tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43951209629707506762012-02-17T14:10:07.865ZRandom musings of an Irish cycling obsessive.Foxyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03371916895010842207noreply@blogger.comBlogger124125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395120962970750676.post-44022772913705004982012-02-17T14:10:00.000Z2012-02-17T14:10:07.895Z

From todays Irish Times: UK bus driver jailed for hitting cyclist Obviously something happened before this incident to lead to the cyclist berating the driver. Whatever the wisdom of the cyclist choosing to get involved there can be no justification for what followed. Lesson to cyclists: don't get involved on the street if an incident happens. Take the bus details and report the driver to the

Foxyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03371916895010842207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395120962970750676.post-13697355595879447882012-02-10T01:07:00.002Z2012-02-10T01:07:49.769Z

Listen to Paul Kimmage give his usual forthright views on the Contador and Armstrong cases. Riis, paedophiles and doping all in one sentence! The Kimmage interview starts about half way through.

Foxyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03371916895010842207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395120962970750676.post-82415985261609886062012-01-26T14:54:00.000Z2012-01-26T14:55:15.157Z

My last post outlined the story of Alexandre Dougnier, a 19 year old 3rd cat riding for ACBB in Paris, who was found guilty of having 12 banned substances in one sample. I mentioned that details were sketchy in reports of the story so I was very interested to see this post giving more details of the actual substances found. Assuming this information is accurate it paints a very worrying

Foxyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03371916895010842207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395120962970750676.post-20833012158964272882012-01-24T10:12:00.003Z2012-01-24T10:12:51.213Z

We've all heard the phrase "the innocence of youth" but a doping case just announced in France has shown how that innocence, or possibly naivety, can become a cause for major guilt. The French Cycling Federation  has just handed down a three-year suspension to 19-year-old Alexandre Dougnier, a young third category rider. Dougnier tested positive for no less than 12 different banned substances

Foxyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03371916895010842207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395120962970750676.post-82899275111567858012012-01-23T18:06:00.000Z2012-01-23T18:08:09.468Z

Seeing the writing on the wall for UCI revenues, when one of the many mooted breakaway leagues actually sticks, Pat McQuaid has given himself something to fall back on by getting a job as an air steward with Irish airline, Aer Lingus.   Anyone for tea?

Foxyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03371916895010842207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395120962970750676.post-73682675881691830592012-01-07T21:36:00.001Z2012-01-07T21:37:00.850Z

Despite car trouble and then camera trouble I managed to get these not very good pics of today's Irish Cyclo-cross Championships in St. Annes Park, Raheny, Dublin. Many congratulations to Robin Seymour on his quite amazing 18th title. Can anything stop this man! Robin Seymour on his way to yet another victory Two time champion, Roger Aiken, chased hard but couldn't catch Seymour

Foxyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03371916895010842207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395120962970750676.post-78287944183825538842012-01-07T19:06:00.001Z2012-01-07T19:08:01.427Z

Foxyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03371916895010842207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395120962970750676.post-38169809437650749422012-01-02T21:54:00.000Z2012-01-02T21:54:28.142Z

I know the muse-ette has been a bit quiet lately, for lot's of reasons, but it'd be a shame to let the New Year period pass without the the annual, unprestigious Muse-ette Awards. So here, in no particular order, are the 2011 muse-ette Awards: Best Stage Race: After last years snub of the Grand Tours by the muse-ette awards, which I know they took note of, this year saw them clean up their acts

Foxyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03371916895010842207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395120962970750676.post-52521440652802971042011-12-27T16:22:00.000Z2011-12-27T16:24:08.006Z

And that's just the commentary! An exhibition of bike handling in appalling conditions.

Foxyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03371916895010842207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395120962970750676.post-8257031686076305412011-11-24T10:53:00.001Z2011-11-24T10:57:50.099Z

Imagine it was wet!!

Foxyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03371916895010842207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395120962970750676.post-53712865061524900992011-11-23T00:00:00.001Z2011-11-23T00:32:13.669Z

I've been watching old videos of some of Sean Kellys early Classic wins. He really was some rider. It's hard to imagine one of todays specialists being able to win any combination of San Remo, Roubaix, Lombardy and Liege, especially in the same season. His domination of Paris-Roubaix 1984 was truly phenomenal. For no reason, other than I'm sitting here morphing back into the teenage fan I was

Foxyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03371916895010842207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395120962970750676.post-16873921647444288932011-10-26T12:28:00.002+01:002011-10-26T12:28:18.099+01:00

If we ever needed proof that the success of the GB track cycling team is capturing the public imaginations here it is. Scalextric, the famous car racing game, now comes in a velodrome version with two GB clad riders who can race each other around a banked track. I assume you can do head to head sprints and inidvidual pursuits but I'm not sure a keirin would work too well! http://

Foxyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03371916895010842207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395120962970750676.post-37144384982890559102011-10-19T10:42:00.000+01:002011-10-19T10:42:03.488+01:00

Nico gave a very intelligent and insightful interview with Off The Ball presenter Eoin McDevitt on Dublins Newstalk radio station last night. Enjoy.

Foxyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03371916895010842207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395120962970750676.post-33061359721977776052011-08-31T09:59:00.000+01:002011-08-31T09:59:38.561+01:00

After yesterdays pleasant surprise to see a team of workers cleaning up the bike lane along East Wall Road, I was full of anticipation as I rode towards it this morning. I was looking forward to rolling along a pristine, smooth and shiny surface, laughing out loud at the ease and safety of my exclusive, truck-free route. OK, so I was a little bit over-optimistic. If my Dad had been there to

Foxyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03371916895010842207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395120962970750676.post-74946368897552647232011-08-30T10:42:00.000+01:002011-08-30T10:42:27.887+01:00

A couple of days ago I discovered an online portal which provides citizens of Dublin the means to report any relevant issues they may have to the city authorities, creating a "Service Request" for Dublin City Council. All part of their "aim to provide a high-quality, efficient and courteous level of service to all of our customers". Call me cynical, but it looked to me like one of those

Foxyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03371916895010842207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395120962970750676.post-21038322322340426572011-08-27T00:30:00.003+01:002011-08-27T15:54:51.688+01:00

Here're pics and results from last nights National Hill Climb Champs, 2.5 km of gut-busting agony up Kilmashogue Lane, in the foothills of the Dublin Mountains. It was tiring just walking up! The title was won very convincingly by Mark Dowling of Team Dectek, with defending champion Ryan Sherlock having to settle for silver. Bronze went to this seasons time trialling revelation, Damien Shaw of

Foxyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03371916895010842207noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395120962970750676.post-57454969458927806132011-08-09T23:47:00.001+01:002011-08-09T23:51:50.946+01:00

Enjoyed a great nights racing at Mondello Park this evening. It's great to see a few faces from my day back in the bunch!

Foxyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03371916895010842207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395120962970750676.post-12625971553862769752011-08-03T01:33:00.000+01:002011-08-03T01:33:55.414+01:00

I just discovered the Pathe News website recently. It's got loads of great old newsreels, including lot's of cycling ones. I found this today. It's a silent film showing the competitors in the Irish 25 Mile Cycling Champs, possibly in 1921. 25 MILE CYCLING CHAMPSYour browser does not support iframes. This one shows some great footage from the 1948 Olympic Road Race in Windsor Great Park

Foxyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03371916895010842207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395120962970750676.post-19074689022686981982011-07-14T01:04:00.000+01:002011-07-14T01:04:29.244+01:00

How many do you adhere to? http://www.velominati.com/blog/the-rules/

Foxyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03371916895010842207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395120962970750676.post-83908358406189041222011-06-25T01:10:00.000+01:002011-06-25T01:10:31.301+01:00

So Dr Hutch didn't quite pull it off. 48 British titles but no Irish one to add to it this year. In pretty awful conditions, the 40km route was ridden in 50:15 by the new Irish TT Champion, and still reigning Irish RR Champion (until Sunday at least), Matt Brammeier of HTC Highroad. The battle of the Northerners was played out behind him, with David McCann coming out on top and taking silver,

Foxyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03371916895010842207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395120962970750676.post-76979062372964505102011-06-22T01:04:00.000+01:002011-06-22T01:04:51.823+01:00

As I do every day, I was reading the latest postings on IrishCycling.Com this morning when a seemingly small detail caught my eye. Under the headline "IRISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - ENTRY LIST" they've published exactly that, a list of all riders entered for the various Irish championship races due to take place at the end of the month. There in the list for the Elite Mens TT is the name

Foxyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03371916895010842207noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395120962970750676.post-1386001156500413052011-05-27T15:21:00.000+01:002011-05-27T15:21:03.734+01:00

One of the best things about owning an iPod, or any MP3 player, is the huge range of podcasts available to download. For those less tech savvy among you, a podcast is an audio recording playable on a digital device. A lot of radio broadcasts are released in podcast format, but there is a huge number of specially made recordings available too. Podcasts are usually free of charge and can cover all

Foxyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03371916895010842207noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395120962970750676.post-91505132033141833882011-04-26T22:51:00.000+01:002011-04-26T22:51:56.545+01:00

I bet that headline got your attention! I can't claim it though. It appeared over a story in the Daily Mail on 24th February claiming that commuting by bike is one of the main triggers of heart attacks. Of course it's utter nonsense. While it's based on a possible interpretation of a report summarizing a group of medical studies, the headline is typical of the modern phenomenon where papers

Foxyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03371916895010842207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395120962970750676.post-26557472758883894592011-04-21T23:01:00.000+01:002011-04-21T23:01:48.586+01:00

Recently my non-cycling father-in-law arrived at my house with a small green book in his hand . It was given to him by his 80-something neighbour who had found it among her late husbands things and thought I might be interested in it. She was right! The green booklet turned out to be the programme for the 1906 British Empire Cycling Championships, held at the Ulster Grounds in Belfast.

Foxyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03371916895010842207noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4395120962970750676.post-49720152164261627152011-04-17T15:54:00.000+01:002011-04-17T15:54:34.899+01:00

Here's two videos to get your adrenaline going. VCA 2010 RACE RUN from changoman on Vimeo.

Foxyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03371916895010842207noreply@blogger.com0