Sprint Grand Prix at DGV @ 19 Nov - Davide Browne (BiciSport Happy Wheels) on the hunt for 4 wins at DGV
BiciSport Griffith to Canberra @ 19 Nov - After the ride from Griffith to Temora on Day 1 and a time to pose with Pailface Adios in the Temora main street. There is a strong trotting history in the Riverina.
BiciSport Griffith to Canberra @ 20 Nov - departing Temora on Day 2 with a hot day to Boorowa
BiciSport Griffith to Canberra @ 20 Nov - a pan flat ride on Day 2 from Temora to Young was greeted with a final very lumpy 45k from Young to Boorowa in 35 degree heat.
BiciSport Griffith to Canberra @ 21 Nov - Day 3 dawned with a nagging headwind out of Boorowa towards the car free backroads of Rye Creek and the lengthy gravel section towards Yass.
BiciSport Griffith to Canberra @ 21 Nov - the gravel section on the approach to Yass with Peter & Melissa Budd (blue BiciSport jerseys)
BiciSport Griffith to Canberra @ 21 Nov - the BiciSport peloton at Parliament House Canberra
BICISPORT MEMBER NEWS
CycNSW Sprint Grand Prix @ 20 Nov - David Browne rode well in the first Sprint GP of the DGV season, after qualifying in 12.1secs for the flying 200m, Davide then took 4 sprint wins.
Waratah Masters @ Heffron Park @ 22 Nov - Raoul Westbrook took 3rd in D grade for another podium. The winner won in a breakaway & Raoul took second in the bunch sprint.
BICISPORT GRIFFITH TO CANBERRA - 19-21 NOVEMBER
BiciSport Griffith peloton rode the 450k from Griffith to Canberra over three days commencing Thursday 19 November (overnight in Temora), then overnight at Boorowa (20 November), then into Canberra on 21 November. Congratulations to all those who rode in very hot conditions. Many thanks to BiciSport Griffith, Albert Ravenello, Peter & Melissa Budd for organising such a great trip.
BICISPORT CHRISTMAS PARTY - NOW A SANDSTONE CAFE COFFEE ON 5 DECEMBER
Due to the restrictions around the Covid pandemic the annual BiciSport Christmas Party has been cancelled and replaced by an outdoors BiciSport morning tea at the Sandstone Cafe (Myoora Rd, Miramare Gardens) on Saturday 5 December @ 9.30am. All welcome.
RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK
24 Nov - Tuesday Heffron Park Summer Series (Maroubra)
29 Nov - Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters), West Head Individual Time Trial (Manly CC), Illawarra Track & Criterium (Wollongong), Bike Bug Randonnee (Mt White Loop)
BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES THIS WEEK
24 Nov - Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am
24 & 26 Nov - Waratah Peloton @ pass the corner of Yulong Ave & McCarrs Creek Rd Terrey Hills @ 8.05am 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
25 Nov - Wise Monkey Cafe Gruppetto @ Berowra Railway Station @ 7.30am for 60k to Calga & return
26 Nov - Happy Wheels Waterloo Ride @ 6.00am @ Happy Wheels bike shop at Waterloo. Spruce Goose Ride @ Centennial Park @ 10.30am @ Spruce Goose Cafe
28 Nov - BiciSport Coffee at Miramare Sandstone Cafe (enter off Myoora Rd) @ 9.30am
Faema Professional Cycling Team - Version 1 was 1955-62 and Version 2 was 1968-70. Where does one even begin to summarise this team juggernaut ?.
Faema has a long history of professional cycling team sponsorship. Faema (and Faemino) are Italian expresso coffee machine makers of world renown.
Faema Version 1 (1955-62) was Italian registered with Rik Van Looy (Belgium) as the notable team leader (Rik won numerous one day Classics and a World Road Championships). Rik was indeed a legend of the sport. Rik Van Looy carries the iconic nickname in Belgium of “Rik 1”. Rik 2 is Rik Van Steenbergen and Rik 3 is Rik van Linden … there are only three “Rik’s” in Belgian cycling folklore.
Faema Version 2 (1968-70) was undoubtedly more famous as it was home to the greatest cyclist of all time in Eddy Merckx. Frames were Masi, groupsets were Campagnolo. Team manager was none other than Guillaume Driessens. Merckx and Driessens most certainly didn’t get on. Italian registered in 1968, the team was Belgian registered in 1969-70 when more Belgians joined the team (and the Italians got squeezed out)
Team victories were endless with Merckx taking his first Giro victory in 1968, followed by the Tour de France in 1969. The Giro-Tour double followed for Merckx in 1970. One day Classic victories flowed like good Belgian beer …
Team riders were nothing short of the best of the best - Eddy Merckx, Roger Swerts, Guido Reybrouck, Martin Van Den Bossche, Victor Van Schil, Vittorio Adorni, Joseph Bruyere, Jos Huysmanns, Joseph Spruyt, Italo Zilioli & Patrick Sercu. You name it, they won it.
Faema Professional Cycling Team - Eddy Merckx attacks solo in the rain in the 1969 Tour of Flanders (Ronde Van Vlaanderen) with 70k to the finish and is directed (to wait for others) by his Team Manager Driessens from the Faema Team car. Merckx refused the Sport Directors direction from Driessens and won solo by 5 minutes.
Faema transitioned to Faemino sponsorship in 1970
Faema Professional Cycling Team - Martin Van Den Bossche leads Eddy Merckx in the 1969 Milan San Remo
Faema Professional Cycling Team - Merckx at the Tour of Italy in 1970 (wearing the pink leaders jersey) now sponsored by Faemino. Merckx would move to Molteni in 1971 & join Martin Van Den Bossche (also in this picture).
Merckx won the World Championship in late 1967 and pictured here wearing the coveted Rainbow jersey for Faema in early 1968 at the Faema Team Presentation. The 1968 team was heavy on Italians but that wouldn’t last into 1969.