PezCycling News - What's Cool In Road Cycling : TOUR’18: Ed’s Second Rest Day Round Up!

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TOUR’18: Ed’s Second Rest Day Round Up!
Tour Rest Day No.2: Week two of the 2018 Tour de France is done and dusted with Geraint Thomas holding the overall lead from his Sky team 'leader' Chris Froome second and Tom Dumoulin in third. Ed Hood rounds up the action and takes a look at Geraint's history and the final countdown to Paris.
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EUROTRASH News Round Up Monday!
July 23, 2018 - The crazyness of the Alpe d'Huez succeeded in showing the worst side of cycling and the end of Nibali's Tour, plus violence against Froome - Top Story. We catch up with the last four stages with results and video. Other cycling news: Evenepoel to Quick-Step, Madrid Challenge, Tour de Pologne, TDU Challenge and Alaphilippe and the Tour video.
TOUR'18 Stage 15: Cort Nielsen Astana Double - Thomas Still Yellow!
Stage Report: Much like Saturday, Sunday's stage 15 break of the day was the launch pad for a second win for the Astana team in two days. It was Magnus Cort Nielsen who took the victory in Carcassonne as the peloton strolled to the finish over 13 minutes later. No change in the overall.
PEZ At The TOUR Gallery: The Art Of Cycling, Live!
A mountain stage in the Tour de France can be a work of art illustrated by those anti-gravity lightweight climbers. Watercolor artist, Greig Leach is again capturing the Tour action 'as it happens' on the roads of France and you can see Greig in action on his YouTube channel.
Tour'18 Stage 14: Fraile Fabulous In Mende!
Stage Report: The 10% slopes on the climb to Mende drew out all the suffering and effort that we love about the Tour de France.  Going from the break, Astana's Omar Fraile threw down the biggest on the 3km climb to the finish above Mende for a brilliant and well deserved win, while the Tour's Top 3 stuck together but pulled more time on the rest of the contenders.
Pic de Nore: The Unknown Tour'18 Climb
TDF '18 Preview: The Tour de France will venture into the unknown on Sunday's stage 15 as the race will take on the all new Pic de Nore - a never before seen climb in the great race. That Pic de Nore a 12.5km long, tough climb that is dubbed the 'mini Ventoux' by local cyclists. We sent our man in France, Chris Selden along to check out the climb and ride it himself.
TOUR'18 Stage 13: Super Sagan Triple Stage Win!
Stage Report: Stage 13 took the Tour out of the Alps and could have been the day for a break to succeed, but the tired legs left the battle for the few sprinters. Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) pipped Alexander Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates) and Arnaud Démare (Groupama-FDJ) to the finish line and his third stage win this year.
PeloPic
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TOUR'18: The First Week Photo Gallery!
PeloPics: The Tour de France peloton has the opening week under its belt and so far everyone is still in the running for the overall win, give or take a minute here and there. We have seen a lot of images so far, but here are the ones we missed and some from behind scenes you'll never see anywhere else.
TOUR'18: The PEZ Presentation Photo Gallery!
PeloPics: The excitement is rising as the Tour de France prepares for the Grand Depart on Saturday. The teams were presented to the fans on Thursday evening in La Roche-sur-Yon on the French coast - The PEZ Presentation Photo Gallery.
The Second Motivation For The Public At The Tour de France
Tour Caravan PeloPics: The Tour de France publicity caravan is the hight point of the race for many people, after the riders of course. It's not just the free gifts thrown out by the girls and boys atop the different vehicles, but all the noise and excitement building up to the main act of the day.
Tech N Spec
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arundel floor pump 1 handle
Arundel Floor Pump 1 Review
The ARUNDEL Floor Pump 1 offers pro-level performance & quality for top level value - this bicycle tire pump costs just $99 US - and would make a handsome addition to any self-respecting road cyclist's work shop.
Lizard Skins Bar Tape - Which Thickness is Right for You?
Lizard Skins showed up at Sea Otter 2018 with something new – now offering three thicknesses of their DSP bar tape line. They’ve been making exceptional bar tape since 1993, and their DSP polymer, which combines comfort with a unique tackiness that enhances grip – was such a hit that they launched successful tape lines for baseball, hockey, and lacrosse.
KOO Orion Glasses: The First Look
VIDEO: The Koo Orion glasses are the newest eyewear from the Italian brand who also make KASK helmets. You've seen the gear on Team Sky riders, and while lens and frame shape will likely be the #1 reason you'd buy these, they're also heavy with features like Zeiss lenses, arms that adjust length-wise to fit different sized heads, and a nifty anti-fog vent.
First Look: BONT HELIX Road Shoe at Sea Otter 2018
VIDEO: I talked with Stephen from BONT Shoes about their all new HELIX road shoe, with carbon sole and fully integrated BOA laces that actually wrap completely around the foot. The fit is enhanced with an anatomically shaped toe box, and they're offered in a few cool color options. You can buy 'em online for US$399, or at a select dealer.
Gravel Bike Review: Niner RLT 9 RDO
With the growing trend for Gravel road cycling, it’s a section of our sport that we can’t ignore nor do we want to, since it's an awesome way to simply enjoy more riding.  Here's a closer look at the Niner RLT RDO, a gravel / adventure bike from some guys with deep roots on off-road cycling.
Lake CX402 Shoe Review: Custom Comes At A Price!
One of the biggest boosts for your Mojo is new shoes, and Chuck Peña has gone to the top shelf for a pair of Lake CX402s. Not cheap, but a work of shoe art in 'carbon and kangaroo leather… dead sexy!' is Chuck's description of Lake’s flagship model. But are custom fit, colors, and kanga-leather worth the price?
Race News
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TOUR’18: Ed’s Second Rest Day Round Up!
Tour Rest Day No.2: Week two of the 2018 Tour de France is done and dusted with Geraint Thomas holding the overall lead from his Sky team 'leader' Chris Froome second and Tom Dumoulin in third. Ed Hood rounds up the action and takes a look at Geraint's history and the final countdown to Paris.
TOUR'18 Stage 15: Cort Nielsen Astana Double - Thomas Still Yellow!
Stage Report: Much like Saturday, Sunday's stage 15 break of the day was the launch pad for a second win for the Astana team in two days. It was Magnus Cort Nielsen who took the victory in Carcassonne as the peloton strolled to the finish over 13 minutes later. No change in the overall.
Tour'18 Stage 14: Fraile Fabulous In Mende!
Stage Report: The 10% slopes on the climb to Mende drew out all the suffering and effort that we love about the Tour de France.  Going from the break, Astana's Omar Fraile threw down the biggest on the 3km climb to the finish above Mende for a brilliant and well deserved win, while the Tour's Top 3 stuck together but pulled more time on the rest of the contenders.
Travel
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Riding The French Alps With ErgVideo
The ErgVideo team not only builds great software, but they travel to famous cycling destinations with a whole team to create their unique content. Their trip to some of cycling’s monumental climbs in the French Alps resulted in some of their best-ever ErgVideo editions.
Travel: Southern France Stay & Ride
Cycling in France, it's a dream for many and has been a dream come true for our Australian PEZ man in France, Chris Selden who has been living in various parts of France since 2008. Now Chris is sharing his dream with others after he has bought and renovated a beautiful old house in the South of France that he is renting out for visiting cyclists.
It's Negroni Week: Back to Barolino!
Negroni Week on PEZ wouldn't be complete without homage to a true maestro of mixology. I speak only of Marco - proprietor of the legendary Barolino in Levanto Italy.  I vowed after first discovering his bar at the 2009 Giro to return one day with Mrs. Pez - and order two of his finest Negronis.
My Favorite Climb: Col de la Rouquette
With more than 25 years of racing experience around the world under his belt it's fair to say that our man in France, Chris Selden has ridden up a lot of climbs in his life. His choice of a favorite climb amongst the thousands that he's done though is a bit of a surprise, the Col de la Roquette in the Hérault Valley in France.
Features
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PEZ At The TOUR Gallery: The Art Of Cycling, Live!
A mountain stage in the Tour de France can be a work of art illustrated by those anti-gravity lightweight climbers. Watercolor artist, Greig Leach is again capturing the Tour action 'as it happens' on the roads of France and you can see Greig in action on his YouTube channel.
Roadside Reload: Alpe d'Huez 2015
Roadside Tour'15 Reload: The 2018 Tour de France makes its return to l'Alpe d'Huez on Thursday's stage 12. So, we revisit the mythical climb and its twisting ascent with Ed Hood and his side-kick Callum MacGregor - and the craziness of the Alpe's Dutch Corner back in 2015.
PEZ Bookshelf: Butcher, Blacksmith, Acrobat, Sweep-The First Tour de France
Author Peter Cossins describes in his history of that first 1903 Tour de France, the inelegantly titled “Butcher, Blacksmith, Acrobat, Sweep,” the original Tour de France, something totally new and untried and flawed in many ways, “should be considered as one of the greatest events in sporting history.”
Pez Videos
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Sunweb: Stage 9 Roubaix After Movie
Team Sunweb take you behind the scenes with their latest #InsideOut feature at stage nine of the Tour de France, as the peloton tackled the cobbles of Roubaix.
Cobbles Are In Our DNA
Quick-Step Floors CEO Patrick Lefevere, sports director Tom Steels, Paris-Roubaix winner Niki Terpstra and Belgian Champion Yves Lampaert talked of the inextricable link between the team and the pavé and the impact the cobbles could have on the Tour de France general classification.
Pre Vs Post Ride Coffee - What do Cyclists Prefer?
Coffee is a major part of the cycling culture. There’s no doubt about it. In fact, many cyclists jokingly say that if it wasn’t for a coffee they may not even ride at all!
Toolbox
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Heat Adaptation Hacks For Cyclists
TOOLBOX: With summer in full swing, there's no escaping riding in the heat, but hot temps inhibit the body's ability to perform. Dr. Stephen Cheung is an expert on thermal stresses on human performance and offers up his favorite heat adaptation hacks for cyclists.
Toolbox: Beat the Heat - With Your Brain
We have just passed the summer solstice and most of us in the northern hemisphere are facing long and hot days on the bike. There are lots of ways to improve our physical capacity in hot conditions, but can we improve our riding through improving our psychological response to heat stress?
Le Tour: Sprinters' Checklist
TOOLBOX: With the 105th le Tour de France starting on July 7, much of the focus will be on climbers & general classification riders, but with eight flat stages, the Tour is an excellent opportunity for the sprinters to shine too. This unique discipline requires a certain type of rider - with only a few possessing the physiology and mentality to bang shoulders and wheels at 50+ mph.
NewsWire
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DS Mario Aerts About the Team Training Camp in Livigno
While the Tour de France is underway, a major part of the other Lotto Soudal riders is currently staying in Livigno from 7 until 22 July to prepare for the second part of the season.
CCC Taking Over Team BMC Sponsorship in 2019
The future of Continuum Sports, currently operating as BMC Racing Team, was confirmed on the first rest day of the Tour de France with the news that Polish shoe and bag company CCC will become title sponsor in 2019.
Eric Young Completes the Three-Peat at ​ ​Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix
Prior to the 2018 Global Relay Gastown Grand Prix, the list of men’s cyclists who had won the famed race three times in a row stood at just one - Canadian cycling legend Ron Hayman.
Host City of Three-Time World Champion Peter Sagan’s Road Gran Fondo Announced
Bike Monkey, in partnership with Grand Tour stage winner and three-time World Champion Peter Sagan announced Windsor, California as the host city for the upcoming Sagan Road Fondo.
Readers' Rigs
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Readers' Rigs: Favaloro Puma XLight
As a lover of high end bikes, our reader Andy from Connecticut was always going to get a special bike when he went bike shopping but instead of just another off the shelf option he instead went all out with a sweet custom Favaloro Puma XLIGHT from Italy decked out with full Campag Super Record of course. Bellissimo!
Readers' Rigs: Trek Discovery Roubaix Special
This Trek is a special bike for many reasons: it has suspension, it has ridden Paris-Roubaix, it's an ex-team bike and it holds great memories of a wonderful man who is no longer with us. Martin Clark put the bike together in memory of his friend and took it back to Roubaix.
Readers' Rigs: Specialized Allez Sprint LTD
Today's reader is Aaron from Australia who has recently added to his ever growing stable of Specialized bikes with a new Allez Sprint LTD in bright pink which certainly doesn't go unnoticed on the roads down under.
Interviews
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Zappi Racing Team's Paul Double Gets PEZ'd!
Rider Interview: While the Tour de France has hit the Alps, Ed Hood hasn't stopped looking for the 'Stars of the Future' in the Under 23 peloton. Paul Double is a young man who has been cutting his teeth in Italy with the Zappi Racing team and doing rather well thank you. Here is Paul's story.
Aqua Blue Sport's Matt Brammeier - PEZ Talk!
Rider Interview: After a long professional career and many teams, Matt Brammeier has decided to hang up his wheels and move behind the scenes to tutor the U23 Men’s Endurance Academy at British Cycling. Ed Hood caught up with the Irish multi National champion to talk past, present and future.
Alejandro Valverde Back To The Tour de France
Valverde's Tour Preview: Alejandro Valverde; the Spanish allrounder is returning to the 'Grande Boucle' after his brutal crash on stage 1 of 2017 race. That crash nearly put an end to Bala's sporting career, but the man from Murcia has come back stronger in 2018 with a dozen victories before the Tour start. Here are his thoughts on the big race.
Nairo Quintana's 2018 Tour de France Preview
Quintana's Tour Preview: The 2018 Tour de France starts on the French coast on Saturday the 7th of July and the teams are wound up for the big 'Grand Depart'. The Movistar team is starting with three leaders, Nairo Quintana. Alejandro Valverde and Mikel Landa. We have the first of a three-part series with Blues' big names for the 'Grande Boucle'.
Eurotrash
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EUROTRASH News Round Up Monday!
July 23, 2018 - The crazyness of the Alpe d'Huez succeeded in showing the worst side of cycling and the end of Nibali's Tour, plus violence against Froome - Top Story. We catch up with the last four stages with results and video. Other cycling news: Evenepoel to Quick-Step, Madrid Challenge, Tour de Pologne, TDU Challenge and Alaphilippe and the Tour video.
EUROTRASH News Round Up Thursday!
July 19, 2018 - Sky dominated Tour stage 11 to put Geraint Thomas in yellow after the stage win and Chris Froome into 2nd overall. All the reports and video from 'La Grand Bouclé' and La Course . Time out for Mark Cavendish - Top Story. Other cycling news: CCC save BMC, Tours of Britain and Pologne, Lake Garda Classic, signings for LottoNL-Jumbo and Sunweb, Tour of Utah and Porte talks crash.
EUROTRASH News Round Up Monday!
July 16, 2018 - The Tour de France is in full swing as it leaves the cobbled behind and head for the hills. Sunday's stage finished any idea's of overall victory for Richie Porte - Top Story. All the results from France, plus the Österreich-Rundfahrt. Achievement of a lifetime: Heinrich Haussler, Williams joins Bahrain-Merida, Hirschi U23 Euro champion, Nijssen wins Wattmeister and cool Sagan.