News Shorts - 29 April

Grafton to Inverell Classic @ 27 Apr - Craig Pager (BiciSport Happy Wheels) pushed through another G2I in a slight tailwind from Grafton. The combined B & C grade got down to heavy business at the 25k mark and peloton split apart with a solid 200k to go. Craig rode well and can be proud of his effort..

Grafton to Inverell Classic @ 27 Apr - Craig Pager after the finish

Grafton to Inverell Classic @ 27 Apr - Craig Pager & MOR at the Mount Mitchell Feed Zone

Waratah Masters @ Eastern Creek Raceway @ 28 Apr - In C grade Danny O’Keefe (above - second right) took 5th and team mate David Cooper took 6th. Fine job team.

Waratah Masters @ Eastern Creek Raceway @ 28 Apr - the C grade peloton at Eastern Creek Raceway with David Cooper (far right) and Danny O’Keefe immediately behind him.

The BiciSport Saturday coffee stop is now at Berkelow Cafe at the very top of the McCarrs Creek Rd climb @ Terrey Hills @ 9.30am. All welcome

RACE SEEKER THIS WEEK

• 4-5 May

  • Mudgee Classic Cyclosportive (NSW)

    • BiciSport starters - Ian Grant, Dudley Hoskin, John Robb, MOR, Robbie B, Danny O’Keefe, Alex S, Craig Pager & John Coffey.

  • Convict 100 Gravel (St Albans, NSW)

  • Wagga to Albury Weekend (John Woodman Memorial)

  • MTB XCO Nationals (Wagga)

    • BiciSport starter - Eric Dole

• 5 May

• Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Every Mon/Wed/Fri Mornings

  • Centennial Park Masters @ Centennial Park

    • Meet at the corner of Parkes Drive/Grand Drive at 8.30am and do CP laps until 9.30am then coffee at Spruce Goose Cafe

• Every Tues/Sat/Sun Mornings

  • Depart Shark Park carpark near Cronulla @ 9.30am for Kurnell & return

• Tues 30 April & Thurs 2 May

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.40am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.15am then to St Ives for coffee

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 2 May

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ Centennial Park @ 10.30am for CP laps

• Sat 4 May

  • Coffee @ Berkelow Cafe @ Terrey Hills @ 9.30am

Lotto Pro Cycling Team (Belgium) - 1985 to today

An institution in Belgian pro cycling since 1985 & still punching hard to this day. This version is strictly 1987 which regrettably was a lean year results wise. Team manager was the legendary Walter Godefroot. Bikes were Eddy Merckx, groupsets were Campagnolo, attitude was unbreakable.

Riders were no mixed bag - hard men & more Flemish cobbles and rain the better. More class than a Prada bag. Paul Haghedooren (pictured above), Marc Sergeant, Claude Criquielion, Johan Museeuw, Wilfred Nelissen, Eddy Schepers, Jeff Lieckens (hard nut), Rik Verbrugge, Robbie McEwen, Lief Hoste, Cadel Evans, Phillipe Gilbert & Andre Greipel.

Jeff Lieckens - a brutally tough Classics rider …. the more Belgian cobbles & shitty weather the better

Marc Sergeant - a super classy Classics rider and maybe an even better Sports Director at Team Lotto over many years

Eddy Schepers - a great dnmestique to numerous Lotto team leaders

Walter Godefroot (far left) was the esteemed Lotto team manager

News Shorts - 22 April

NSW-ACT Cyclo Cross Season has begun last weekend.

Upcoming dates are -

* May 19 - Dunc Gray Velodrome (Sydney)

* June 10 - Sun Valley (near Springwood) NSW

* June 30 - Mt Stromlo (ACT)

* July 20+21 - Heffron Park (Maroubra, NSW)

* July 28 - St Ives Showground (NSW)

Grafton to Inverell Classic @ 27 Apr - Craig Pager (BiciSport Happy Wheels - pictured) takes on the 228k G2I next Saturday. Best wishes Craig.

Waratah Masters @ Eastern Creek Raceway @ 21 Apr - Ian Grant finished 5th in B grade (right - blue Anytime jersey)

Brisbane Gran Fondo & 14 Apr - Dudley Hoskin (BiciSport Happy Wheels) won the Masters 55-59 category. Well done Duds.

Brisbane Gran Fondo & 14 Apr - Tom Green (BiciSport Happy Wheels) rode an excellent Brisbane Gran Fondo

RACE SEEKER THIS WEEK

• 27 Apr

  • Grafton to Inverell Classic

    • Craig Pager (BiciSport Happy Wheels)

• 28 Apr

• Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Every Mon/Wed/Fri Mornings

  • Centennial Park Masters @ Centennial Park

    • Meet at the corner of Parkes Drive/Grand Drive at 8.30am and do CP laps until 9.30am then coffee at Spruce Goose Cafe

• Every Tues/Sat/Sun Mornings

  • Depart Shark Park carpark near Cronulla @ 9.30am for Kurnell & return

• Tues 23 Apr & Thurs 25 Apr

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.40am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.15am then to St Ives for coffee

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 25 Apr

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ Centennial Park @ 10.30am for CP laps

• Sat 27 Apr

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Sapa Pro Cycling Team (Italy) - 1979

A single year, boutique Italian professional team and 1979 was it. Virtually no information anywhere but a couple of notable team members.

Vittorio finished top 10 in the 1976 Olympic Road Race for Italy and has Sport Directors roles at both Milram & Jayco.

Paolo Rosola - A noted team bunch sprinter

Flanders Follies # 6 - 15 April

BiciSport in Siena (Italy) @ 7 April - Mike Lawson (BiciSport) on a bunch ride with ‘the one, the only’ Mario Cipolini. Mario is a previous World Pro Road Champion and the winner of numerous Tour & Giro stages plus the odd Milan San Remo & Ghent Wevelgem Classic.

BiciSport Team Force @ Cafe Manuvel in St Niklaas (Belgium) @ 13 Apr - Steven Slettentemmer, Nick Felix (Team Force Principal) and MOR at Cafe Manuvel in Sint Niklaas.

BiciSport is in the second year of the Team Force sponsorship and happy to announce the sponsorship extension into 2026. Thank you Nick and best wishes for the rest of 2024.

BiciSport Team Force @ Cafe Manuvel in St Niklaas (Belgium) @ 13 Apr - nice wall art as you walk in the door

BiciSport Team Force @ Cafe Manuvel in St Niklaas (Belgium) @ 13 Apr - nicely presented inside

Avelgem Ride (Belgium) @ 14 Apr - A ride with Filip around the Flemish lanes and canal paths between Avelgem and the Koppenberg at Melden. A brief coffee stop at the Bar Blyss at Melden at the Koppenberg with (seated) ,,Bjorn & Lydie (bar owners) and MOR & Filip.

Avelgem Ride (Belgium) @ 14 Apr - At the base of the Koppenberg with Filip & MOR

Avelgem Ride (Belgium) @ 14 Apr - Oude Kwaremont cobbles

Jowan Cycles @ Kluisbergen (Belgium) @ 13 Apr - obvious but not sure its comfortable

BiciSport Saturday morning coffee venue has moved to Berkelow Cafe (ex Tempo Cafe) at the top of McCarrs Creek Road Terrey Hills near the roundabout @ 9.30am. All welcome.

RACE SEEKER THIS WEEK

• 21 Apr

• Eastern Creek Dragway (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Every Mon/Wed/Fri Mornings

  • Centennial Park Masters @ Centennial Park

    • Meet at the corner of Parkes Drive/Grand Drive at 8.30am and do CP laps until 9.30am then coffee at Spruce Goose Cafe

• Every Tues/Sat/Sun Mornings

  • Depart Shark Park carpark near Cronulla @ 9.30am for Kurnell & return

• Tues 16 Apr & Thurs 18 Apr

  • Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.40am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.15am then to St Ives for coffee

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 18 Apr

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ Centennial Park @ 10.30am for CP laps

• Sat 20 Apr

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Soiree des Legends @ 4 Apr - a celebration of Paris Roubaix legends featuring Roger De Vlaeminck, Andre Tchmil & Alan Bondue in the Jean Stablinski Velodrome in Roubaix. The crowd numbered 1,000 people.

Soiree des Legends @ 4 Apr

Soiree des Legends @ 4 Apr - Andre Tchmil (second left) in the centre of the velodrome

Soiree des Legends @ 4 Apr - L to R … Bondue, Tchmil & De Vlaeminck on centre stage

Soiree des Legends @ 4 Apr - Andre Tchmil being interviewed

Soiree des Legends @ 4 Apr - L to R … MOR, Filip D & son

BiciSport Team Force @ Nieuwkerken (Antwerp) @ 4 Apr - conditions were cold, damp & dirty for the Belge peloton

BiciSport Team Force @ Nieuwkerken (Antwerp) @ 4 Apr - Nick Felix on the left after the finish

BiciSport Team Force @ Nieuwkerken (Antwerp) @ 4 Apr - MOR on the left, Nick Felix on the right

BiciSport Team Force @ Nieuwkerken (Antwerp) @ 4 Apr - MOR (centre) with BiciSport Team Force after the 65k circuit race. Conditions were filthy.

Flanders Follies # 5 - 8 April

Paris Roubaix Classic @ Chez Francois Cafe in Triosville (Zone 28) of the Roubaix cobbles

Paris Roubaix Classic @ 7 Apr - Mathieu van Der Poel annihilated the Paris Roubaix peloton. Photo MOR

Paris Roubaix Classic @ 7 Apr - Carrefour d’Arbre cobbles with Jesper Phillipsen. Photo MOR

Paris Roubaix Classic @ 7 Apr - Carrefour d’Arbre cobbles. Photo MOR

Paris Roubaix Classic @ 7 Apr - Carrefour d’Arbre cobbles . Photo MOR

Paris Roubaix Classic @ 7 Apr - Carrefour d’Arbre cobbles. Photo MOR

Paris Roubaix Classic @ 7 Apr - Paul Vermeiren & MOR at a World War 1 concrete bunker only 500m from the Carrefour d’Arbre cobbles.. Paul Vermeiren was a three times Belgian Olympian in Archery (‘88, ‘92 & ‘96)

Paris Roubaix Classic @ 7 Apr - Paul Vermeiren (left) & MOR at the Carrefour d’Arbre cobbles,

Paris Roubaix Classic @ 7 Apr - a big shout out to the tireless volunteers that keep the cobbles alive, lumpy & bumpy.

FLANDERS FOLLIES - DATES THIS COMING WEEK

April

10 Apr - Brabant Arrow (Brussels) 14 Apr - Amstel Gold Race (Netherlands)

Paris Roubaix Femmes @ 6 Apr - The sole breakaway charges through Haspres. Photo MOR

Paris Roubaix Femmes @ 6 Apr - The chasing peloton through Haspres. Photo MOR

Paris Roubaix Femmes @ 6 Apr - Lotte Kopecky leads through the Brillon cobbles. Photo MOR

Paris Roubaix Femmes @ 6 Apr - the peloton passes over the Brillon cobbles

Paris Roubaix Femmes @ 6 Apr - lunch at the Cafe De La Place with the French owner (Ingrid) & MOR

Paris Roubaix Femmes @ 6 Apr - Haspres breakfast was at the Cafe de l’Europe

Lidl Trek Service Course @ 2 Mar - Eddy VerBust, Freddy Verleyen & MOR attended the Lidl Trek service course

Lidl Trek Service Course @ 2 Mar

Lidl Trek Service Course @ 2 Mar - MOR & Eddy VerBust

Flanders Follies # 4 - 1 April

Ronde van Vlaanderen @ 31 Mar - the RVV peloton passing the Koppenberg Cafe at Melden. Photo MOR

Conditions started off reasonably nice at Melden but soon turned dark, wet & cold. Mathieu Van der Poel was virtually one of the few that didn’t walk up the Koppenberg. It was a VdP smash fest. The beer and community spirit at the Koppenberg Cafe and the “after party” at the Oude Schelde Cafe was something else.

Ronde van Vlaanderen @ 31 Mar - the RVV peloton passing the Koppenberg Cafe. Photo MOR

Ronde van Vlaanderen @ 31 Mar - the RVV peloton hits the base of the greasy Koppenberg climb. A lot of riders ended up walking. Photo MOR

Ronde van Vlaanderen @ 31 Mar - at the base of the Koppenberg climb this Cofidis rider took a wrong turn ! ! ! … the only cyclist on the planet who doesn’t know the Koppenberg climb. What was he thinking ?. His stupidity is only equalled by the lack of consideration for the three other riders who he nearly collided with on the second attempt. Photo MOR

Ronde van Vlaanderen @ 31 Mar - the RVV peloton approaching the Koppenberg climb Photo MOR

Ronde van Vlaanderen @ 31 Mar - the RVV drinking crew from Ronse hit the Koppenberg Cafe. MOR duly obliged offering guidance where required

Ronde van Vlaanderen @ 31 Mar - after the Melden experience MOR pedalled no more than 2 kilometres to the Oude Schelde Cafe - where he met the 82 year old owner and some of the best Flemish people you could hope to meet.

Ronde van Vlaanderen @ 31 Mar - MOR may not own the Oude Schelde cafe but he did for 2 hours. Nothing beats being an Aussie at the RVV. It was special.

Ronde van Vlaanderen @ 31 Mar - sadly it was time to leave in steady rain for the freezing pedal back to the accommodation at Kluisbergen.

This was the send off for an Aussie guy who they knew for barely two hours. What a day and then Matthews gets relegated … 260k in miserable conditions to then go do that - really ?,

Ronde warm up @ Friday 29 Mar - sighted at the local bus stop at Oudenaarde …. L to R …. Max Walschid, Luke Durbridge, Elmarelmar Reinders & Michael Matthews. Photo Mike Lawson (BiciSport)

Kurri Kurri Interclub @ 30 Mar - Danny O’Keefe (2nd right) rode well in B grade for 6th place

Waratah Masters @ Eastern Creek @ 30+31 Mar - Ian Grant (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) took two podiums over the weekend

FLANDERS FOLLIES - DATES THIS COMING WEEK

April

6 Apr - Paris Roubaix Cyclosportive, Paris Roubaix (Women) 7 Apr - Paris Roubaix (U19, U23, Professionals)

10 Apr - Brabant Arrow (Brussels) 14 Apr - Amstel Gold Race (Netherlands)

Dwars Vlaanderen Classic @ 27 Mar - Wout van Aert at the start in Roeselare. Photo MOR

Dwars Vlaanderen Classic @ 27 Mar - Julian Allaphillipe at the start. Photo MOR

Dwars Vlaanderen Classic @ 27 Mar - Jesper Stuyven at the start. Photo MOR

Dwars Vlaanderen Classic @ 27 Mar - Photo MOR

Dwars Vlaanderen Classic @ 27 Mar - LIDL Trek service course. Photo MOR

Dwars Vlaanderen Classic @ 27 Mar - Race service course with MOR (left), Eddy (centre), Freddy (right) & Flanders Baloise team mechanic

Dwars Vlaanderen Classic @ 27 Mar - at the Monsere Monument outside the Koers Cycling Museum in Roeselare ….with MOR (left), Eddy (centre) & Freddy (right)

Roubaix Velodrome @ 4 April - A special night at the Roubaix Velodrome with Roger De Vlaeminck, Andrei Tchmil & Alain Bondue. BiciSport will be there.

Flanders Follies # 3 - 25 March

E3 Grand Prix @ Harelbeke Belgium @ 23 Mar - Mathieu Van Der Poel climbs the Katteberg climb just outside Oudenaarde. Photo MOR

The day dawned damp & cold but the rain held off - PTL. There were three viewings today of the E3 - on top of the Katteberg climb just outside Oudenaarde after 30k, Then a short drive to the Kortekeer climb and some up close & personal pictures of Mathieu & Wout. Conditions were bordering on bleak - the wind was up as was the drizzle. The final viewing was on the Mariaborrestraat cobbles just before Mathieu VDP put the race to the sword. It really was a VDP demolition.

Next week on BiciSport website News is Flanders Follies # 4 and the Across Flanders (Dwars Vlaanderen) race plus the mighty Tour of Flanders (Ronde Van Vlaanderen) race & RVV cyclosportive.

E3 Grand Prix @ Harelbeke Belgium @ 23 Mar - Michael Matthews climbs the Katteberg climb just outside Oudenaarde. Photo MOR

E3 Grand Prix @ Harelbeke Belgium @ 23 Mar - Bin Girmay climbs the Katteberg climb just outside Oudenaarde. Photo MOR

E3 Grand Prix @ Harelbeke Belgium @ 23 Mar - Mathieu Van Der Poel climbs the Kortekeer climb just ahead of Wout van Aert. Photo MOR

E3 Grand Prix @ Harelbeke Belgium @ 23 Mar - Wout van Aert on the Kortekeer climb. Photo MOR

E3 Grand Prix @ Harelbeke Belgium @ 23 Mar - MOR (left) on the Kortekeer climb in cold condtions. Photo MOR

E3 Grand Prix @ Harelbeke Belgium @ 23 Mar - Mathieu Van Der Poel with Wout van Aert on the Mariaborrestraat cobbles. Photo MOR

E3 Grand Prix @ Harelbeke Belgium @ 23 Mar - tasting a nice champagne on the Katteberg climb with L to R … Anthony, Wesley, MOR & Gunther. Great company lads, what a laugh

E3 Grand Prix @ Harelbeke Belgium @ 23 Mar - a fine peloton of English lads over for the E3 Grand Prix with MOR keeping them honest. The blue Gazelle retro bike something of a rare gem.

Ghent Wevelgem CycloSportive @ Wevelgem Belgium @ 24 Mar - MOR over the line frozen solid, not interested

Ghent Wevelgem CycloSportive @ Wevelgem Belgium @ 24 Mar - Mike Lawson (left) & MOR at the GW Cyclosportive start area in downtown Wevelgem

The GW Cyclosportive is a well drilled affair with great organisation. Within 3k from the start you’re out in isolated country lanes headed towards famous World War One flash points at Geluwe, Zonnebeke & Passchendaele. The day was getting windy & the wind chill factor was literally right in your face. Mike Lawson was doing it easy but MOR dug more holes than a WW1 trench. MOR retired at 50k but Mike Lawson completed the 80k loop.

FLANDERS FOLLIES - DATES THIS COMING WEEK

27 Mar - Dwars Vlaanderen 30 Mar - Ronde van Vlaanderen Cyclosportive 31 Mar - Ronde van Vlaanderen

April

6 Apr - Paris Roubaix Cyclosportive, Paris Roubaix (Women) 7 Apr - Paris Roubaix (U19, U23, Professionals)

10 Apr - Brabant Arrow (Brussels) 14 Apr - Amstel Gold Race (Netherlands) 17 Apr - Fleche Walloon (Huy)

BiciSport Team Force @ Kallo (on the coast near Antwerp) Belgium @ 17 Mar - Koen VerHulst (BiciSport Team Force - right of picture) is very much finding his racing legs in the early season competitions. The form is coming Koen … be patient man …

BiciSport Flanders Follies @ Belgium @ 21 Mar - a most pleasurable ride around the rural laneways of Temse (near Antwerp) with L to R … Maarten VerHulst, MOR & Eddy VerHulst

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 19 Mar - Julian Arias (BiciSport Happy Wheels) second from the left on the start line

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 19 Mar - Christian Quintero (BiciSport Happy Wheels) far right

Flanders Follies # 2 - 18 March

BiciSport Junior Race @ Velle Antwerp @ 17 Mar - L to R podium with Eddy VerBust, Koen VerHulst, Sander Willems (2nd), Vic De Smet (1st), Ian Kimpe (3rd), Stijn VerHulst & Maarten VerHulst.

BiciSport Junior Race @ Velle Antwerp @ 17 Mar - MOR, Vic De Smet (winner) & Eddy VerBust

BiciSport Junior Race @ Velle Antwerp @ 17 Mar - start line tension with an apprehensive Maarten VerHulst (Race Director)

BiciSport Junior Race @ Velle Antwerp @ 17 Mar - the race started in damp & greasy conditions for the 102 starters for the 56k race over nine laps of an urban circuit.

BiciSport Junior Race @ Velle Antwerp @ 17 Mar - mid race and the damp conditions persisted

BiciSport Junior Race @ Velle Antwerp @ 17 Mar - Vis De Smet takes the victory

BiciSport Junior Race @ Velle Antwerp @ 17 Mar - The Garage Van Hoye Ford lead car is a Velle cycle race institution ,,,, it creaks, it groans, it coughs and nobody can get the ignition key out of the ignition for years (nobody would steal it anyway). Maarten VerHulst (Race Director) is on the far right just checking that the Van Hoye beast is still working

BiciSport Junior Race @ Velle Antwerp @ 17 Mar - the safest place is to be in front of the Garage Van Hoye Ford with Eddy VerBust & MOR

BiciSport Junior Race @ Velle Antwerp @ 17 Mar - the sponsors podium wall in front of the local church with Eddy VerBust, Eddy VerHulst & Eddy van der O’Reilly

AusCycling National Cross Country Olympic MTB Championships @ 17 Mar - Eric Dole (BiciSport Happy Wheels) had a great start until he crashed from lack of grip & injured a thumb and was a DNF.

AusCycling National Cross Country Olympic MTB Championships @ 17 Mar - Eric Dole on the start line

AusCycling National Short Track MTB Championships @ 15 Mar - Eric Dole takes a deserved Bronze medal. Congratulations Eric.

Heffron Park Criteriums @ 12 Mar - Julian Soto (BiciSport Happy Wheels)

Heffron Park Criteriums @ 12 Mar - Rolly Delaytz

Heffron Park Criteriums @ 12 Mar - Julian Arias

Heffron Park Criteriums @ 12 Mar - Rafael Avecedo (left) in his first outing in Happy wheels colours

Monsere Monument @ Gierle Belgium @ 15 Mar - Jean Pierre Monsere (Belgium) was the reigning World Pro Road Champion from 1970.

On 15 March 1971 he was killed in a pro race at Gierle (north of Antwerp) in an accident with a car. The Monsere Monument was erected in his honour at the place of the accident. BiciSport attended the ceremony with Eddy VerHulst & MOR. An interview with MOR & Belgian TV can be found at www.RTV.be

Monsere Monument @ Gierle Belgium @ 15 Mar - MOR with Suske Verhaegen (black jacket) and Eddy VerHulst. Suske Verhaegen rode in the BIC professional team with Luis Ocana in the 1970’s.

Monsere Monument @ Gierle Belgium @ 15 Mar - Eddy VerHulst (left) beside Suske Verhaegen

FLANDERS FOLLIES - DATES THIS COMING WEEK

22 Mar - E3 Grand Prix 23 Mar - Gent Wevelgem Cyclosportive 24 Mar - Gent Wevelgem

27 Mar - Dwars Vlaanderen 30 Mar - Ronde van Vlaanderen Cyclosportive 31 Mar - Ronde van Vlaanderen

April

6 Apr - Paris Roubaix Cyclosportive, Paris Roubaix (Women) 7 Apr - Paris Roubaix (U19, U23, Professionals)

10 Apr - Brabant Arrow (Brussels) 14 Apr - Amstel Gold Race (Netherlands) 17 Apr - Fleche Walloon (Huy)

Denain Grand Prix (France) @ 14 Mar - Condtions were ideal at Denain but the pave was super slippery & wet. MOR stayed at the nearby village of Haspres a short drive out of Denain. The cobble sections were those early sections used regularly in Paris Roubaix Classic.

Denain Grand Prix (France) @ 14 Mar - Haspres cobbles were dangerous & slippery

Denain Grand Prix (France) @ 14 Mar - cobbles near Quievy

Nokere Kourse @ Nokere @ 13 Mar - Tim Merler (Soudal QS) takes the victory in Nokere

Nokere Kourse @ Nokere @ 13 Mar - The Nokere race followed a somewhat predictable path … 6 riders in a tv break of the day with the peloton weighing up when to chase for the inevitable bunch sprint.

The race started in Deinze and headed for the Holleweg cobbles (picture above) near Oudenaarde. Eventually the peloton won the day & Tim Merlier took the sprint.

Nokere Kourse @ Nokere @ 13 Mar - Thomas De Gendt (Lotto, blue helmet) on the Holleweg cobbles at the Feed Zone

Nokere Kourse @ Nokere @ 13 Mar - the Nokere peloton starting to muster the troops in chasing the breakaways.

Nokere Kourse @ Nokere @ 13 Mar - approaching the Holleweg cobbles

Nokere Kourse @ Nokere @ 13 Mar - people you meet on the Holleweg cobbles … MOR & Fabio Jacobson’s dad (right) drove down from the Netherlands to see his famous son pass on the Holleweg and then finish second in Nokere to Merler. Conditions were very cold but at least the wind had eased.

Nokere Kourse @ Nokere @ 13 Mar - one of the prettiest team cars in Soudal Quick Step at the Holleweg cobbles Feed Zone

Flanders Follies # 1 - 11 March

3 Peaks Challenge @ Falls Creek @ 10 Mar - Tom Green (BiciSport Happy Wheels) muscled his way around 3 Peaks in 9 hours 59 minutes. A courageous effort in really hot conditions and a welcome return to the hurt box for a great athlete. Proud of you Tom.

Strade Bianche (Italy) @ 2 Mar - Mike Lawson (BiciSport) at the Strade Entry Wall. Mike finished 12th in the Masters M8 category in Strade Bianche.

Strade Bianche (Italy) @ 2 Mar - Mike Lawson’s bike on the famous Tuscany white gravel.

West Head Road Race @ 10 Mar - The BiciSport starting line up in the Masters 50+ category - L to R …. Eric Dole, Dudley Hoskin, Danny O’Keefe, Steve Holland (what am I doing here ?) & Matt Coy

West Head racing is a great way to set a personal racing benchmark, learn from the experience, go away and train harder & smarter, then return to see how you’ve improved. Everybody gave it their best, save for Danny who punctured not 2k from the start having driven all the way down early from Newcastle !. Cyclists are a timid bunch but you’ll enjoy the “please avoid feeding the wildlife” traffic advisory.

Dudley finished an excellent third in the Masters 50+ category

West Head Road Race @ 10 Mar - Dudley Hoskin takes 3rd in the Masters 50+ category

West Head Road Race @ 10 Mar - Dudley Hoskin takes third (lost second by a tyre)

West Head Road Race @ 10 Mar - Dudley Hoskin

West Head Road Race @ 10 Mar - L to R …. Eric Dole (fluro shoes), Steve Holland (blue knicks), Dudley Hoskin (fluro shoes) and Matt Coy (green jersey) passing the BiciSport team car near the finish

West Head Road Race @ 10 Mar - a determined Matt Coy (BiciSport Pilu Racing) passing the BiciSport team car

West Head Road Race @ 10 Mar - Steve Holland

West Head Road Race @ 10 Mar - L to R … Dudley Hoskin, Steve Holland with Eric Dole (slightly obscured)

West Head Road Race @ 10 Mar - Robbie Brown rode well in Womens B grade passing the BiciSport team car

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 5 Mar - L to R … Julian Arias, Christian Quintero, MOR, Rolly Delaytz & Raphael Avecedo (all BiciSport Happy Wheels). The Heffron handicapping maybe requires a Royal Commission with a heavy A grade bias evident from the very start and so it proved.

Rolly Delaytz took 2nd in B grade but A grade took the overall podium in a canter.

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 5 Mar - Julian, Christian & Raphael on the Heffron Park start line

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 5 Mar - Rolly Delaytz approaching the Heffron finishing straight

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 5 Mar - Julian Arias leads Christian Quintero

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 5 Mar - Raphael Avecedo

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 5 Mar - the post race post mortem

BiciSport Team Force @ St Gillis Wass Belgium @ 5 Mar - BiciSport co sponsors the Belgian Team Force for the second year in 2024. The team meets outside the local church in the village of St Gillis Waas on 5 March for the first group ride of the year

BiciSport Team Force @ St Gillis Wass Belgium @ 5 Mar - Team Force at the post ride coffee at De Kikker (The Rabbit) Cafe in St Gillis Waas near Antwerp.

Flanders Follies & the Belgium Spring Classics in 2024

Welcome to the first edition of Flanders Follies 2024. The detailed race by race, cyclosportive by cyclosportive, cobbles by cobbles, beer by beer review is now posted in BiciSport Special Events section of this website. This is a useful guide to the Where, the When and the How to get around the Belgian Spring Classics.

Accommodation will be at the Kokerelle B&B ‘service corse’ in the tiny Flemish village of Maarke Kerkem which is situated just 5k from Oudenaarde and adjacent to the Eikenberg cobbled climb used regularly in the Tour of Flanders (Ronde van Vlaanderen) professional cycling classic.

The first week in Belgium is action packed with professional races at Nokere (13 Mar), Denain (14 Mar), Monsere Tribute (15 Mar), Dwars Vlaanderen Cyclosportive (16 Mar) & the Antwerp Junior Race sponsored by BiciSport (17 Mar). This is the second year of BiciSport sponsorship of the Antwerp junior race.

Photos will be posted in Flanders Follies # 2 on this web page on Monday 18 Mar. Hope you enjoy the Flemish journey.

Flanders Follies Belgium 2024

This picture is taken on 12 March 2024 in wet & freezing conditions. The Kokerelle B&B in Maarke Kerkem is just 5k outside Oudenaarde

Flanders Follies Belgium 2024 - Kokerelle B&B in Maarke Kerkem has a nice outside courtyard except when it rains. Accommodation is on the left.

Flanders Follies Belgium 2024 - Kokerelle B&B in Maarke Kerkem and conditions are cold & damp. The farm behind has the loudest sheep on the planet.

FLANDERS FOLLIES - DATES THIS WEEK

13 Mar - Nokere Course 14 Mar - Denain Grand Prix (France) 15 Mar - Monsere Anniversary Tribute

16 Mar - Dwars Vlaanderen Cyclosportive 17 Mar - BiciSport Antwerp Junior Race (in Velle)

22 Mar - E3 Grand Prix 23 Mar - Gent Wevelgem Cyclosportive 24 Mar - Gent Wevelgem

27 Mar - Dwars Vlaanderen 30 Mar - Ronde van Vlaanderen Cyclosportive 31 Mar - Ronde van Vlaanderen

April

6 Apr - Paris Roubaix Cyclosportive, Paris Roubaix (Women) 7 Apr - Paris Roubaix (U19, U23, Professionals)

10 Apr - Brabant Arrow (Brussels) 14 Apr - Amstel Gold Race (Netherlands) 17 Apr - Fleche Walloon (Huy)

Antwerp Junior Race in Belgium on 17 March is sponsored by BiciSport for the second year

Flanders Classics is the lead cycling promoter for the Belgian Spring. The support cars are a leading stand out.

Belgium Spring Classics 2024 - nothing beats a Soudal Quick Step team car loaded with Specialised team bikes

Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders) for women is always a great race

Koppenberg climb in Flanders is known as the Black Beast … its steep @ 25%, its wet, its cobbled, you may walk

News Shorts - 4 March

The Belgian Spring Classics are fast approaching.

The BiciSport Flanders Follies website updates commence from 11 March and there will be seven weekly editions of Flanders Follies.

You can get weekly Belgian updates here every Monday in BiciSport News plus a broader overview on all things Belgium in BiciSport Special Events (… the When, the Where and the How …)

Waratah Masters @ Lansdowne Park @ 3 Mar - Ian Grant (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) took the B grade win with Eric Dole (right) an excellent 5th

Waratah Masters @ Lansdowne Park @ 3 Mar - Ian Grant on the start line

Waratah Masters @ Lansdowne Park @ 3 Mar - Eric Dole on the start line

Waratah Masters @ Lansdowne Park @ 3 Mar - Ian Grant in B grade mid race

Waratah Masters @ Lansdowne Park @ 3 Mar - Eric Dole leads team mate Ian Grant in B grade

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 27 Feb - Christian Quintero (BiciSport Happy Wheels) takes third outright

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 27 Feb - Christian Quintero (BiciSport Happy Wheels) takes third outright

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 27 Feb - Christian Quintero (BiciSport Happy Wheels) takes third outright on the right with Julian Arias in the middle for 5th

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 27 Feb - Christian Quintero (BiciSport Happy Wheels) takes third outright with Julian Arias 5th (far right)

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 27 Feb - Christian Quintero

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 27 Feb - Rolly Delaytz rode well in B grade

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 27 Feb - Julian Arias rode very well for 5th outright

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 27 Feb - Julian Soto was a big improver in C grade

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 27 Feb - Rolly Delaytz sitting in 5th place (fluro shoes) on the Heffron finishing straight

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 27 Feb - MOR solo on the Pimple Hill

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 27 Feb - post race post mortem

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 27 Feb - BiciSport Happy Wheels starting line up from L to R … Rolly Delaytz, Julian Arias, MOR, Christian Quintero & Julian Soto

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 10 Mar

  • West Head Road Race (Manly CC)

    • BiciSport starters - Eric Dole

  • 3 Peaks Challenge Cyclosportive (Falls Creek, Vic)

  • Eastern Creek Raceway Criteriums (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Every Mon/Wed/Fri Mornings

  • Gruppo Molteni @ Centennial Park

    • Gruppo Molteni meet at the corner of Parkes Drive/Grand Drive at 8.20am and do CP laps until 9.30am then coffee at the Spruce Goose Cafe

• Tues 5 Mar & Thurs 7 Mar

  • Blossoms & Buds Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.40am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.15am then to St Ives for coffee

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 7 Mar

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ Centennial Park @ 10.30am for CP laps

• Sat 9 Mar

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

• Sun 10 Mar

  • Depart Shark Park carpark near Cronulla @ 9.30am for Kurnell & return

GRAFTON to INVERELL CLASSIC ENTERS THE UNKNOWN

When it comes to cycling icons then look no further than the mighty Grafton to Inverell Classic - 228k of pure cycling history and a winners rostrum of ultimate distinction. If you’re Victorian they may have their beloved Melbourne to Warnambool Classic (longer in distance with an equally prestigious podium history). But things are changing in 2024.

The Grafton used to be a single race handicap, with limit markers (who started first) set at approximately 75 minutes. The Grafton organisation set the trend several years ago to dispense with the 75 minute handicap concept, and introduce graded scratch races. At the time this was revolutionary and succeeded - with A/B/C grades departing Grafton for the epic 228k journey.

In 2024 the Grafton Classic graded scratch races are gone, and the only two bunches that depart Grafton are now not graded by ability (simply NRS or age based). Another major shift in emphasis is that some races now depart from Mount Mitchell and avoid the Gibraltar Range climb all together. How will it fly ? … no idea but entry levels will be watched with keen interest.

Bianchi Faema Pro Cycling Team (Italy) - 1978-79

Bianchi started sponsoring pro teams since 1899 !! and has had endless versions of the same team. This is the Bianchi Faema version from just 1978 and 1979. Bianchi was Italian bikes and Faema being Italian coffee machines. Groupsets were obviously Campagnolo.

In looking at the team results they were surprisingly thin in 78 & 79. Several of the team were outright legends of the sport but nearly all were past their very best and it showed in the results. The best team mates were Contini, De Muynck (Belgian - pictured above), Gimondi, Knudsen, Parsani & the Belgian sprint legend Rik Van Linden. That was a seriously talented team with outright legends everywhere but the clock was ticking loudly and they didn’t win a lot in those two years with Faema.

Felice Gimondi on the Milan Velodrome

Faema did the coffee machines

News Shorts - 26 February

The Belgian Opening Weekend has heralded in the start of the Belgian racing season with the Het Nieuwsblad- Kuurne weekend double header.

BiciSport heads to the Belgian Spring Classics on 10 March and the first edition of Flanders Follies will appear here on 10 March.

NSW Masters Track Champs @ DGV @ 24 Feb - Peter Verhoeven (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) takes Silver in the Masters Pointscore

NSW Masters Track Champs @ DGV @ 24 Feb - Ian Grant (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) a Silver in the Kieren

NSW Masters Track Champs @ DGV @ 24 Feb - Davide Browne (BiciSport Happy Wheels) a Bronze in Kieren

NSW Masters Track Champs @ DGV @ 24 Feb - Ian Grant a Silver in the Points Race

NSW Masters Track Champs @ DGV @ 24 Feb - Bicisport at DGV with MOR, Brooke Green, Davide Browne & Ian Grant.

Disappointing is an absolute understatement to report that 2024 individual Masters entries dipped below 290 (excluding Team Sprint & Teams Pursuit entries). Entries usually range from 310 to 330 individual Masters entries … so under 290 is a really really poor outcome. Furthermore, no Men Masters Team Pursuit entries at all when the competition in the past has totaled a healthy 22 teams (those were the days not that long ago).

NSW Masters Track Champs @ DGV @ 24 Feb - Davide Browne

NSW Masters Track Champs @ DGV @ 24 Feb - Davide Browne

NSW Masters Track Champs @ DGV @ 24 Feb - Ian Grant in warm up mode

NSW Masters Track Champs @ DGV @ 24 Feb - Peter Verhoeven (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) atop a nice retro Moser on the warm up platform

NSW Masters Track Champs @ DGV @ 24 Feb - Peter Verhoeven

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 3 Mar

  • Central Coast Criterium Championships (Ourimbah Campus, NSW)

    • Visitors welcome

  • Lansdowne Park Criteriums (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Every Mon/Wed/Fri Mornings

  • Gruppo Molteni @ Centennial Park

    • Gruppo Molteni meet at the corner of Parkes Drive/Grand Drive at 8.20am and do CP laps until 9.30am then coffee at the Spruce Goose Cafe

• Tues 27 Feb & Thurs 29 Feb

  • Blossoms & Buds Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.40am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.15am then to St Ives for coffee

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 29 Feb

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ Centennial Park @ 10.30am for CP laps

• Sat 2 Mar

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

• Sun 3 Mar

  • Depart Shark Park carpark near Cronulla @ 9.30am for Kurnell & return

GIS Gelati Pro Cycling Team (Italy) - 1978-91

One of the best Italian pro teams of that era (or any era really). Sponsors were GIS Gelati (Italian ice cream) with an endless supply of classic Italian bike suppliers - Pinarello, Benotto x 2, Colnago, Olmo, Moser, Rossin & Basso …. everybody had a crack. Groupsets were Campagnolo (of course). Jersey design was and remains iconic.

Team results were everywhere (thanks to De Vlaeminck & Moser) but the Tour of Italy was a rich source of results with 23 stage wins, plus stage wins in Tour of Spain & Tirreno. Team members were a classy lot - Saronni, De Vlaeminck, Moser, Basso, Van der Velde, Baffi, Akam (UK), Giovannetti, Bitossi & Panizza. A great team full of talent.

Franco Bitossi

Felice Gimondi (left) & Franco Bitossi (right)

Marino Basso

Beppe Saronni

News Shorts - 19 February

VALE NOEL LA ROSE - Rest in Peace on 12 February 24

Picture above is Noel with Daryl Impey at the Tour Down Under

I first met Noel La Rose in 1982 at a club race in the Adelaide Hills. Noel’s close friend Peter Frisken had been dropped in the same race, and it was my first race in the Adelaide Hills. I had punctured & was hopelessly lost. then I rode back with Peter Frisken trying to find my mother (and her beloved Leyland Tasmin motor car) in the start finish area near Meadows (a small local village). Noel, Peter & myself became inseparable friends ever since with numerous rides up Norton Summit towards Lobethal into the Adelaide Hills. You could not wish for two nicer guys to pedal with around the Adelaide Hills.

Noel was always a trusted source of wisdom and knowledgeable in all things cycling. A fine man, a lovely family, and he will be sorely missed by all who had the pleasure to know dear Noel. No doubt both Peter & Noel are now doing a Norton Summit-Lobethal loop together figuring out who will pay for coffee at Lobethal and who will win the town sprint along Gorge Rd.

Funeral details - Thursday 22 February @ St Michaels Church @ 45 Maxim Street West Ryde @ 11.30am

MOR - 12 Feb 2024

Peter Frisken (left) and Noel La Rose at the Edwardstown Velodrome in Adelaide

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 23-25 Feb

  • NSW Masters Track Championships (DGV Velodrome)

    • BiciSport starters - Jeremy Hopson, Ian Grant, Peter Verhoeven, Davide Browne

• 25 Feb

  • Lansdowne Park Criteriums (Waratah Masters)

  • Husky Triathlon (NSW)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Every Mon/Wed/Fri Mornings

  • Gruppo Molteni @ Centennial Park

    • Gruppo Molteni meet at the corner of Parkes Drive/Grand Drive at 8.20am and do CP laps until 9.30am then coffee at the Spruce Goose Cafe

• Tues 20 Feb & Thurs 22 Feb

  • Blossoms & Buds Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.40am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.15am then to St Ives for coffee

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 22 Feb

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ Centennial Park @ 10.30am for CP laps

• Sat 24 Feb

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

• Sun 25 Feb

  • Depart Shark Park carpark near Cronulla @ 9.30am for Kurnell & return

Waratah Masters @ Lansdowne Park @ 18 Feb - Ian Grant (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) in the blue shoes in Masters B grade with 37 starters

Waratah Masters @ Lansdowne Park @ 18 Feb - Ian Grant

Mt Hotham summit in the Victorian Alps @ 15 Feb - Craig Pager (BiciSport Happy Wheels)

Mt Hotham summit in the Victorian Alps @ 15 Feb

Furzi-FT-Vibor Pro Cycling Team (Italy) - 1974-78

Furzi was Italian furniture, bikes were either Viner (Italian-they worked) or Alan (Italian-very pretty but never worked unless crazy bottom bracket flex & sway is your thing).

The Furzi team only existed for the Tour of Italy - 1974 was a complete dud with zero results. Things improved greatly in 1976 when real talent arrived in Panizza, Visentini, Boifava, Conti, Polidori, Zilioli and Vicino. Most moved onto other teams for great careers, but the Furzi team folded at the end of 1979.

Marino Basso (future World Pro World Road Champion) …. atop an Alan frame !! …. how did he not bend a frame on a daily basis such was the bottom bracket sway under any sort of pressure. Note - Marino used gear shifters at the end of the handelbars.

Italo Zilioli - an outstanding cyclist in any generation

Zilioli-Basso-Boifava - three of the best Italians to ever sit on a bike

Now that is a retro team car …. you want one !

News Shorts - 12 February

BiciSport proudly co sponsor the Force Cycling Team in Nieuwkerken Belgium (not far from Antwerp). The Force Team Presentation was held 3 February

West Head Road Race @ 11 Feb - the post race coffee at Sandstone Cafe @ Terrey Hills with L to R … Eric D, Doris C, Steve H, Chris F, Dudley H, Andy T, David R, Ross B & Robbie B. Photo by MOR

West Head Road Race @ 11 Feb - Dudley Hoskin (BiciSport Happy Wheels) rode well in the Masters category. Dudley is at the West Head u turn. Photo by MOR

West Head Road Race @ 11 Feb - Dudley Hoskin

West Head Road Race @ 11 Feb - Eric Dole (BiciSport Happy Wheels) found the going tough … until he realised he had started in a higher grade by mistake. Oops ….

West Head Road Race @ 11 Feb - Eric Dole

West Head Road Race @ 11 Feb - L to R … Eric Dole, Dudley Hoskin & Steve Holland

Goulburn Track Open @ 3 Feb - Davide Browne & MOR attended the Goulburn event on 3 February. Hot does not begin to describe it !. Davide collected placings in the Division 2 Scratch Race & Kieren motor paced event and qualified for the Goulburn Wheelrace Final. All Goulburn photos MOR

Goulburn Track Open @ 3 Feb - Davide Browne on the Goulburn fence line

Goulburn Track Open @ 3 Feb - Davide Browne in 3rd position

Goulburn Track Open @ 3 Feb - Davide Browne

Goulburn Track Open @ 3 Feb - Davide Browne (right)

Goulburn Track Open @ 3 Feb - the lights are blazing at Goulburn in the final Division 2 event, with Davide second from left

Goulburn Track Open @ 3 Feb - Davide Browne assisted with the Roller Derby

Ernesto Colnago turns 92 years young. Grazie Ernesto !

Ernesto Colnago working on a Molteni team bike with a youthful Gianni Motta

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 17 Feb

  • Ballarat Classic Cyclosportive (Vic)

• 18 Feb

  • Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters)

    • Ian Grant (BiciSport)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Every Mon/Wed/Fri Mornings

  • Gruppo Molteni @ Centennial Park

    • Gruppo Molteni meet at the corner of Parkes Drive/Grand Drive at 8.20am and do CP laps until 9.30am then coffee at the Spruce Goose Cafe

• Tues 13 Feb & Thurs 15 Feb

  • Blossoms & Buds Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.40am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.15am then to St Ives for coffee

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 15 Feb

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ Centennial Park @ 10.30am for CP laps

• Sat 17 Feb

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

• Sun 18 Feb

  • Depart Shark Park carpark near Cronulla @ 9.30am for Kurnell & return

Kelme Pro Cycling Team (Spain) - 1980-2006

26 years is a long time to sponsor a team, and Kelme makes fine shoes. For some in this team it indeed was a long walk (some of it drug fueled). Kelme are shoes with bikes supplied by Gios & Merckx. Sub sponsors were Ibexpress, Artiach, Varta (car batteries), Costa Blanca (tourism), Eurosport (tv channel) & Communidad Valenciana (local government). The jersey … was something that never but never comes out of your wardrobe, its a shocker.

Results had a real Spanish flavour, except for maybe some Tour de France highlights. Heras won the Tour of Spain in 2000, and Gonzalez won the Spanish Tour in 2002. Jesus Manzano flagged the doping issue in 2004 and showed what a dodgy lot they really were - Valverde, Heras, Belda, Gonzalez, Sevilla, Casero & Escartin. Spanish teams don’t really figure highly in this column …. not a surprise really.

News Shorts - 5 February

Central Coast Velodrome @ Call Cup @ 24 Jan - Davide Browne (BiciSport Happy Wheels) takes 3rd at the Call Cup.

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 30 Jan - the annual Sunde/Spurgeon Memorial Criteriums offer great history coupled with great domestic racing

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 30 Jan - Julian Arias (left) & Christian Quintero (BiciSport Happy Wheels). In the handicap B grade ruled the day and C grade did it hard. Julian was second C grade to finish

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 30 Jan - Julian Arias (left) & Christian Quintero

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 30 Jan - Christian Quintero (left) & Julian Arias

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 30 Jan - Christian Quintero

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 30 Jan - Davde Browne and his 1985 single speed steel Benotto

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 30 Jan - Julian Arias, MOR & Christian Quintero

DGV Christmas Series - Father & Son (Lawson & Davide) Browne together in a Team Madison …. a great family picture for the ages

BiciSport Masters of Spin Calendar for February 2024

Francesco Signor dominated the January 24 edition of the BiciSport Masters of Spin Calendar. This month its the turn of the Eternal French Baguette in Eric Dole cruising through a sea of panatone at a Church Point cafe.

Stew Campbell at Happy Wheels Waterloo is well known for great cycling artwork …. a taster for what is below and headed for the upcoming Husky Triathlon

RACE RADIOS IN PROFESSIONAL RACEs - LET’s BAN THEM

• The search for instant & perfect knowledge drives everybody to be addicted to their mobile phones. Go out for dinner with your significant other and an sms buzz will distract you, and nearly everybody forgets who is at the dinner table as you focus on your iphone addiction. Ditto applies in pro bike races with race radios.

• The story is thus …. like the recent pro race in Geelong the early breakaway in a pro race fights like dogs to get in the tv break of the day. Once established the breaks gets to the magical 4 or 5 minute lead. Race radios give both the breakaway & peloton perfect knowledge - both to who is in the break, and how far ahead they are. Am not sure why they persist with motorcycle timing marshals as they really aren’t needed.

• With perfect knowledge through race radios the breakaway knows the magical 5 minutes is about their limit - so the games start. The breakaway eases off to roughly 85% effort and then the peloton does the same ! ! !. So now the organized street theatre or mobile kareoke begins - all played out on live television. Two groups of “racers” rolling along at 85% like its an outdoor pantomime. The poor tv commentators try to make sense out of the abstract boredom before their eyes and show you pictures of surfers at Bells Beach.

• Eventually the stale mate is broken with say 50k-60k to go as the breakaway gets the nod, and they resume hostilties (maybe they can win this time ?). The peloton are wired to race radios as well, and they go full gas instantaneously and overwhelm the breakaway with 15k-20k to go. Job well done and the lycra clad pantomime is complete for another day. The last 15k are the real deal and a deserving winner takes the flowers. What does the underwhelmed tv viewers make of this sporting charade ?.

• Ban race radios and we may get a descent bike race

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 11 Feb

  • Lake Hume Challenge Cyclosportive (Albury NSW)

  • Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters)

  • West Head Road Race (Manly CC)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Every Mon/Wed/Fri Mornings

  • Gruppo Molteni @ Centennial Park

    • Gruppo Molteni meet at the corner of Parkes Drive/Grand Drive at 8.20am and do CP laps until 9.30am then coffee at the Spruce Goose Cafe

• Tues 6 Feb & Thurs 8 Feb

  • Blossoms & Buds Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.40am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.15am then to St Ives for coffee

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 8 Feb

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ Centennial Park @ 10.30am for CP laps

• Sat 10 Feb

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

• Sun 11 Feb

  • Depart Shark Park carpark near Cronulla @ 9.30am for Kurnell & return

San Giacomo Pro Cycling Team (Italy) - 1979-80

The team only lasted two years, which is a pity. San Giacomo followed the Italian trend as a kitchen producer. In 1979 the bikes were Alan (Italian & performed badly), but improved with Benotto in 1980.

The 1979 team was a shocker with only an aging Fausto Bertoglio (ex Giro winner) any good. Into 1980 and a whole new team - Moreno Argentin (future legend & World Champion), Claudio Corti (single day rider of note), Alain de Roo (Belgium), Freddy Maertens (all time legend & past/future World Road Champion), George Mount (USA), Clyde Sefton (one of Australia’s finest) and Roberto Visentini. The revamped 1980 team had excellent performances from Visentini, Maertens & Clyde Sefton.

San Giacomo Pro Cycling Team (Italy) - Freddy Maertens climbs the Koppenberg cobbles in the Tour of Flanders (Ronde van Vlaanderen) heading towards 5th place

San Giacomo Pro Cycling Team (Italy) - Freddy Maertens on the Koppenberg climb in Flanders

San Giacomo Pro Cycling Team (Italy) - a classic Ronde breakaway with (left to right) - Michel Pollentier, Francesco Moser, Roger De Vlaeminck, Jan Raas (World Champion) and Freddy M at the rear. Freddy ended up an excellent 5th.

San Giacomo Pro Cycling Team (Italy) - a chaotic finish at the 1980 Tour of Spain with two San Giacomo team riders on the right (near the Coca Cola car)

San Giacomo Pro Cycling Team (Italy) - Clyde (Kevin) Sefton was one of Australia’s best in the professionals after second in the Olympic Road Race in Munich in 1972

San Giacomo Pro Cycling Team (Italy) - a youthful Roberto Visentini before he joined the Carrera team and won the Giro

Team Presentation in 1980

News Shorts - 29 January

BiciSport has been sponsoring the Force Cycling Team in Nieuwkerken (near Antwerp) in Belgium since 2023 for a three year period. The team presentation is to be held on 3 February in the town of Temse.

Koen VerHulst will be the BiciSport representative on 3 February

Trans Andean Epic 2024 - Dudley Hoskin (BiciSport Happy Wheels) recently completed the Trans Andean epic ride that started in Santiago and ended in Buenos Aires in South America . Total distance of 1,710k over 9 days with 8,000m of climbing

Bathurst Road Race @ 28 Jan - Ian Grant (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) takes the victory

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 23 Jan - Julian Arias, Julian Soto & Christian Quintero (BiciSport Happy Wheels) before the start in C grade. A grade dominated the opening round of the Heffron Summer Series, and both B & C grade did it real tough

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 23 Jan - Julian Arias on the Heffron start line

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 23 Jan - Julian Soto on the Heffron start line

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 23 Jan - Julian Arias on the Heffron main straight

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 23 Jan - Julian Arias

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 23 Jan - Christian Quintero in C grade on the Heffron main straight

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 23 Jan - Christian Quintero on the Heffron Pimple Hill

The Goulburn Track Open is to be held on Saturday 3 Feb and features Davide Browne (BiciSport Happy Wheels) in search of Goulburn Wheelrace glory

The Rutherglen Cyclosportive on 20 April - A lovely cyclosportive through the Rutherglen wine district in North East Victoria.

Go to www.rutherglenrotary.org.

Vale Jan Bogaert @ 24 Jan @ 66 years. RIP

BiciSport has a long time connection with the town of Temse in East Flanders. Temse sits on the River Schelde just 50k from Antwerp. With Temse came Jan Bogaert - a very classy professional cyclist who raced from 1980 to 1995. Jan also has a major cyclosportive in July each year based in Temse named in his honour.

Jan rode for several teams including Vermeer Thijs (see Jan winning a stage in the Tour of Switzerland above). Europ Decor, TVM, & Palmans professional teams.

Jan was a super quick sprinter and won 50 UCI level events with single day victories including E3 Grand Prix, Schaal Sels, Schelde Prijs, Nokere Koerse & Dwars Vlaanderen, then Amstel Gold 2nd place and twice 5th in the Tout of Flanders. Stage wins in Tours were numerous - be it Herald Sun Tour, Milk Race (UK), Circuit Franco Belge, Netherlands, Switzerland and Belgium.

A typical Jan Bogaert giving it 100% riding in the Europ Decor team colours

WHEN INTERESTS OF ORGANISATIONS & ATHLETES DIVERGE

• It would be fair to state that staging any National Road Championships anywhere except the eastern States … well it is headed for an uphill challenge in more ways than one. For some the financial challenges are less when these are offset by taxpayer funded budgets, but invariably the financial burden is simply transferred to others in the cycling hierarchy (being the athletes & supporters).

• Loxton (SA) & Perth (WA) …. two new venues on the national road cycling Championship calendar in late 2024 & early 2025. Obviously those governments that have friendly tourism budgets may believe the promised hordes of lycra clad legends invading their town or city as appealing. But will they invade regional SA and far away WA ?

• In the case of Loxton you must wonder what the economic & tourism benefits could possibly be to a small town in outback SA as there is virtually no accommodation some 250k from Adelaide. Surely there must be a more suitable NSW venue for Masters championships … somewhere, anywhere …

• Perth ? ... Perth has been tried before at the Masters level and the term “success” was a much abused term. With expensive Christmas air tickets and a double drive for mum & dad across the Nullabor Plain, you must wonder who will attend and how will they afford to get there. What if you have an aspiring Junior (in Tasmania) and the cyclist is virtually obliged to attend to get national recognition ?. What of the related Gran Fondo, Masters & Para events held at Ballarat ?. Maybe the teaser is, on the way home, spend another fortune in accommodation and watch the TDU in Adelaide. Maybe watch the Lanterne Rouge podcast and do none of the above.

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 3 Feb

  • BiciSport Force Cycling Team Presentation (Temse, Belgium)

  • Goulburn Track Open

    • Note - the Bowral Track Open set down for 4 Feb has been cancelled

• 4 Feb

  • Eastern Creek Dragway (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Every Mon/Wed/Fri Mornings

  • Centennial Park Masters @ Centennial Park

    • Meet at the corner of Parkes Drive/Grand Drive at 8.20am and do CP laps until 9.30am then coffee at Spruce Goose Cafe

• Tues 30 Jan & Thurs 1 Feb

  • Blossoms & Buds Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.40am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.15am then to St Ives for coffee

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 1 Feb

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ Centennial Park @ 10.30am for CP laps

• Sat 3 Feb

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

• Sun 4 Feb

  • Depart Shark Park carpark near Cronulla @ 9.30am for Kurnell & return

Panasonic Pro Cycling Team (Netherlands (1984-92)

Led by the no nonsense manager in Peter Post (pictured above). Post won the Paris Roubaix Classic himself and was renowned for being hard, hard and then hard some more. Both on himself and all around him.

The Panasonic team came out of the TI Raleigh team …. half of the team went to the new Panasonic team, while others followed Jan Raas to the new Kwantum team. The rivalry between the two teams was bitter & acrimonious. Sponsorship was Panasonic (electrical goods), Isostar (sports drinks), bikes were either Raleigh, Colnago, Eddy Merckx then finally a generic Panasonic brand. Groupsets were Campagnolo early on then Shimano towards the end.

Riders …. well, where to start …. riders were a classy lot, victories in all events as required. Erik Beukink for stage races, Phil Anderson for both stage races & one day Classics, Eddy Planckaert (Classics) , then Tuen Van Vliet, John Paul Van Poppel, Johan Lammerts, Alan Pieper, Steven Rooks, Peter Winnen, Gert van Theuinesse, Robert Millar, Johan van der Velde, Olaf Ludwig, Eric Van der Aerden & Marc Sergeant.

Peter Post doing what PP does best ….

Eddy Planckaert was a renowned single day Classic rider

Johan Van Der Velde (centre) at the Tour of Italy

Phil Anderson (Australia)

Eric Van Der Aerden (right) crashes on the Mur de Geradsbergen in a wet Tour of Flanders

Alan Pieper on a team Eddy Merckx bike

Eric Van der Aerden

News Shorts - 22 January

Happy Wheels & Julian Allaphlippe @ Tour Down Under (Adelaide) @ 19 Jan

BiciSport to the Belgium Spring Classics in 2024 - Mike O’Brien (left) and Mike Lawson in the heart of Northern France. On the Wednesday before Roubaix all of the traffic signs are up … the joys of not getting lost

A BiciSport Belgium campaign is a combination of four unique Flemish cyclosportives, four semi classics (including the Grand Prix Denain in northern France) and three legendary Classics in a 28 day period. Added to which there are several cycling museums worth a serious look plus velodromes in Gent, Roubaix & now a new velodrome in Zolder. A detailed daily race & viewing guide is now posted in Special Events. on this website

If you’re interested in going please contact MOR on 0417 403 244

March

13 Mar - Nokere Course 14 Mar - Grand Prix Denain 16 Mar - Dwars Vlaanderen Cyclosportive

22 Mar - E3 Grand Prix 23 Mar - Gent Wevelgem Cyclosportive 24 Mar - Gent Wevelgem

27 Mar - Dwars Vlaanderen 30 Mar - Ronde van Vlaanderen Cyclosportive 31 Mar - Ronde van Vlaanderen

April

6 Apr - Paris Roubaix Cyclosportive, Paris Roubaix (Women) 7 Apr - Paris Roubaix

BiciSport accommodation @ Oudenaarde Belgium @ 18 Jan … best described as bleak

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 26-28 Jan

  • Cadel Evans Road Race (Geelong, Vic)

• 28 Jan

  • Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Every Mon/Wed/Fri Mornings

  • Centennial Park Masters @ Centennial Park

    • Meet at the corner of Parkes Drive/Grand Drive at 8.30am and do CP laps until 9.30am then coffee at Spruce Goose Cafe

• Tues 23 Jan & Thurs 25 Jan

  • Blossoms & Buds Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.40am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.15am then to St Ives for coffee

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 25 Jan

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ Centennial Park @ 10.30am for CP laps

• Sat 27 Jan

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

• Sun 28 Jan

  • Depart Shark Park carpark near Cronulla @ 9.30am for Kurnell & return

Milk Race (UK) - Richard Mulberry (left) was a highly accomplished elite cyclist for many years (both in the UK & Europe) and can be found most Saturdays for BiciSport coffee at the Sandstone Cafe. Tell Richard how good the Millwall Football Club is … he enjoys hearing that too.

Richard rode the Milk Race in 1967 (yes, before you were born) in the London Team. Richard got 6th in the second stage but his reward was food poisoning and was a ‘did not finish’ on the Dundee stage. The Milk Race that year was won by Rene Pijnen (future pro and famous 6 Day velodrome rider) from a youthful Joop Zoetemelk (future winner of the Tour de France and World Pro Road Champion). Richard was some time getting over his Dundee DNF and headed for Europe in 1968 to further his international career.

The Milk Race ran from 1945 to 1999 and was a leading amateur & professional stage race. Winners included local boy Les West (1965 & 67), Fedor Den Hertog (1969) & Hennie Kuiper (1972).

Milk Race (UK) - a somewhat pensive Richard Mulberry before the stage start in the ‘67 Milk Race

Milk Race (UK) 1992 - Tim Hall leads Shane Sutton on Devils Staircase in 1992

Milk Race (UK) 1987 - Malcolm Elliott wins a stage in 1987

Milk Race (UK) 1987 - the 1987 podium with Igor Sumnikov (left), Malcolm Elliott (Yellow), Dave Rayner (White), Paul Watson (Red)

Milk Race (UK) 1993 - Chris Lilywhite won the Milk Race in 1993

News Shorts - 15 January

Waratah Masters @ Lansdowne Park @ 14 Jan - Ian Grant (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) took 4th in B grade supported by Peter Verhoeven in C grade.

Waratah Masters @ Lansdowne Park @ 14 Jan - Peter Verhoeven (third wheel white helmet in Bici AF jersey) in C Grade

Tumut Cycle Classic Cyclosportive @ 7 Jan - Melissa Budd

Tumut Cycle Classic Cyclosportive @ 7 Jan - Francesco Signor

Tumut Cycle Classic Cyclosportive @ 7 Jan - Peter Budd starts from Tumut at the break of dawn

Heffron Park Tuesday Nights recommences on 16 January 2024

BiciSport to the Belgium Spring Classics in 2024 - Marty Wright (BiciSport) climbs the steep Koppenberg climb

The BiciSport tour now includes Grand Prix Denain in Northern France on 14 March.

A BiciSport Belgium campaign is a combination of four unique Flemish cyclosportives, four semi classics (including the Grand Prix Denain in northern France) and three legendary Classics in a 28 day period. Added to which there are several cycling museums worth a serious look plus velodromes in Gent, Roubaix & now a new velodrome in Zolder. A detailed daily race & viewing guide is now posted in Special Events. on this website

If you’re interested in going please contact MOR on 0417 403 244

March

13 Mar - Nokere Course 14 Mar - Grand Prix Denain 16 Mar - Dwars Vlaanderen Cyclosportive

22 Mar - E3 Grand Prix 23 Mar - Gent Wevelgem Cyclosportive 24 Mar - Gent Wevelgem

27 Mar - Dwars Vlaanderen 30 Mar - Ronde van Vlaanderen Cyclosportive 31 Mar - Ronde van Vlaanderen

April

6 Apr - Paris Roubaix Cyclosportive, Paris Roubaix (Women) 7 Apr - Paris Roubaix

Richard Bukacki takes another Belgian victory

Richard Bukacki (Hertekamp Pro Team) - RIP

VALE RICHARD BUKACKI - NEVER MET, BUT ALMOST

For those that browse the BiciSport website a small Covid time project has been the weekly blog on various professional teams, and we’ve nearly hit the 200 mark in pro team reviews. A nice little Covid period past time as Gladys gave us the 11am Covid update on the media.

A name that kept cropping up in various teams was Richard Bukacki. Richard’s results just kept appearing too regularly and he won several times a year, usually in a sprint finish.

So I contacted Richard directly on FaceBook Messenger about 4 weeks ago , told him of my interest in his successful career and could we meet in Belgium in March 2024 and he to autograph a Hertekamp jersey for me. Eddy VerBust (who lives in Belgium) agreed to source a retro Hertekamp jersey from the period. The idea was to meet at the Velle Flanders junior race on March 17 sponsored by BiciSport. Sadly we never got there.

Richard at the age of 77 years passed away suddenly on 12 January and our meeting & celebration of his career at Velle won’t happen. Thoughts and prayers to his family at this time.

CADEL EVANS WEEKEND (GEELONG) - 26-28 JANUARY

• The Cadel Evans weekend in Geelong is another great cycling weekend. BiciSport is going and if you want company then contact Peter Budd (BiciSport) on 0431 012 174.

• Booking local accommodation is your responsibility

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 12-21 Jan

  • Tour Down Under (Adelaide)

• 21 Jan

  • Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Every Mon/Wed/Fri Mornings

  • Centennial Park Masters @ Centennial Park

    • Meet at the corner of Parkes Drive/Grand Drive at 8.30am and do CP laps until 9.30am then coffee at Spruce Goose Cafe

• Tues 16 Jan & Thurs 18 Jan

  • Blossoms & Buds Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.40am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.15am then to St Ives for coffee

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 18 Jan

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ Centennial Park @ 10.30am for CP laps

• Sat 20 Jan

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

• Sun 21 Jan

  • Depart Shark Park carpark near Cronulla @ 9.30am for Kurnell & return

Masta Pro Cycling Team (Belgium) - 1980-85

Totally 100% Belgian domestic pro team sponsored by Masta with sub sponsors in Cornelo & TeVe Blad. TeVe Blad was a weekly TV magazine. Bikes were either Olmo (Italian) or Puch (Swiss). The Puch bike was about as uninspiring as it gets (see above) and it looked better designed for local mail deliveries. C’mon Eric van der Tosser ... where is my real Olmo ?

The team was all about Johnny De Nul who won somewhere between 4-7 kermesse style races in Flanders each year. Occasionally they would get a start in Belgian semi Classics but results were grim & slim. When Johnny D wasn’t winning it was over to Richard Bukacki (a much better semi Classics quality rider than De Nul ever was). Both De Nul & Bukacki had blistering sprints and if they could see a finishing line flag then the podium flowers were theirs. Other notable team mates were Marc De Smet & Marcel van der Slagmolen (what a great Flemish name)

Same picture, same team car …. just the following year

News Shorts - 8 January

BiciSport Belgium @ St Niklaas Flanders @ 3 Jan - Koen VerHulst (BiciSport Belgium) sends a New Years greeting to all at BiciSport from his indoor trainer as Belgium cops a Queensland style rain deluge

Les Amis du Pont Gibus (The Friends of Gibus Bridge) is the volunteer organisation that keeps the Paris Roubaix cobbles in their repaired (and original) condition. The Gibus Bridge is a derelict railway bridge just 5k after the Wallers Arenberg Forest and is named in the honour of Gilbert Duclos Lasalle who twice won the Paris Roubaix Classic.

They wish you a happy 2024.

Waratah Masters @ Eastern Creek Raceway @ 7 Jan - Ian Grant (left) and Peter Verhoeven before the start.

Ian rode B grade and attacked with 5 laps to go in a breakaway and was only caught on the last corner on the last lap, to then finish in the peloton. Peter V rode C grade for a well deserved peloton finish.

Waratah Masters @ Eastern Creek Raceway @ 7 Jan - Ian Grant

Waratah Masters @ Eastern Creek Raceway @ 7 Jan - Ian Grant (right) down the ECR main straight

Waratah Masters @ Eastern Creek Raceway @ 7 Jan - Ian Grant (left) on the attack in a B grade breakaway on the bell lap - only to be caught on the last corner

Waratah Masters @ Eastern Creek Raceway @ 7 Jan - Peter Vehoeven in the C grade peloton

Waratah Masters @ Eastern Creek Raceway @ 7 Jan - Peter Verhoeven (far right) down the ECR main straight

Waratah Masters @ Eastern Creek Raceway @ 7 Jan - Peter Verhoeven crosses the finish line in C grade

Tumut Cycle Classic @ 7 Jan - Francesco Signor (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) with Roger Thomson Seagrave on the outward loop along the Snowy River outside Tumut

Tumut Cycle Classic Cyclosportive @ 7 Jan - Francesco Signor (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) carried dossard # 7567

BiciSport to the Belgium Spring Classics in 2024 - now includes Grand Prix Denain in Northern France on 14 March. This trip will not include Eddy Merckx winning in Flanders for Faema (pictured above)

A BiciSport Belgium campaign is a combination of four unique Flemish cyclosportives, four semi classics (including the Grand Prix Denain in northern France) and three legendary Classics in a 28 day period. Added to which there are several cycling museums worth a serious look plus velodromes in Gent, Roubaix & now a new velodrome in Zolder. A detailed daily race & viewing guide is now posted in Special Events. on this website

If you’re interested in going please contact MOR on 0417 403 244

March

13 Mar - Nokere Course 14 Mar - Grand Prix Denain 16 Mar - Dwars Vlaanderen Cyclosportive

22 Mar - E3 Grand Prix 23 Mar - Gent Wevelgem Cyclosportive 24 Mar - Gent Wevelgem

27 Mar - Dwars Vlaanderen 30 Mar - Ronde van Vlaanderen Cyclosportive 31 Mar - Ronde van Vlaanderen

April

6 Apr - Paris Roubaix Cyclosportive, Paris Roubaix (Women) 7 Apr - Paris Roubaix

Grand Prix Denain has been added to the BiciSport start sheet and covers much of the pave used in Paris Roubaix classic in early April

The Grand Prix Denain is located in northern France and covers many of the cobbled roads used in the Paris Roubaix Classic. The race starts with the northern ‘blue loop’, then the ‘orange loop’ then finishing with the ‘red cobbled loop’. BiciSport accommodation is in the village of Haspres with at least 7 viewing locations by bike.

BiciSport @ Freshwater Sydney @ 3 Seagulls Cafe on Harbord Road @ 3 Jan - Andy Feltham (right) down from Brisbane for the Christmas New Year period

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 12-21 Jan

  • Tour Down Under (Adelaide, SA)

• 14 Jan

  • Lansdowne Park Criteriums (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Every Mon/Wed/Fri Mornings

  • Centennial Park Masters @ Centennial Park

    • Meet at the corner of Parkes Drive/Grand Drive at 8.30am and do CP laps until 9.30am then coffee at Spruce Goose Cafe

• Tues 9 Jan & Thurs 11 Jan

  • Blossoms & Buds Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.40am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.15am then to St Ives for coffee

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 11 Jan

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ Centennial Park @ 10.30am for CP laps

• Sat 13 Jan

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

• Sun 14 Jan

  • Depart Shark Park carpark near Cronulla @ 9.30am for Kurnell & return

Saunier Duval Prodir Pro Cycling Team (Spain) - 2004-11

Riccardo Ricco pictured above

Maybe some things in life were destined to end badly, right from day one, then this team was it. Riccardo Ricco was expelled from the 2008 Tour de France (on stage 4) and the full team was expelled for doping on stage 12. Subsequently both Ricco & Piepoli were sacked by the team for doping but the team culture was so corrupt the whole organisation maybe needed to be expelled to another planet. The sponsor departed at the end of 2009, and somehow replaced by Fuji Servetto in 2010 then replaced by GEOX (maker of fine Italian shoes). The Italian shoes lasted longer than the team sponsorship and GEOX gave the team the boot and soon departed. It was a sad reflection on the sport that this mess was allowed to function for as long as it did.

Piepoli wins from Ricco - the bogus team results failed the ‘pub test’, and if it was too good to be true, you’d be right

Piepoli leads from Ricco … the fantasy on public display

News Shorts - 1 January

Happy New Year & a healthy 2024 to all BiciSport members & friends.

A nice retro picture of Oostende (Belgium) at New Year with a cobbled street with classic cars from that era.

Waratah Masters @ Lansdowne Park @ 31 Dec - Ian Grant (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) in the centre of picture in Masters B grade

Dunc Gray Velodrome Christmas Racing @ 27-30 Dec - Lawson Browne (BiciSport Anytime Fitness)

Dunc Gray Velodrome Christmas Racing @ 27-30 Dec - Lawson Browne

Dunc Gray Velodrome Christmas Racing @ 27-30 Dec - Davide Browne (BiciSport Happy Wheels)

Dunc Gray Velodrome Christmas Racing @ 27-30 Dec - Davide Browne

BiciSport @ Griffith @ 28 Dec - Team Panettone with Francesco Signor, MOR & Peter Budd.

A brief ride out towards Lake Wyangan by Team Panettone for a Giro del la Griffith-ini and return plus coffee in central Griffith.

BiciSport @ Griffith @ 28 Dec - Francesco Signor, Peter & Rose Piccolo & MOR with farm doggoes

BiciSport @ Griffith @ 29 Dec

Congratulations to the great Belgian Rik Van Looy who just turned 90.

Rik won endless Classics, a World Professional Road Championship plus numerous Grand Tour stages. In Belgium Rik #1 is Rik Van Steenbergen (RIP), Rik #2 is Rik van Looy and Rik #3 is Rik van Linden. Legends all.

Rik Van Looy (Rik #2) - one of the most accompolished cyclists to ever grace a bicycle.

Note the gear changers on the end of the handlebars, a small flange front hub but a large flange rear hub & helmets were optional in the 1960’s. The team sponsor was Faema (Italian coffee) & bike sponsor was Flandria (Belgium) although the frame decal is missing in this picture (this suggests the frame was actually Italian but no decal was affixed).

Rik Van Looy (Rik #2) - Rik (right) in the winning move in a wet & grimy Tour of Flanders

Rik Van Looy (Rik #2) - a graphic Paris Roubaix picture of Rik #2 giving it 100% across the Northern France pave. Note the continued use of gear change levers on the end of the handelbars plus an empty front bottle cage on the handelbars.

Happy Wheels @ Waterloo trading hours between 25 December & 8 January

BiciSport Masters of Spin Calendar for January 2024

After the picture of Craig Pager in December nearly bought the BiciSport website crashing down its now appropriate to tone the BiciSport Masters of Spin Calendar down a level for January with Signore Panatone Italia himself, the highly popular soigneur Francesco Signor (BiciSport Griffith) … so it gets a tad confusing as Frank gets ‘Mister Mister’ from time to time. Thanks Frank for your on-going support and safe cycling around Griffith with Team Budd & BiciSport Griffith in 2024.

Tumut Classic Cyclosportive is to be held on Sunday 7 January over some great country roads in and around Tumut. Keeping off the Snowy Mountains is the only recommendation, but the rest is pure cycling heaven.

If you’re interested please contact Peter Budd (see contact details below)

TUMUT CYCLCLOSPORTIVE - 7 JANUARY

CADEL EVANS WEEKEND (GEELONG) - 26-28 JANUARY

• Tumut offers a great cyclosportive on 7 January just a short drive from Sydney and the Cadel Evans weekend is another great cycling weekend

• BiciSport Griffith is going to both events and if you want company at the events then contact Peter Budd (BiciSport) on 0431 012 174

• Booking local accommodation is your responsibility

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 3-7 Jan

  • AusCycling National Road Championships (Ballarat)

• 7 Jan

  • Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Every Mon/Wed/Fri Mornings

  • Centennial Park Masters @ Centennial Park

    • Meet at the corner of Parkes Drive/Grand Drive at 8.30am and do CP laps until 9.30am then coffee at Spruce Goose Cafe

• Tues 2 Jan & Thurs 4 Jan

  • Blossoms & Buds Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.40am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.15am then to St Ives for coffee

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 4 Jan

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ Centennial Park @ 10.30am for CP laps

• Sat 6 Jan

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

• Sun 7 Jan

  • Depart Shark Park carpark near Cronulla @ 9.30am for Kurnell & return

Raleigh Banana Pro Cycling Team (UK) - 1987-89

The Raleigh Cycle Company started production nearly 100 years before this team. Raleigh Weinmann was the pro team in 1986 before the Banana cosponsor came on board for three years. The UK pro scene was only small when compared to say Continental Europe, but was a classy peloton, rich in history. Bike sponsor was obviously Raleigh with Pirelli (tyres) and Shimano (groupsets).

Team members were all highly regarded in Tim Harris, Chris Lilywhite, David Rayner (RIP & pictured above), Adrian Timmis, Chris Walker, David Mann, Phil Thomas, Steve Douce, Paul Sherwin, Malcolm Elliott, Mark Bell, Paul Watson & John Clay. Everybody raves on about the current Ineos pro team when the Raleigh Banana team was equally rich in both ability & results.

Raleigh Banana Pro Cycling Team (UK)

Raleigh Banana Pro Cycling Team (UK) - David Rayner (RIP) now has a UK charitable foundation named in his honour who continues to actively support UK racing cyclists to race in Belgium.

Raleigh Banana Pro Cycling Team (UK)

News Shorts - 25 December

Tuesday Night Heffron @ 19 Dec - Christian Quintero (BiciSport Happy Wheels) takes second place in the B+C Grade handicap

The final pre Christmas race is the highly rated Easts Trophy Race - A Grade do a seperate scratch race and B+C Grade compete in the traditional handicap format. Rolly Delaytz was an A Grade starter and Christian Quintero & Julian Arias teamed up in C Grade. Julian “did the job” for Happy Wheels team mate Christian & Christian took an excellent 2nd place in the bunch sprint. Great team work on display.

Tuesday Night Heffron @ 19 Dec - Christian Quintero

Tuesday Night Heffron @ 19 Dec - Before the start with Team Delaytz (left), Rolly Delaytz, Julian Arias & Christian Quintero (BiciSport Happy Wheels)

Tuesday Night Heffron @ 19 Dec - Christian Quintero “getting pinned up”

Tuesday Night Heffron @ 19 Dec - Rolly Delaytz & family “getting pinned up”

Tuesday Night Heffron @ 19 Dec - Christian Quintero

Tuesday Night Heffron @ 19 Dec - Christian Quintero

Tuesday Night Heffron @ 19 Dec - Christian Quintero after the finish

Tuesday Night Heffron @ 19 Dec - Julian Arias

Tuesday Night Heffron @ 19 Dec - Julian Arias

Tuesday Night Heffron @ 19 Dec - Julian Arias after the finish

Tuesday Night Heffron @ 19 Dec - Rolly Delaytz at the start in A Grade

Tuesday Night Heffron @ 19 Dec - Rolly Delaytz

Tuesday Night Heffron @ 19 Dec - Stew (Computa) Campbell (BiciSport Happy Wheels) won the Heffron Trophy Race in 1997. Legend.

Tuesday Night Heffron @ 19 Dec - Anthony Spurgeon, Stew Campbell & MOR on the Heffron Park finishing straight. Anthony Spurgeon won numerous editions of the Easts Trophy Race and the acknowledged King of Heffron.

Stewart Campbell (Happy Wheels) won the Trophy Race in 1997

Happy Wheels trading hours between 25 December & 8 January

TUMUT CYCLCLOSPORTIVE - 7 JANUARY

CADEL EVANS WEEKEND (GEELONG) - 26-28 JANUARY

• Tumut offers a great cyclosportive on 7 January just a short drive from Sydney and the Cadel Evans weekend is another great cycling weekend

• BiciSport Griffith is going to both events and if you want company at the events then contact Peter Budd (BiciSport) on 0431 012 174

• Booking local accommodation is your responsibility

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 28-30 Dec

  • Sydney Christmas Track Series

    • BiciSport starters - Lawson Browne, David Browne, Campbell Browne

• 31 Dec

  • Lansdowne Park Criteriums (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Every Mon/Wed/Fri Mornings

  • Centennial Park Masters @ Centennial Park

    • Meet at the corner of Parkes Drive/Grand Drive at 8.30am and do CP laps until 9.30am then coffee at Spruce Goose Cafe

• Tues 26 Dec & Thurs 28 Dec

  • Blossoms & Buds Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.40am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.15am then to St Ives for coffee

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 28 Dec

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ Centennial Park @ 10.30am for CP laps

• Sat 30 Dec

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

• Sun 31 Dec

  • Depart Shark Park carpark near Cronulla @ 9.30am for Kurnell & return

Nivea Fuchs Pro Cycling Team (Italy) - 1954-56

Fiorenzo Magni had won the 1955 Tour of Italy but the sponsor (Fuchs bikes) wanted to withdraw sponsorship. Magni came up with the original idea of searching for a non cycling sponsor & approached Nivea (a German cosmetic company). So began the era of non cycling related sponsors and in Italy it led to Faema (coffee), Ignis (washing machines), St Raphael (drinks), Del Tongo & Salvarani (kitchens), and the list goes on and on. Thank you Fiorenzo for being so inspirational.

Magni broke his shoulder in the 1956 Giro and the team mechanic came up with the idea of biting a piece of tape with his teeth to ease the pain. Magni led an 11 rider team but Nivea only paid Magni who then had to sub contract his 10 team mates to him directly.

Nivea Fuchs Pro Cycling Team (Italy) - Fiorenzo Magni climbing the San Luca climb at Bologna with a broken shoulder in the 1956 Giro

Nivea Fuchs Pro Cycling Team (Italy) - Fiorenzo Magni climbing the San Luca climb at Bologna with a broken shoulder in the 1956 Giro

Nivea Fuchs Pro Cycling Team (Italy)

Nivea Fuchs Pro Cycling Team (Italy)

News Shorts - 18 December

Best wishes to everybody for a great Christmas and a happy & healthy 2024

BiciSport Christmas Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Terrey Hills @ 16 Dec - Mike Lawson (BiciSport Team Force), Robbie Brown, Marina Joulianos, Eric Dole, Tony Rabbidge, Davide Browne, Lawson Browne, Campbell Browne (kneeling), Ian Grainger, Nigel Smith, Richard (Rik 4) Mulberry (Solo-Lotto Belisol) & MOR

Bathurst Cycling Club Renshaws Pedal Project Christmas Hamper Race @ 17 Dec - Ian Grant (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) takes another podium in Season 23. Well done Ian.

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 12 Dec - Rolly Delaytz (BiciSport Happy Wheels) takes a super B Grade victory

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 12 Dec - Rolly Delaytz (middle of picture with fluro socks) is first B grader across the line

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 12 Dec - Christian Quintero & Rolly Delaytz celebrate a Rolly victory at Heffron

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 12 Dec - Rolly Delaytz after winning B Grade

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 12 Dec - Christian Quintero starting in Heffron in C Grade

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 12 Dec - Christian Quintero

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 12 Dec - L to R … Christian Quintero, Julian Arias, MOR & Rolly Delaytz on the start line at Heffron Park. Both Christian & Julian have now joined the BiciSport Happy Wheels squad

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 12 Dec

No Brakes Racing @ Dunc Gray Velodrome @ 13 Dec - Davide Browne (BiciSport Happy Wheels) builds the form towards the Goulburn-Bowral events in February 24

LACC Criteriums @ Newington Homebush @ 12 Dec - Having won in D Grade it is now C Grade for David Cooper. Things got a bit harder this time around.

BiciSport @ PTG Museum @ Drongen Flanders @ 11 Dec - Partick DeGeyter is the owner of the PTG bike shop & museum in Flanders. The museum is exceptional in the quality of the clothing & retro memorabilia on display. The BiciSport hat is a nice touch.

BiciSport @ PTG Museum @ Drongen Flanders @ 11 Dec - Partick DeGeyter

PTG Museum @ Drongen Flanders

PTG Museum @ Drongen Flanders

TUMUT CYCLCLOSPORTIVE - 7 JANUARY

CADEL EVANS WEEKEND (GEELONG) - 26-28 JANUARY

• Tumut offers a great cyclosportive on 7 January just a short drive from Sydney and the Cadel Evans weekend is another great cycling weekend

• BiciSport Griffith is going to both events and if you want company at the events then contact Peter Budd (BiciSport) on 0431 012 174

• Booking local accommodation is your responsibility

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 24 Dec

  • Lansdowne Park Criteriums (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Every Mon/Wed/Fri Mornings

  • Centennial Park Masters @ Centennial Park

    • Meet at the corner of Parkes Drive/Grand Drive at 8.30am and do CP laps until 9.30am then coffee at Spruce Goose Cafe

• Tues 19 Dec & Thurs 21 Dec

  • Blossoms & Buds Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.00am for Akuna Bay, top of McCarrs Creek Rd climb at 8.40am, then direction Duffys Forest, then return Terrey Hills shops @ 9.15am then to St Ives for coffee

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 21 Dec

  • Belgian Waffle Ride @ Spruce Goose Cafe @ Centennial Park @ 10.30am for CP laps

• Sat 23 Dec

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

• Sun 24 Dec

  • Depart Shark Park carpark near Cronulla @ 9.30am for Kurnell & return

Carrera Pro Cycling Team (Italy) - 1984-96

Carrera was Italian Jeans. Bikes were Battaglin in the early years, then also Carrera from 1990 in collaboration with Campagnolo. Jersey design is most certainly iconic.

The team itself crossed both one day Classics and Grand Tours. Visentini won the Giro in ‘86, then Roche won the Giro/Tour/Worlds triple crown in ‘87. Roche was everywhere in 1987. The team was full of exceptional talent - with Bontempi, Leali, Breu, Zimmermann, Chiappucci, Maechler, Ghirotto and Pantani (from ‘94-96). Things get more than complicated with systemic team doping and it was easier to ask ‘who wasn’t involved in that nonsense’. It all ended very poorly when Carrera ended sponsorship at the end of ‘96 and for some (including Pantani) it was all about to get a whole lot worse ending in tragedy for Pantani.

Visentini on the right

Visentini at the Giro

Bontempi was a noted sprinter