend was well-underway prior to the pandemic, and has clearly been accelerated by the growing awareness and adoption of Connected Fitness over the past year and a half. In conjunction with our revised demand forecasts, we will be taking concrete steps to re-examine our expense base and adjust our operating costs to better align our investments with our revised growth expectations," the company said.
You can read the entire story here.
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Kasper Asgreen: Harelbeke and Flanders showed that my future lies in the cobbled Classics
Asgreen's Team Deceuninck-Quick Step team posted this:
The Dane looked back on the perfect week he had in the spring.“This season was my best to date, and that Harelbeke win was were everything started. It made me so happy and served as confirmation of all the hard work I had put in the previous winter, and at the same time, showed that these races that I love so much suit me. I had always been fascinated by the cobbled Classics, and the E3 victory proved that I am on the right path.
Kasper Asgreen Wins 2021 Flanders. Sirotti photo
I remember feeling good that day, but also in the weeks prior to the race. I also knew every part of the course, as I did a recon in the spring, so I had a lot of confidence during the race. We wanted to win, we were not afraid to open the race early and I’m happy I could pull it off. To win against the best Classics riders in the world meant a lot for my morale, especially after a day like that, when I was on the attack for more than 50 kilometers, got caught and still had enough to try again in the finale.
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But I also want to point out that it wouldn’t have been possible without the help of this fantastic squad, to whom I am very grateful. My teammates were just unbelievable and showed again why we are the Wolfpack! We wanted to make the race really hard and we did it, and at the end we reaped the rewards.
Then one week later, Ronde van Vlaanderen came, and I can tell you I was super motivated, because for me this is the most beautiful race in the world. The cobbles and the steep hills, which carry so much history, make it a great race, and to win it two years after podiuming at my debut felt incredible!
The race wasn’t as smooth as Harelbeke, as I got caught behind a big crash with more than 60 kilometers to go and that took some energy to come back, but I still felt good after that effort and could follow all the attacks on the climbs, which gave me a lot of confidence. That’s why I attacked inside the final hour of racing and seeing I made an important selection, I kept going together with the other guys until the last time up the Oude Kwaremont.
I was briefly distanced just before the top, but gave my best to come back and on the Paterberg, as I didn’t have enough in the legs for an attack in the final kilometers, I decided to trust my sprint. I wanted to do my best inside the last kilometer, so I started it from the back, as I felt it was the best way to control things. I produced a powerful turn of legs, but it was only with ten meters to go that I believed I could win. Finishing it off made me incredibly proud, because it meant I repaid the fantastic work of my teammates! Also, it was pretty special to become the first guy to win a Monument on clinchers.”
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