Down but not out - first Wiggo, now Sutton hit in UK traffic

It can happen anywhere. I don't know how it happened, but it happened. I used to ride at the other end of the St George bunch from Shane, hanging on grimly or chasing back on, and whilst he was always a volatile guy he wasn't stupid. Accidents happen. Road design aside, it's vital that all riders, pedestrians and drivers are careful, awake amd aware out there.

British Cycling coach Shane Sutton hospitalized after collision with auto

Commenting on the bizarre timing of the two accidents, British Cycling wrote, “”It is extremely rare that our riders and coaches are hurt while out cycling on the road, even rarer that two incidents should occur in a short space of time, and we wish Shane and Bradley a speedy recovery.”

The federation also called on the government to put cycling “at the heart of transport policy to ensure that cycle safety is built into the design of all new roads, junctions and transport projects, rather than being an afterthought.”

LeMond never fails to speak his mind

Which is good, we need more people - real people, not just organisations, lawyers, figureheads and spokespeople - to speak out and balance things a bit. If you have followed cycling - pro racing - for the last 20 or 30 years then you'll know LeMond and understand at least a bit of his journey. And knowing the backstory helps us to trust him, or at least to acknowledge his views as worth a pause and a bit of reflection. For mine, I trust him. He seems real.   

LeMond: Armstrong Has Been Trying To Destroy Me For 10 Years | Cyclingnews.com

Former three-time Tour de France winner Greg LeMond says that Lance Armstrong has been trying to destroy him for over ten years. The now outspoken anti-doping advocate made the claims during an interview with Irish radio Newstalk in which he spoke candidly about a number of topics including his abuse as a child, living with attention deficit disorder, Lance Armstrong and doping in the sport.

LeMond: Armstrong Has Been Trying To Destroy Me For 10 Years | Cyclingnews.com

LeMond stepped away from the sport not long after retiring at the end of the 1994 season, but when Armstrong first returned from cancer he was like many, a believer. That was until he began to hear the rumours surrounding his countryman.

"I couldn’t be honest with myself. I knew too much from 2000 on," he said. "From 2001 and on I didn’t have anything good to say. I made up the logic in my mind that Festina Affair happened in '98 and it cleaned up. Somebody came back, they lost weight, that whole story I bought into. Then I started hearing rumours and the rumours were good observations from people within the sport. Then in 2000 I heard some disturbing stuff from someone in the team and it became impossible. I backed away from cycling at that point."

I don't know the truth here - like most of us I can only guess - but what LeMond says resonates with what I have seen and heard. I'm sure there's more to come.

What a bore these Grand Tours are - well, not this one. Contador finally nails it

Well, probably. After the slow grind that was Le Tour 2012 (yawn) we have La Vuelta. And it's all over the place. Attacking riding that entertains, dramatic chases that narrow gaps or explode the field and now a desperate throw of the dice that pays off. Just like the good old days. And the Giro wasn't too bad either. 

Contador Fights Back Tears After Turning Vuelta On Its Head | Cyclingnews.com

“We didn’t say anything on the radios because a lot of them are pirated by the other teams, but I told them to go for it on the front. “I have to thank [Astana rider and former teammate] Paolo Tiralongo, because he worked hard for me in the break.”

Contador tackled most of the 17km-long final climb to Fuente Dé alone after Tiralongo was unable to follow his tempo. “I had thought of attacking three kilometres from the line, but from never so far out,” Contador said. “I kept on eating and drinking because I was worried I would blow. I knew if I blew I would lose the second place overall.”

“It was pure instinct, nothing calculated. I’m not in top form, but I really wanted to do it.”

He may have doped, intentionally or otherwise - and I do hope he's clean today - but Contador has certainly stamped his name all over the Grand Tour record books. (Presuming he doesn't get knocked off his perch in the few days left, of course.) Stay clean, Alberto, Le Tour needs you!

Froome and Sky attack a fallen Valverde. Moral bankruptcy take 3 - or "that's racing!"

It's the old story. We've all been there. Sometimes we wait, sometimes we attack. It's a moral and ethical dilemma, sure, but one we decide on the road. A rider punctures, that's unlucky. Could happen to us next time. Maybe we slow down, let them catch up? A rider (or 30) fall, again we sit up. It could have been us. But then again, if we have already attacked and have a plan that we must stick to, well, we can't wait every time, can we? After all, it's the exceptions that prove the rule.

Apparently Froome and Co couldn't wait for Valverde. That's racing. Will we see same the sort of wailing and gnashing we saw when Contador 'attacked' a stricken Schleck? I doubt it.   

Vuelta A España 2012: Stage 4 Results | Cyclingnews.com

Valverde was one of a number of fallers in a crash inside the final 30 kilometres, just as Chris Froome’s Sky team was looking to split the peloton in the stiff crosswinds that buffeted the race on the run-in to the day’s final climb. Although Sky had already begun to set the pace just before Valverde came a cropper, the British team paid no heed to his plight and persisted in their efforts all the way to the foot of the Valdezcaray, in spite of the exhortations of Valverde’s teammate Beñat Inxausti.

One for the Andy-Schleck-loving-Contador-haters: Or Boonen wins again, and other ethical questions

There you go, you Andy-Schleck-loving-Contador-haters, have a go at Big Tom for exploiting an opportunity:

Belgian Road Championships 2012: Elite Men Results | Cyclingnews.com

The race was decided by a move from Boonen at 40km from the finish line, exploiting a mechanical from co-favorite Jurgen Roelandts (Lotto-Belisol).

We don't really know what was in Tom's mind, but he clearly gained advantage from the move. So what is the morality here? Does one wait? Or attack? It is, after all, a bike race, and anyone can have a mechanical, even Tom Boonen. But I'd hate to be his mechanic, post-race. Now if it was clear cut and perhaps enshrined in a universal rule then everything would be cut-and-dried and sweet. We'd probably do the "decent" or "sporting" thing and simply wait. But life - and racing - is not like that.

Sometimes mechanicals are purely random and unavoidable, and at other times it's caused by "rider or mechanic's error". If you contributed to your own demise, so be it. We can't expect everyone to wait whilst you get your act together. I think Andy Schleck's famous chain trouble was probably rider error, myself, and Contador was clearly not 100% sure what had happened. You could say he should have waited anyway, just to be sure; but it's not so cut-and-dried. Racing is complicated. You may wait, others may not. And here with Boonen, how's he to know what has caused his competitors to be delayed? Even if he did know, how is he to judge fault? Why should he assume it wasn't rider error? And if the tables were turned, would they wait for him?

There is no one supreme morality, is there? We all have our set of personal, individual rules, including a sense of what is "fair". And then we apply those rules. If we make our decisions based on our personal moral foundation and it's done "authentically" or in a way true to ourselves, then we have acted "ethically". Which will never stop others questioning our actions, of course. 

All well and good but couldn't anyone do this?

Yes, yes, it's nice to buy a brand name (at least if the cachet means something to you) but seriously, folks, every bike racer knows how to "modify" their bike to make it lighter. I mean, really.. who hasn't slapped a lighter set of wheels on at least once?

AC Schnitzer tunes the latest BMW ... bicycle?

At just 16.3 pounds (7.4 kg), the carbon-framed M Bike Carbon Racer is already a light, lithe two-wheeler. AC Schnitzer saw the opportunity to cut even more weight by adding more carbon. It stripped components off with abandon, replacing them with carbon and lightweight counterparts. Specifically, Schnitzer added a set of carbon wheels developed in conjunction with Xentis, plus a carbon saddle, a carbon saddle support and a new crank.

According to its numbers, AC successfully cut the bike's weight by a full kilogram, down to 15.2 pounds (6.9 kg). In contrast to BMW's 16.3-pound figure, AC Schnitzer lists the original weight at 17.4 pounds (7.9 kg), a fact that could have to do with the frame size (the bike is offered in five different frame sizes).

All or nothing for Cav and the Brits - and thus they choose nothing

Well it was certainly an interesting race. No radios, small teams, narrow roads and tactics as plain as the nose on Postman Pat's face (my kids like to think Wiggo looks like Postman Pat. Not sure who's the black and white cat, though). Unsurprisingly it all went exactly as expected - everyone attacked the Brits, yet the Brits stuck resolutely, doggedly, determinedly to Plan A. Get Cavendish to the line, first.

So what went wrong? Well David Millar reckons it was Cav's fault, basically, although he didn't say that exactly:  

Millar Left With No Complaints Despite Cavendish Missing Olympic Gold | Cyclingnews.com

With 50 kilometres to race and just one ascent of Box Hill remaining, the British seemed in control. A break had gone clear but after over five hours of racing, the gap was less than one minute as legs began to tire. However new impetus was added when a second contingent of riders attacked on the climb to create a 33-man group.

"We were always working at Mark's pace, so we couldn't react to those things and that was never our plan," said Cavendish's teammate David Millar.

The British team had been clear over its race strategy, telegraphing its tactics in a press conference last week. It was all for Cavendish, with David Brailsford saying, the sprinter was "plan A and all the rest of the letters of the alphabet," too.

My emphasis there, but I would deduce from that quote that Cav's pace wasn't ideal, then?

So what did Cav think went wrong?

Cavendish Misses Olympic Glory In Men's Road Race | Cyclingnews.com

"We did everything we could. The crowd was tremendous the whole way around, but the Aussies just raced negatively. The team were incredible. They left everything out on the road. I am so proud of them. We didn't expect any help. We rode the race we wanted to ride. We couldn't pull the group back on Box Hill. Other teams were content that if they didn't win, we wouldn't win. We expected it. If you want to win, you've to take it to them."

My emphasis, again. It wasn't Cav's fault, nor his one-idea Team of champions. It was the Aussies. Having O'Grady orchestrating the first break and coming, umm, 6th, plus Rogers trying his own attack was clearly not a positive in Mark's eyes, who came, umm, 29th.

And the truth? Well there is more than a little truth in the other teams wanting to negate the Manxman's sprint and thus being prepared to leave their own sprinters stranded, waiting for the Brits to close the gap. But they all wanted a medal, too. Trouble was, no-one wanted to tow Cav (and Greipel) up to the front so they can fight it out for 1st and 2nd, either. It was a stalemate.

And good on Vino for attacking and closing his checkered yet always interesting career with Olympic gold.      

Stupid things people do - road tacks tax belief. But it's not the first time. TdF 2012

Not the first, nor the last. Certainly the most recent and just maybe the most watched. Tacks or other sharp objects thrown on the road to puncture tyres. It happens.

It's a bit like dropping rocks from bridges over freeways, just a little more obvious. And just as stupid. Yet people do that, too. Well, some people. A very small number of people, indeed.

The motivation? An urge to see pain, distress, carnage? A grudge against particular riders, or just any bike rider? The sheer thrill of getting away with it? All of the above?

It's an enduring, if childish and stupid practice. I personally witnessed the great Heffron Park crit circuit sabotage in about the late '80s. Someone was seeding the track with iron filings every week, resulting in punctures during Saturday bike races. In my case it was at least 6 consecutive weeks of punctures. It was more than frustrating, it was dangerous and costly at $90 per silk tubular tyre. The club took to sweeping the track with a magnet before each race, and eventualy the local police tracked the culprit down. The filings came from somewhere, and a local machine shop seemed likely. To my recollection one of the staff lived near Heffron Park and caved in when questioned. I may be wrong but I think he resented the bike racers taking over the crit track every Saturday arvo. Well they did have permission from council, and it's a public park, mate. And much of the 2.1km circuit was built by clubmembers at their own cost, too.

But people sometimes just do the darnedest things.   

Tour De France Organisers Doubtful Of Locating Sabotage Suspects | Cyclingnews.com

Sunday's stage to Foix, however, was a bit more dramatic after the tacks stopped first Andreas Klöden on the approach to the summit of the Mur de Péguère, and then Cadel Evans at the top with flat tyres.

Astana's Robert Kiserlovski, an animator of several stages in the Tour, crashed after the summit of the Mur de Péguère as he swerved to help team leader Janez Brajkovic, who had flatted. Kiserlovski was forced to drop out of the Tour with a suspected collarbone fracture. The incident also sent American Levi Leipheimer to the ground.

Play it safe and lose no time or attack and falter? TdF 2012

Stage 11 cracked Evans, or rather he cracked himself. Or perhaps it was the plan that was flawed?

The team had a plan, presumably, or simply went with what they had. Let's just assume they planned it all. One teammate already up the road in the break, they sent another away, within striking distance of an attack by Evans. With that arrangement in place, Evans duly attacked. And all went well until Evans reached his teammates. Firstly his "fallback" guy faltered and then he himself went off the boil. Yes, the pace was already high, so Cadel's attack had to be overwhelming and sudden. And he was still a worryingly long way from the finish. The effort must have pushed him into the red... and when his 3-man BMC train became just 2 he looked the weaker of the pair. Suddenly the plan didn't look so good. Having expended that energy he then faltered again on the final climb.

Is he unwell? Or did he just overstep the line with the first attack, and paid the price later?

Some other observations: Wiggins looked exposed, both when Evans attacked and even more so when his own teammate, Froome, attacked! And both Rogers and Porte were visibly more tired. Coupled with Froome initially faltering and falling back before suddenly coming good again (which was bizarre in itself) it looks like we still have a race on our hands. Perhaps even Evans will now deserve a "good" day and succeed in one of his moves?

Tour De France 2012: Stage 11 Results | Cyclingnews.com

Sky's Chris Froome and Bradley Wiggins were both there, as were Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) and Jurgen Van den Broeck (Lotto-Belisol). However, defending champion Cadel Evans (BMC) failed to stay with their pace.

Tactics and all that sort of stuff - Scarponi picks the wrong wheel: TdF 2012

Another stage over. Yes, Stage 10 was a great one to watch.

Voeckler won, but it was never a certainty. Sagan started a break that went all the way, just without Sagan. Instead he dropped back and picked up an attack from his team leader for GC, Nibali. Together they gapped the yellow and Evans, too. But they wilted and Sagan was dropped. With that Nibali fell back as well. Great tactic but just not enough firepower.

Meanwhile Sky held everyone in check that mattered.

Leaving Voeckler to do his gritty, never-say-die-act. To perfection. When all looked lost, back he came. And Voigt did a very similar thing, nearly pulling off an amazing win. Which left Scarponi guessing about what might have been, had he only picked the right wheel!

Scarponi Falls Short In Bellegarde-sur-Valserine | Cyclingnews.com

Scarponi admitted that he hoped that the deck of tactical manoeuvres would ultimately fall in his favour.

"I was hoping that the rivalry between Voeckler and Sánchez would give me a chance in the sprint, but it didn't work out like that," he said. "But in any case, Voeckler was the cleverest and the strongest today."

Scarponi Falls Short In Bellegarde-sur-Valserine | Cyclingnews.com

"It's not just Wiggins and Froome, it's an entire team that gives an impression of strength and cohesion. They're almost unattackable," he said. "But there's still a long way to go. Right now they might seem invincible but the Grand Tours teach you that stage after stage you can invent something."

Voigt Almost Pulls Off The Impossible In Stage 10 At The Tour De France | Cyclingnews.com

By the summit Voigt was still nowhere in sight and the stage looked set to be four-way battle. However when race radio crackled with 'race number 18 at 17 seconds' a once highly unlikely victory became a distinct possibility. On the slopes of the stage's final climb, the shorter and shallower Col de Richemond, Voigt was still closing, and inside the final 10 kilometres the German accelerated alongside and past his rivals.

All hail Team Sky. But is Cyclingnews now talking in code? TdF 2012

OK, Wiggins and Froome have set the pace in the mountains and the time trial, indeed they have dominated. But "on another sphere"? It's not a great choice of words, is it? Especially after Wiggins has just so emphatically countered his "anonymous" doubters at a press conference. It's OK on its own, isolated from its context, but anyone who has followed the sport since, say, 2006 or so knows that any reference to other-worldly performances is shorthand for "assisted". Either Cyclingnews is just ignorant of this - possibly - or are grinding an axe of some sort. Oh well. For the record, there is no evidence of untoward activity, just great sport science, hard work and years of planning and training.

Evans's Tour Defence Suffers First Setback | Cyclingnews.com

In spite of his losses in the overall classification, Evans looked to take solace from the fact that he had fared admirably against the pure time triallists, but it won't have escaped his attention that the Sky pair of Wiggins and Chris Froome – first and second on the stage – were on another sphere to the rest of the field.

I.B., The Extra Terrestrial? | Cyclingnews.com

Simoni: "I've never seen anyone dominate [like Basso], never seen any one that strong! He seems like an extra-terrestrial," Simoni said post-stage, his face and words minced with bitterness. Whether the Trentino scalatore was implying Basso was 'assisted' in some way is up for speculation, but Basso wasn't happy when he heard this: "I don't like to be called an extra-terrestrial or a phenomenon," he said.

Yes, Basso later served a suspension for "attempting" to dope.

And whereto from here for Le Tour 2012? Well it's quite a change from last year, where Evans waited until the final TT to take control. You couldn't really wait any longer, in fact. And whilst it looks like a poor tactic for Wiggins and Sky to take yellow so early - week one, after all - it's not bad for team and individual morale, is it? Wiggins has only just won his first stage, after all, and leading Le Tour is something most riders would find hard to knock back. And whilst Team Sky now need to expend additional energy in controlling dangerous attacks and protecting both Wiggins and Froome,  BMC themselves expended a lot of energy in acting as though they were "in yellow" last year. Basically it may be hard but it's doable.

OTOH last year other teams with shorter-term ambitions shared responsibility with BMC for keeping control of breakaways and the like. And whilst the Schlecks (and to some extent Contador) knew they had to take time off Evans in the mountains, Evans himself only had to limit losses and win it back in the last TT. So whilst it looks bad for Evans that already his losses have mounted up, coming about despite his strengths in the TT and prologue, this isn't last year. He must have expected something like this scenario, given recent peformance. So either it really is bad and he has little hope of recovering this amount of time, or he has a plan to address the gap. So which one?

As I said, this isn't 2011, so throw that thought out. But Sky has the box seat here, a big lead with Wiggins and a strong wild card to play in Froome. Most likely Wiggins will be able to match all attacks - and there will be many, as the likes of Nibali and Menchov are just as desperate to win as Evans, and both the RadioShack and Lotto teams have some GC gas in the tank, too. But it may expose weaknesses. It could be that Wiggins gets isolated - unlikely, I know - and loses time on a descent. But he has time up his sleeve, doesn't he. And if he or his team really falters then sending Froome up the road will cure the situation. If they are having trouble defending, why not attack?

It is a long way from from Paris and a tough job to defend from here. But Sky must have thought this through and they must see it as their "Plan A". Equally Evans and Nibali must have expected this scenario, too, so they will be executing their own tactics in the Alps to come. With the Pyrenees in week 3 to consolidate. I expect fireworks and I expect that whoever gets the advantage in week 2 will then have the same problem as Sky has now - how do you defend all the way from here to Paris?

So, fireworks in the Alps, yes, particularly Stage 11 - but with care. Whilst they don't want to leave it too late, they don't want to take control too early, either. But if they do, they'll want it to be a crushing blow that sinks Sky's ship all the way to Paris. Anything less will lead to a win for Sky. And it doesn't need to be a win for Wiggins. 
      

To paraphrase, this is a US District Court Judge telling Armstrong to get real...

Read it for yourself, it's plain enough. Keep in context that Armstrong has a right to be considered innocent and that he also has a lot to lose.

Armstrong's Federal Lawsuit Against USADA Dismissed | Cyclingnews.com

"This Court is not inclined to indulge Armstrong's desire for publicity, self-aggrandizement or vilification of Defendants, by sifting through eighty mostly unnecessary pages in search of the few kernels of factual material relevant to his claims."

Armstrong's Federal Lawsuit Against USADA Dismissed | Cyclingnews.com

"Contrary to Armstrong's apparent belief, pleadings filed in the United States District Courts are not press releases, internet blogs, or pieces of investigative journalism. All parties, and their lawyers, are expected to comply with the rules of this Court, and face potential sanctions if they do not."

Expect the unexpected in Le Tour. Sagan gets the bell, Kloden can't be coaxed and Froome sprints

Given what has happened so far, I expect anything and everything will happen from here on in. (But I will pin hopes on Nibali and Evans attacking downhill at the first opportunity - which will be real soon now.)

RadioShack-Nissan has been hanging on grimly, desperately hoping that Cancellara could stay close enough to Wiggo and co. that he could recover his lead in the ITT. That looks like a forlorn hope, but he'll probably get 30secs back, maybe. As for their GC riders, well falling at speed always hurts and Frank Schleck will take a few days to recover. By then his Tour hopes may be over. And Kloden? Well just plain old "bad legs" apparently. It happens. He wasn't the only one to have bad legs or bad luck on stage 7. It seemed that every one of the GC hopefuls bar Evans, Wiggo and Nibali can't take a trick this year. Cross fingers things improve. 

Meanwhile the ever-interesting Sagan will apparently ring his new bell when he sees an imminent fall... or will he ring it in hope that the others will think "another lap to go!".

And what about Froome? Does the last pull up the mountain, barely recovers and gaps both Wiggens and Evans. Wish I could do that.

RadioShack-Nissan Fighting Without A Leader | Cyclingnews.com

Stage seven didn't go to plan for the RadioShack-Nissan team. As expected Cancellara lost contact with the Sky-lead group on the final climb but it was the performance of the team's key riders that was disappointing. Schleck waited for Andreas Klöden when the two were dropped on the final climb but Schleck could not coax the German into holding his pace. The Luxembourger then continued at his own tempo but couldn’t catch his two teammates Haimar Zubeldia and Maxime Monfort who were clearly riding much stronger than the trailing duo. Klöden ended the day 2:19 back on the winner and nearly a minute behind Schleck while Zubeldia and Monfort finished inside the top-ten.

"I had bad legs and have no real explanation for it, I had felt it in the early part of the stage," said Klöden on his team website.

Tour Shorts: Ice Cream, Sagan's City Bike Bell, Abandoning The Tour | Cyclingnews.com

The current wearer of the green jersey also relies on quite traditional bike components in order to prevent him from crashing. After having his chances annihilated by a fall in the finale of Thursday's stage five, the Slovakian asked his mechanic to mount a bell on his handlebar - indeed, an ordinary, black city bike bell.

Tour Shorts: Ice Cream, Sagan's City Bike Bell, Abandoning The Tour | Cyclingnews.com

Robert Gesink (Rabobank) came in behind his teammate Mollema and although Laurens Ten Dam was there to pace him, he conceded 2:53 at the finish.

"The GC is shattered. I can’t say much more about it. It was a difficult day and the speed was high. Luis León [Sánchez] kept up really well. I myself rode at the utmost speed and it wasn’t enough. We all know how I was before this, how good I was in California and Suisse. You don’t lose that just like that. But you know, yesterday I landed on the tarmac. You’re not supposed to do that, but it happened. Today didn’t turn out as I had expected." AM

Sagan wins, many lose. TdF 2012 smash-fest continues

If you've never been in the middle of a 200-strong peleton you can only imagine the eerie feeling. To describe it briefly, it's wonderful and scary in equal measure. It sucks you forward relentlessly, and on the flat you barely need to pedal. Rolling hills are no bother either, it's only when the road pitches sharply up that you need to do some serious work. But if you drift to the edges or the rear, or when the road turns sharply, beware. Changes of pace or direction are unsettling enough, but a narrowing road is worse. Suddenly what was a carefree bunch rolling along (unless you are doing the engine room work at the front, of course) becames a nervous monster. Everyone has to find a spot in a decreasing space. You can imagine what it's like if a rider touches the wheel ahead. Any sudden movement, unexpected braking or swerves around gravel or potholes can set off mayhem... even on a straight road.

Most of the time you just manage. Sometimes it all happens too fast. Tired riders, nervousness and a big peleton can equal big changes in the GC.

At least it frees a few riders up to attack and be let free. As long as Hesjedal doesn't get 10 or so minutes ahead he may be allowed to escape and win a stage. Maybe. I doubt they'll let Schleck or Gesink come back, but they'll sure try. Maybe even tomorrow. Could we even see Cancellara sacrifice his yellow jersey for a Kloden attack? And let Schleck roam free in a break? Or will they hold off such tactics until week 3?  

Video: BMC Remains Intact After Metz Mayhem | Cyclingnews.com

Ryder Hesjedal lost over 13 minutes, with Alejandro Valverde, Frank Schleck, Bauke Mollema and Robert Gesink all crossing the line with less skin than they started with and more time in their general classification tally than before.

Embattled 'Shack actually doing well everywhere - France, Austria... TdF

The flipside of controversy and disruption is - perhaps ironically - team bonding? It's hard to imagine a worse scenario for RadioShack-Nissan, with several current and past members of the team embroiled in their individual doping allegations, pay disputes, injuries and seemingly unending speculation about the team's future. You'd think that losing master tactician Bruyneel (Armstrong-related doping allegations), plus last year's TdF 2nd place rider Andy Schleck (through injury) would be enough but no, they also have Fuglsang fuming about being overlooked for the TdF and a number of riders awaiting overdue pay. Yet here they are leading 2 stage races at once!

However it isn't all rosy.

Fuglsang is at least partly trying to prove (I imagine, as I haven't asked him personally) that the team made the wrong decision in sending him to Austria when he deserved to be racing in France instead. In doing so he's inadvertently 'proving' that the team was actually right - he's currently leading the race he was sent to! He may well be motivated by the 'snub' but he's doing exactly the job intended. Whilst it's motivational genius it's hardly surprising...

And isn't Cancellara just doing what Spartacus does? Win the prologue, hold onto the yellow jersey for as long as possible (first mountain stage, perhaps?). He is above all of the controversy and simply doing his job. Self-motivated, really. Yes, the team is there to support the yellow jersey but guys like Jens Voigt will simply do their job, irrespective, so again it's "situation normal".

The real test for RadioShack-Nissan will come when Cancellara eventually finds lifting his weightier TT-er body over the mountains too much. And teh team will turn to Kloden and Frank Schleck to deliver. Can they? Will they? It'll be fun to find out! 
 
Fuglsang Earns Overall Lead At Tour Of Austria | Cyclingnews.com

Left off the RadioShack-Nissan roster for the Tour de France, Jakob Fuglsang has fought back at the Tour of Austria, winning stage 4 and moving into the overall lead.

It was the team's second yellow jersey of the day on Wednesday with Fabian Cancellara not threatened at the Tour de France.

"I'm super happy with this win and the overall," said Fuglsang following the 141.3km stage. "It is certainly defendable and we're going to do everything we can to bring the yellow home. It's cool that the team has the yellow jersey in two different stage races."

Bruyneel Asserts Innocence Regarding USADA Doping Allegations | Cyclingnews.com

"I have never participated in any doping activity and I am innocent of all charges," read a statement on Bruyneel's personal website. "I am dismayed that once again doping allegations have been raised against me, this time by USADA.

Tour De France 2012: Stage 4 Results | Cyclingnews.com

The top of general classification remains unchanged as Fabian Cancellara continues in the yellow jersey with a seven-second lead over Bradley Wiggins (Sky) and Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-QuickStep).

Sagan rules these lumpy stages - TdF 2012

Every bike club has one - the guy who you never seem to be able to beat. And suddenly, one day, you do.

Of course at pro level there's a bunch of guys like that, and specialists who dominate certain races and terrains. But the principle's the same. You have to keep at it. (In other words, Sagan can - and will - be beaten.)

The usual suspects again featured in this tough, crash-ridden stage. Wiggins and several others were lucky to get away with the same time as the lead group. Evans was more decisive and committed to the front, and Cancellara passed the test. Surely now he will hang onto - and maybe extend - his lead?

Tour De France 2012: Stage 3 Results | Cyclingnews.com

1 Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale 4:42:58
2 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling 0:00:01
3 Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
4 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) RadioShack-Nissan
5 Michael Albasini (Swi) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
6 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team
7 Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale
8 Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
9 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
10 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale
11 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Sharp
12 Wouter Poels (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team
13 Andreas Klöden (Ger) RadioShack-Nissan
14 Robert Kiserlovski (Cro) Astana Pro Team
15 Jelle Vanendert (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team
16 Tejay Van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team
17 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana Pro Team
18 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
19 Maxime Monfort (Bel) RadioShack-Nissan
20 Frank Schleck (Lux) RadioShack-Nissan
21 Gorka Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
22 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Team Europcar
23 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team

Well they still look happy enough - Le Tour 2012

The usual falls, mad roadside furniture, a stray photographer and Jens smiling, waving. And then that finish! Now that was exciting.

So RadioShack-Nissan are still full of beans, basking in the glory of Spartacus. And when Fabian finally runs out of steam, probably on a mountain later this week, most likely on Stage 7, what happens then? Will Kloden get his chance to lead? Or will Frank have clawed his way back? But if Cancellara survives the attacks up La Planche Des Belles Filles (possible, since the opportunists and the GC guys playing catch-up will likely seize upon it, rather than those closest on GC) he'll probably get over the next day's bumps, too. But will he pay a price during the following 41km ITT? Or will it open up his lead even further?

It will still be too early for most of the top GC guys, so I'm betting he'll still be there, in yellow. Having said that, he will have to decide how he manages his energy loss over stages 7 and 8. If an opportunist (and it could even be a GC guy like Evans) takes a risk on Stage 7 then Cancellara's lead will quickly dissolve. So will he chase and defend, or let it go? And maybe even get it back in the ITT? Yellow is yellow, after all. He'll fight.

There's a rest day after the ITT, and then a shock to the system as Stage 10 will be the first real climbers' stage. If Cancellara gets this far then he will want to have a big lead, as it will be whittled away quickly enough as the real climbers take advantage. And surely they'll have a go. Surely! (And he can't possibly survive Stage 11!)


Tour De France 2012: Stage 1 Results | Cyclingnews.com

1 Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale 4:58:19 Expected, really
2 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) RadioShack-Nissan Not unexpected. He was always going to try.
3 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling Expected, really
4 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team Expected, really, even if he is having an ordinary season so far... had this been 2011 it would've been his stage to win
5 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team Good ride.
6 Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar Team Expected, but slighly disappointing, it really should have been his stage!
7 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team Expected, really
8 Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin - Sharp I guess it's no surprise
9 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Sharp Fresher, perhaps, than we thought?
10 Dries Devenyns (Bel) Omega Pharma-QuickStep Another good ride.
11 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Lotto Belisol Team Expected, really
12 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Omega Pharma-QuickStep Expected, really
13 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team Expected, really
14 Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne Expected, really
15 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale Expected, really
16 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Procycling Expected, really
20 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team Expected, really, and another likely winner had Cancellara not charged like a bull
22 Michael Rogers (Aus) Sky Procycling Nice recovery after a fall
34 Frank Schleck (Lux) RadioShack-Nissan Frank's back!
35 Andreas Klöden (Ger) RadioShack-Nissan And Andreas is hangin' with Frank!

Oh, forgot Van Den Broek and Gesink!

Ooops. Well, I forgot them 'cause they are on the edge here; they could fall either way. Whereas Frank Schleck is probably abseiling or free falling, take your pick. 

Mind you, it's still a bad sign. Obviously neither of them can afford to lose more time and they must take every opportunity to attack from here. Well, at least to take sensible opportunities. One good mountain stage and they'll be back. 

Van Den Broeck Not Bothered By Tour Prologue Time Loss | Cyclingnews.com

"Twenty seconds is negligible," Van den Broeck said. "We'll see at the end of the Tour de France but I don't have to look at others but at myself. It's important that I don't lose twenty seconds on a man like [Robert] Gesink,"

While losing 11 seconds on defending Tour de France champion Cadel Evans (BMC), Van den Broeck lost only two seconds on Robert Gesink (Rabobank) who has similar climbing qualities as the Belgian.

Le Tour 2012: how to lose at the start - or hey, it's only the prologue!

Perhaps this Tour was lost weeks ago, maybe even years ago. As I have your attention now (both of us, me and you) let me explain. Kinda.

This is the hypothesis: what goes around comes around. Simple. When things look extraterrestrial, maybe they are. It's not news to say that there are clouds hanging over some past performances at Le Tour (amongst other races) and - perhaps - it's all coming to a head. Or a beheading. There are riders and managers past and present hoping it all comes to nought. They may have nothing to fear but they still fear it in their bones. Or blood. It still has an effect. It rattles a few things, and focus is lost. And riders make mistakes, or lose form. And then there are aftershocks, pay disputes and general unhappiness. You know what I mean. Morale is damaged.

And there's more to the hypothesis, too: you are where you came from. Wiggins for example is a pursuit guy, a trackie used to smooth, fast velodromes. Yes, as are many other great road cyclists. But some of that basic training hangs around and whilst he's made a huge improvement on the road he still has to match the great descenders and tactical guys. Can he gain enough in the mountains and TTs to give up some time elsewhere?   

So what do I (club-level crit racer that I am) reckon the GC will look like in Paris? Well Wiggo, Evans and Menchov look good but you can't write Nibali out, either. Hesjedal? He'll give it a shot but his best tactic will be to look exhausted (from his Giro win), hang tough, stay close and pull out a surprise or 2 late in the race. But they all know to expect that. Wiggo, as I said, will take time in the mountains and TTs but may lose a bit to opportunists and descenders. Evans will just do what Evans does, hang in there, cling to Wiggo et al and just stay close enough to strike if he can. An opportunistic attack on a wet downhill may be his best tactic. However unless Wiggo cracks his strong TT will not be enough. He's not facing the Schlecks this time, is he? (Well not judging by Frank's performance so far - unless he has a miracle mountain ride up his sleeve.)

Of course it's a long race, of course anything can happen. To survive week one is hard enough, but then to attack or to match the attackers, that is the question. It may come down to who keeps the most energy and best form all the way through 4 weeks. It may depend on crashes, viruses, or one or 2 smart attacks on just the right days. Or it may play out exactly as expected. But I doubt it.  

So on with the show, this is it (summarised and commented, of course):

Tour De France 2012: Prologue Results | Cyclingnews.com

1 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) RadioShack-Nissan 0:07:13  Expected but a pleasant surprise to see confirmation - he's back. Fabian will hang onto the yellow until it makes no more sense for him or the team. He's done good, but where are the 'Shack's GC guys?
2 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Procycling 0:00:07 Expected. On form, done good. Used to be a TT specialist, despite obvious improvements elsewhere it remains to be seen how he copes with mountain descents in the wet, or the pressure of favoritism. Still, deserves to be the GC fave.
3 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Omega Pharma-QuickStep Great ride, Chavanel will steal a stage or 2, surely?
4 Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team 0:00:10 Again, rode out of his skin. A boost to BMC and a hopeful sign of strong support for GC man Evans.
5 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling 0:00:11 Expected. Wiggins has support, too.
6 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team Expected.
7 Patrick Gretsch (Ger) Argos - Shimano 0:00:12 Perhaps unexpected? Obviously a good result.
8 Denis Menchov (Rus) Katusha Team 0:00:13 Expected. A welcome return to form, deserves a break this year. Must be counted for the GC podium in Paris.
9 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC Racing Team Coming on strong at exactly the right time. Watch this space. Again a comfort to Evans to have another powerhouse on his side.
10 Andriy Grivko (Ukr) Astana Pro Team 0:00:15 Expected.
11 Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling 0:00:16 Expected. Another Wiggo support man.
12 Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-QuickStep 0:00:17 Expected.
13 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team Expected. He's not a TT specialist, although he does great TTs, especially long ones. He's managed his loss to just a few seconds, so he's in the game.
14 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:00:18 Like Evans he's done his job. Expected. Wiggo-Evans-Menchov for the podium, Nibali a close 4th? Maybe. It's a cliche but it's true - anything can happen from here. Expect an exciting week 3 if these 4 are still on the same page.
15 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Sharp Expected. OK, make that 5. It's a tough call to expect Hesjedal to back up after his epic Giro, so I'll say "not this time".
16 David Millar (GBr) Garmin - Sharp Expected.
17 Stephen Cummings (GBr) BMC Racing Team Great ride. More support for Cadel.
18 Jens Voigt (Ger) RadioShack-Nissan 0:00:19 Expected. Always there, isn't he? But he's not the 'Shack leader, is he? Maybe it's the next guy?
19 Andreas Klöden (Ger) RadioShack-Nissan Expected. Definitely in the game and if he's called upon to race like a leader and gets the support he's got the class to surprise... but then again, it's a big ask at the wrong end of a famous career, so maybe not.
20 Nick Nuyens (Bel) Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank 0:00:20 Expected.
21 Michael Albasini (Swi) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team Expected.
22 George Hincapie (USA) BMC Racing Team Expected and good to see Cadel's support around him after this short test. But it's the long game that matters.
skip a few
30 Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Sharp Expected, but perhaps he should have been a few places higher. We shall see how he sprints.
skip some more
36 Richie Porte (Aus) Sky Procycling Expected, but again he's not as far up as we might have hoped. Will have saved something for Wiggo's support in the mountains, I suspect.
skip again
41 Mark Cavendish (GBr) Sky Procycling Expected. But a good ride nonetheless. Makes it look a good contest between Cav and Farrar in the sprints, methinks.
43 André Greipel (Ger) Lotto Belisol Team Expected. Make that a 3-way race for Green. 
45 Tony Martin (Ger) Omega Pharma-QuickStep A good ride but he should have won - a bike change drama slowed him down. Revenge will be sweet, later.
53 Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale Oh dear, a bit less than expected. Missed a corner, pulled his foot? Whatever, he'll be back. Make it a 4-way race for Green.
61 Michael Rogers (Aus) Sky Procycling Expected. He's not a short TT guy and like Porte he'll be supporting Wiggo later.
69 David Zabriskie (USA) Garmin - Sharp Not that far off but slower than expected.
80 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Omega Pharma-QuickStep First GC guy to miss a trick, perhaps, but he's really here to support VDB... but where's VDB? Still, it's a lot of time to lose in the prologue. 
87 Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team No GC ambitions but can Gossy match it with the 4 sprinters above him? We shall see.
90 Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale Ouch. It's OK, he's a support guy for Nibali this year. Calm down. 
Skipping a few more
113 Christopher Horner (USA) RadioShack-Nissan Obviously saving himself.
And the rest. They all have their jobs to do.

Oh, what about Frank? Theory A. is that he's fried after a strong run a month or so back. Theory B is that he's going to pull a surprise. Theory C is that he'll support Andreas instead. They are professionals, they'll get over the dramas. Or not. 

136
Frank Schleck (Lux) RadioShack-Nissan. No chance from this far back, really, unless he is hiding stellar climbing form and cracks the lot of 'em in the mountains. It'll be fun to see him try, anyway. Or will he simply support Andreas?  

On to Stage 1, I guess.

It's now or never for the "truth" to out in Armstrong's case

So far the evidence has seemed circumstantial at best. There hasn't been hard evidence of doping, not in his blood or urine tests, anyway. Or so it seems, as the accusations include cover-ups, don't they? And that's the problem. It's all smoke - dense smoke at that. How can we pin the truth down except by trusting the guy - or not? It's his word against a lot of hot-air opinions, so far. Yes, Armstrong worked with people like Dr Ferrari, previously named, shamed and barred from the sport.  Yes, a large number of his teammates from the US Postal era went on to get caught doping. Yes, many - if not most - of the riders he beat for his Tour titles were later found to be doping. So? It's still not proof, is it?

Yet it all adds up to a great big cloud of doubt. Hopefully this is it. The proof, one way or the other.

It's hard to imagine that anyone will ever try again if this attempt fails, surely?

Doping Charges Recommended In Armstrong Case | Cyclingnews.com

A review board has recommended that the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) file anti-doping rule violations against Lance Armstrong, it was announced today. The agency claims to have evidence that the seven-time Tour de France champion conspired to boost his and his US Postal team's performance through the use of performance enhancing drugs.

“USADA can confirm that the independent three person Anti-Doping Review Board (ADRB) has conducted a full evaluation and has made a unanimous recommendation to move forward with the adjudication process in accordance with the rules," a statement from USADA read.

I should mention that a Canadian winning a Grand Tour is pretty special

There you go, I mentioned it. Normally it goes the Italians' way and any "outside" win is special. And Hesjedal winning is extra special as he has stuck with his boss, Jonathan Vaughters, and "believed" for so long. Where others have had Vaughter's blessing and support and blown it, Hesjedal has quietly grown and accomplished his goals. And how he won is special, too, by riding a strong time trial and following the key moves. He stuck at it, yet never appeared overly confident. He kept close. Only in week 3 did he seem to realise that the others weren't foxing. He really was the best rider over 3 weeks.  Does this now mean he gets 100% team support in Le Tour, this year or, perhaps more likely, the next?  Or does he aim for the Vuelta?

Hesjedal creates Grand Tour history in Italy : Cycling Central on SBS

Garmin-Barracuda's Ryder Hesjedal created cycling history overnight when he became the first Canadian to win a Grand Tour at the Giro d'Italia.

Good to see Canberran Rogers getting back to top form. Sky will have a potent stage winning - and perhaps overall GC-winning team at Le Tour 2012, indeed. Wiggins will have to fire with this level of classy support.

Bayern-Rundfahrt 2012: Stage 5 Results | Cyclingnews.com

Rogers said, "It’s great to get the wins here. I haven’t won a field race like on Thursday since 2006. That was a relief but wherever you win it’s always nice. I don’t feel like I’m at my peak yet. I’ve pretty much come straight off a heavy training camp with a few days’ rest. It’s quite exciting times if we can achieve results like this coming off the back of quite an intense camp. I think that’s a sign of the team’s strength. I’m looking forward to hopefully seeing more of Team Sky riding on the front."

Worth noting that Petacchi is firing, too. Coupled with Allan Davis close on his heels and the thought of Goss joining him at Le Tour it looks like a hot green jersey competition this year. Even if Cav is cooked and doesn't finish. 

I'll believe it when I see it: contactless bicycle dynamo uses eddy currents, not magnets or tyre sidewalls.

It'll be a good thing, especially when they add a capacitor and keep the lights running when you stop. I don't have fond memories of dynamos myself, especially when reaching "bulb-blowing" speeds. And bikes need lights at night. So bring it on.

Magnic Light claims new form of no-contact bicycle dynamo lighting

According to Strothmann, his fork- or brake caliper-mounted Magnic Light works with any type of metallic wheel rims. While other contactless dynamos do exist, those incorporate wheel-mounted magnets. Dirk's product, however, has the magnets in the dynamo, and utilizes eddy currents. In a nutshell, these are electrical currents that are induced in a conductor, when that conductor is exposed to a changing magnetic field.

A different sort of on-bike video (Felt F75 in motion)

This is what happens when I manage to shoot some simple video on the bike and then edit it to death in AVS Video Editor. It's a Felt F75, it's me, I'm fat and slow and way past my prime but there you go. All visuals and audio by me, sound produced and mixed in Mixcraft.

Moser the Sheriff takes on a local club race - wonderful cycling story

If nothing else it proves Moser hasn't stopped riding, or racing, apparently. Or how an impromptu invitation led to one of the cycling legends racing around a park. Great story. 

MOSER GOES TO NEW YORK | NY Velocity - New York bike racing culture, news and events

“Hey Charlie, are you sitting down? Francesco Moser wants to come to the park race on Saturday… and he wants to race…”

That’s how my conversation began with Charlie Issendorf, organizer of the Prospect Park Race series, began.

Just two days prior my wife had taken me to Lunetta, a local Brooklyn restaurant for my birthday; Francesco Moser and his son Carlo were in attendance there promoting their winery, Cantine Moser. Over a delicious meal the guests chatted with the gregarious (and multi-lingual) living legend and his son. Stories were told by the elder Moser in Italian, Spanish and French throughout the evening. As the wine flowed the local amateur racers began their campaign to get “the Sheriff” to attend Saturday’s first race of the spring series in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. “He loves everything related to ‘cyclismo,’” said Marco Moser. “Perhaps he will come to watch.”

“Watch?” we joked. “He is welcome to race!”

Felt seat post bolt went 'snap'

Seat post bolt_1674, a photo by gtveloce on Flickr.

Having previously broken the clamps it was inevitable that the bolt would be next. It went 'crack' over some bumps at about 40kmh. Clearly something has broken, I thought.

The saddle fell off as I battled to keep straight and slowly brake around a curving road through the Davo swamp. The bolt and the clamps landed and bounced on the road as I continued onward another 20-30m so so. They were a bit hard to find but I got the important bits.

Luckily the saddle was tied by its rails to the post with a tyre-sock or I would have been searching the roadside for it, too. I sat it on the post for the slow, mostly-out-of-the-saddle trip home. (Once before I had done this on a Gitane and rode over 30km back home, out of the saddle.)

Could have been worse.

Cycling jacket with 64 embedded LEDs? Plus motion sensors? And programmable?

Well it could end up somewhere good, but right now it's probably a bit scary. Do we need cycling gear that senses our actions and makes the appropriate signalling? Maybe we do. Do we need to bring more attention to our presence on the road? Yes. Do we need yet more distraction, especially when our mobile phone rings? No.

I can see the potential benefit but it seems a costly way to add a few more LEDs to our bike. And if we forget to put it on - or if it's too hot to wear - then what's the (blinking LED) point? Still. it may actually point the way to truly noticeable and intelligent cycling gear.

Sporty Supaheroe cycle jacket boasts "intelligent" sensors and dynamic LEDs

With its Sporty Supaheroe cycling jacket, the Utope Project aims to achieve just that - integrating 64 RGB LEDs into its stretchable, wearable circuit boards. And the inclusion of in-built sensors means the LED array can display a variety of patterns depending on circumstance.

The Sport Supaheroe integrates 64 RGB LEDs into its stretchable, wearable circuit boards
One mode, with white light on the jacket's front panels and red light to the red, is clear...
The inclusion of in-built sensors means the LED array can display a variety of patterns de...
It isn't absolutely clear how the LEDs are driven, but presumably the jacket integrates a ...
View all

Together, an integrated "acceleration sensor" and gyroscope track the cyclist's movement, conveying information for all to see on the jacket itself. Conceivably, this means that the jacket's rear panels could glow red under braking, or flash on one side if the cyclist moves sideways. A particularly nice touch is a smartphone call alert system, which we gather employs a simple light sensor in the jacket's inner pocket wired to the jackets outer LEDs. When an incoming call is received your smartphone screen lights up, triggering the sensor and LEDs. That said, anything that makes a telephone harder to ignore when cycling should be used with caution.

3TTT seatpost failure - a reminder

3TTT seatpost failure_0432, a photo by gtveloce on Flickr.

It's true - aluminium snaps! And it can be very quick (and just as you round a corner)...

Pick the problem here

Pick the problem_1644, a photo by gtveloce on Flickr.

Yep, it's a broken Felt F75 2009 model single-bolt seat post clamp. Ouch.

And yes, it was a Central Coast pot hole - or sub-optimally completed "road works" if you like. Blew 2 tyres (noticed that!) but didn't notice the fractured clamp for another 3 weeks or so.

Well I noticed that the saddle felt a bit "wonky" but couldn't quite pin down why... until finally the gap widened sufficiently that it wobbled up and down enough to be annoying.... I stopped, inspected and went, "oh, there's the problem, right there!". D'oh, as they say. And other cliches.

You may recall that over the years I have also broken a post (completely, I mean, as in sheared off) and snapped off the bolt that holds the saddle to the post. None of this is recommended practice.