News Shorts - 18 July

Parramatta Interclub @ Oakville near Windsor @ 16 July - Ian Grant (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) takes an excellent 3rd

West Head Road Race @ 17 July - Craig Pager & Eric Dole (BiciSport Happy Wheels) before the chilly start on the West Head Road

West Head Road Race @ 17 July - Eric Dole focused at the front of the peloton and in control

West Head Road Race @ 17 July - Craig Pager featured well on lap 1 (of 2)

West Head Road Race @ 17 July - Craig Pager after the finish

West Head Road Race @ 17 July - Eric Dole shows his feelings as to what 4th place feels like

BiciSport @ Sandstone Cafe Terrey Hills @ 16 July - The Saturday peloton meets at the Sandstone Cafe every Saturday at 9.30 and all welcome.

From L to R … Tony Rabbidge, Peter Krause, Ian Grainger, Marty Wright, Richard Mulberry (Richard is sponsored by Millwall FC beanie “No One Likes Us”), Karl Hoad & Nigel Smith. The Eddy Merckx bike is a nice touch.

Eddy Merckx (Molteni) …. you know you’re famous when there is a dedicated “De Molteni’s” rock band playing some chessy Belgian tunes

De Molteni’s Band …. the Molteni bidon (on the right) is a nice touch ! …. the music is cheesy and pretty average but you gotta love the Molteni dress sense

Booralie Rd Terrey Hills - if you’re cycling along Booralie Rd then be alert, be aware as the “trenches of death” awaits you …. the little treasures are everywhere.

NSW MASTERS ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS - SINGLETON PROGRAM ANNOUNCED FOR 2-4 SEPTEMBER

• BiciSport will be offering full rider support services over the 3 days of the Masters Championship (see the Special Events section of this website for further information)

• The NSW Masters program is -

  • Friday 2 Sept @ Glendon Rd Singleton

    • Individual Time Trial over 20k @ 10.30am (first rider)

  • Saturday 3 Sept @ Glendon Rd Singleton

    • Road Races

      • 8am - M1-2, M3, M4

      • 10.30am - M5, M8

      • 1.00pm - M6, M7, M9+

  • Sunday 4 Sept @ Broke

    • Criteriums

      • 8.00am start with Women Masters first then M9 first to M1-2 last

NATIONAL MASTERS ROAD & CYCLOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS - WOLLONGONG DATES & ENTRIES NOW OPEN

• Details of the National Masters Road Championships in Wollongong are now posted in the Special Events section of this website. Entries are now open via the AusCycling website

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 23 July

  • Heffron Park Criteriums (Randwick Botany CC)

• 24 July

  • Lansdowne Park Criterium (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 20 July

  • 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 22 July

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

  • 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

• Sat 23 July

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

La William Pro Cycling Team (Belgium) - 1989-93

Fast food & beer was the currency of choice - La William did cooking sauces, Duvel the Belgian beer and Saltos the snacks. Team bikes were Chesini & Campagnolo the groupsets.

You know you have a team performance problem when the 1993 team managers (in Frank Hoste & Rudy Pevenage) were more famous for their own personal racing histories than the teams actual race results (it was difficult to really find out what they actually did). Beyond Frank Hoste, Luc Colijn (both past their best), Ludo Giesberts and Stan Tourne it was a struggle. The sponsors may have been fast (food) but not so the team.

Frank Hoste going for the Green jersey at the 1985 Tour de France. Sean Kelly is second.

Hoste rotated through numerous pro teams be it Tulip, ADR, Fagor, Marc, Europ Decor (pictured above beating Sean Kelly), Del Tongo & finally La William

The La William team featured the Chesini frameset in 1992 with the then innovative rear frame triangle (high set on the seat post). Luc Colijn is now a coach at the Eddy Merckx-Ghent Velodrome in Belgium

News Shorts - 4 July

Belgian National Road Championships @ 26 June - Middelkerke is a Belgian coastal town and has a strong urban footprint facing the North Sea - its not dissimilar to running a major cycle race from Bondi to Coogee.

Middelkerke sits on the North Sea coastline just a few pedal strokes from the French border. Its flat but the wind blows a gale to make for tough racing.

Belgian National Road Championships @ 26 June - The professional peloton pass through the coastal urban fringe of Middelkirke

Belgian National Road Championships @ 26 June - Team QuickStep after the Championship finish. Note the strong urban footprint in the background … try running a bike race on this scale through suburban Bondi !

Belgian National Road Championships @ 26 June - BiciSport Belgium in the form of Koen & Olivia Verhulst (right of picture) after the Championship finish with Olivia (top right) seeking the attention of the Lotto Soudal rider, just maybe searching for a little gift ….

Belgian National Road Championships @ 26 June - Olivia Verhulst gets her gift with a Lotto Soudal bidon.

Belgian National Road Championships @ 25 June - Eddy Verhulst (BiciSport Belgium) dons a BiciSport cap in light drizzle the day before the Belgian Championship. No Belgian cycle race is complete without light drizzle, a Jupiler beer van beside the mandatory Belgian hamburger van !

Belgian National Road Championships @ 26 June - Belgian Championship Medal Presentations

This local ITT is under lights on Saturday night !. Racing starts at 6.30pm

BiciSport is happy to announce the sponsorship of two Belgian races at Velle near Antwerp - 12 August being the Vermeiran Race for Masters over 40K & 60k and on 16 August the Hugo Maes Race for Elites over 119k.

Tour de France 1933 - A retro pic with some classic cars together with cyclists carrying double bidons on the handelbars

MANLY BEACH GETS A RING OF CYCLIST FRIENDLY SPEED BUMPS

• Manly Beach has now ringed itself with several (thankfully) cyclist friendly speed bumps. Its just a real shame the same Northern Beaches Council couldn’t have adopted this cyclist considerate approach along McCarrs Creek Road from Church Point to the National Park. The poor engineering design of the 21 speed bumps from Church Point continue to be a testimony to appalling Council engineering & cyclist strategies.

BELGIAN WAFFLE RIDE IN CENTENNIAL PARK REVERTS TO A THURSDAY

• The BiciSport gruppeto tried Wednesday, but have now reverted back to a Thursday @ 10.30am from the Spruce Goose Cafe in the centre of the Park. All welcome.

NATIONAL MASTERS ROAD & CYCLOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS - WOLLONGONG DATES & COURSES ANNOUNCED

• Details of the National Masters Road Championships in Wollongong are now posted in the Special Events section of this website

EASTERN CREEK RACEWAY RACING NOW IN WINTER RECESS UNTIL SEPTEMBER

• Waratah Masters now focus on Lansdowne Park & Heffron Park during the Winter 22 recess. So see you at ECR in early September

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 9 July

  • ECR Time Trial under lights (Camden CC)

• 8-10 July

  • Tour of the Tropics (Qld-NRS)

• 10 July

  • Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 5 July

  • 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 7 July

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

  • 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

• Sat 9 July

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Capri Sonne Pro Cycling Team (Belgium) -1973-82

Originally sponsored by Ijsboerke Ice Cream (1973-1980) the final two years were with Capri Sonne (a German juice drink). Bikes were originally Eddy Merckx but then Koga Miyata in the final two years. Team managers were Walter Godefroot & Patrick Lefevere.

Team members were a talented lot (maybe more so in the Ijsboerke years) and Capri Sonne team results were somewhat limited in 1981 & 82. Having said that Theo de Rooy won the ‘82 Tour of Germany, Gregor Braun won the ‘82 Kuurne Brussel Kuurne and Peter Winnen won a stage at the ‘82 Tour de France. Supporting riders were again a talented lot - Ludo Delcroix, Paul Haghedooren (Belgian Champion), Jeff Lieckens, Eric Mackenzie, Rudy Pevenage & Dirk Wayenberg.

Capri Sonne - Daniel Willems wins the 1981 Fleche Wallone Classic in Belgium

Capri Sonne - Peter Winnen wins Stage 17 at the ‘82 Tour de France

Capri Sonne - Koga Miyata was the team bike of choice in 1981 & 82

News Shorts - 27 June

Noosa Gravel @ 17 June - Marty Wright (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) on the gravel tracks outside Noosaville

West Head ITT @ 26 June - Gio Pilu (BiciSport Pilu Racing Team) before the start

West Head ITT @ 26 June - Gio Pilu starting at 6.50am for a chilly start

West Head ITT @ 26 June - Gio Pilu was all smiles with the slick Specialised S Works ITT beast

West Head ITT @ 26 June - Tom Green (BiciSport Happy Wheels) on the start line

West Head ITT @ 26 June - Tom Green on his way to West Head lookout until a puncture ended his day

West Head ITT @ 26 June - Ian Grant (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) on the start line

West Head ITT @ 26 June - Ian Grant headed towards the West Head lookout

West Head ITT @ 26 June - Ian Grant after the finish

Lansdowne Park @ Waratah Masters @ 26 June - Eric Dole (left) and Peter Verhoeven rode in A2 grade. A2 grade was brutal from the gun for the 17 starters. After 25 minutes the field had lost 7 or 8 starters with Eric & Peter a very good peloton finish. Average speed was a cracking 38kph. .

This ITT is under lights on Saturday night. See you there.

RICHARD MULBERRY FEATURED THIS WEEK

• Richard Mulberry (a long time BiciSport supporter) is featured this week in the regular team feature (pictures are below). Richard can be sighted at the Sandstone Cafe at Terrey Hills every Saturday morning for coffee explaining how to fight a Flemish crosswind over cobbled roads built by Napoleon. Discussions are always entertaining and never dull and the pictures below offer a great insight.

BELGIAN WAFFLE RIDE IN CENTENNIAL PARK REVERTS TO A THURSDAY

• The BiciSport gruppeto tried Wednesday, but have now reverted back to a Thursday @ 10.30am from the Spruce Goose Cafe in the centre of the Park. All welcome.

NATIONAL MASTERS ROAD & CYCLOCROSS CHAMPIONSHIPS - WOLLONGONG DATES & COURSES ANNOUNCED

• Details of the National Masters Road Championships in Wollongong are now posted in the Special Events section of this website

EASTERN CREEK RACEWAY RACING NOW IN WINTER RECESS UNTIL SEPTEMBER

• Waratah Masters now focus on Lansdowne Park & Heffron Park during the Winter 22 recess. So see you at ECR in early September

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 2 July

  • Oakville Road Race (Parramatta CC)

• 3 July

  • Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters)

  • Mt Ku Ring Gai Criterium (Northern Sydney CC)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 28 June

  • 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 30 June

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

  • 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

• Sat 2 July

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Richard Mulberry in one of the original BiciSport team jerseys sponsored by Supreme Cycles Narrabeen

Richard Mulberry is a well known cyclist on the Northern Beaches and has competed in numerous local Masters races & Championships. Not known to many is Richard’s “real career” as an international Elite cyclist with a highly acknowledged list of results.

Pictured above is 16 year old Richard Mulberry in his first race (being a time trial) in 1963 at South London over the traditional 25 mile (40k) distance. Bike is French (Andre Bertin) repainted in Team Carpano colours (gun metal gray with black-white rings)

Richard takes victory in the 1969 Green Shield Grand Prix in the Midlands racing for the Vulcan team. Note in the background right is a very young Phil Liggett (open mouth). Helmets were not compulsory in those days.

In 1967 a youthful looking Richard at the 1967 Milk Race (riding for the London team).

1967 Milk Race and Richard has his team bike parked against the Milk Race team car. Note the spare tyre under the seat plus the mandatory pump on the downtube

1967 again and Richard’s first big win from a day long breakaway at the early season Dover-London Classic in the pouring rain. This win set up Richard’s future career and ensured selection in UK international teams. Note the delightful Morris Estate car in the background that had original wooden panelling.

Richard (right) in 1968 had begun his international career with races in Holland, Spain, France, Belgium & Germany. The rider on the left was the classy Ron Keeble who took the Bronze medal in the 1972 Munich Olympics in the UK team in the track teams pursuit.

The above picture was taken at the Basildon Grand Prix in North London where Richard again took a great victory (Richard actually punctured during the race and Ron Keeble gave his rear wheel to Richard).

Richard was (and remains) known for setting his brake levers as low as possible in the style of Sean Yates.

1967 after riding the Tour of Tarragona in Spain, Richard then took Bronze at home at the All London Championships.

Bike was a Geoffrey Butler loaded with Italian center pull Universal brakes, plus high flange Campagnolo hubs. Gear levers were mounted on the end of the handlebars.

1970 at the European Games racing for Great Britain team at the Charlottenburger Criterium West Berlin. Richard finished in the peloton with the race won by (then) current World Road Champion in Lief Mortensen (Denmark).

Note that Richard was still running on Campagnolo High flange hubs and had progressed (! !) to Italian Universal side pull brakes. Shoes were Italian leather in Detto Pietro

Charlottenburger Criterium through the streets of West Berlin and Richard is third wheel (above)

1969-1971 and Richard lived in Ghent Belgium racing for the Gentse Velo Sport team. Richard raced in 1969 as a Vulcan (UK) team rider then was taken on as a team rider for the local Belgian Gentse VS team in 1970 & 71. The racing in Belgium was a heavy diet of 5 races per week … mid week races were 100k with 150k at weekends … full gas and always with cobbled sections.

News Shorts - 20 June

Oakville Handicap @ Parramatta Club @ 18 June - Peter Verhoeven (left) & Ian Grant (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) hard at it in the Oakville Handicap near Windsor

Oakville Handicap @ Parramatta Club @ 18 June - Ian Grant (left) & Peter Verhoeven

Waratah Masters @ Heffron Park @ 19 June - Eric Dole (BiciSport Happy Wheels) finished 5th in A2 grade

Wattle Signs & Print @ 17 June - Wattle Signs are based at Terrey Hills and offer a great service. If you need signage for your car or business then Matt is your man & kindly helped to restore the BiciSport 504 Peugeot to its former glory. Thanks Matt.

Crisis ? What Crisis ? …. the iconic Supertramp album from the 1970’s had a strong view on the past and present that resonates even today

If you’ve been browsing the national media lately you’ll no doubt see the trials & tribulations of the national netball federation. The similarities between netball & cycling could not be more apparent. Whenever sports administrators cross the jagged line into sports promotion then just wait for the tears and debt that begin to flow. You can be assured it will be a rough ride. Sport administrators are skilled in many aspects of their beloved sport but sport promotion is rarely (if ever) one of those. History is about to be repeated and yes, when you need to deflect blame, there is always the Covid card.

Whilst on the topic of abject failures that seemingly disappear into the Maxwell Smart “Cone of Silence” what is with the complete silence & lack of accountability for failed sports promotions at our domestic level ?. There are several NSW cycling events that have just quietly disappeared off the calendar and little is heard of them again. The lack of publicity on these cancellations is somewhat perplexing. Recently the Gunnedah Weekend was cancelled on the Tuesday before with no fanfare (cancelling the Coonabarabran event on the Saturday killed the whole weekend including a Womens Championship). This comes on the heals of other notable cancellations including the Bathurst to Bathurst Cyclosportive (woeful course design buried that hugely popular weekend), the Rememberance Cup @ ECR (?) and the Sydney Championships @ Penrith Lakes. It’s really annoying if you’ve missed your accommodation refund date but clearly its a sensitive issue for some when a simple & clear communication strategy is all that is needed.

BELGIAN WAFFLE RIDE IN CENTENNIAL PARK REVERTS TO A THURSDAY

• The BiciSport gruppeto tried Wednesday, but have now reverted back to a Thursday @ 10.30am from the Spruce Goose Cafe in the centre of the Park. All welcome.

NATIONAL MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIPS - WOLLONGONG DATES & COURSES ANNOUNCED

• Details of the National Masters Road Championships in Wollongong are now posted in the Special Events section of this website

EASTERN CREEK RACEWAY RACING NOW IN WINTER RECESS UNTIL SEPTEMBER

• Waratah Masters now focus on Lansdowne Park & Heffron Park during the Winter 22 recess. So see you at ECR in early September

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 26 June

  • Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters)

  • Individual Time Trial (West Head)

  • Melburn Roobaix Cyclosportive (Melbourne, Vic)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 21 June

  • 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 23 June

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

  • 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

• Sat 25 June

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Plum Vainqueur Cycling Team (Belgium) - 1949-61

In 1910 Pol Desnerk opened a tiny bike shop in Ghent Belgium. Originally the shop was called La Plume as everything that sounded French stood for quality (even in Flanders). The name changed to Plume Vainqueur, and finally it became Plum.

Plum started sponsoring riders and teams and had a full pro team from 1949 until 1961. The shop soon started taking upstairs tenants including numerous Australians (Alf Strom, Reg Arnold, & Alan Peiper) and several Englishman (including Gary Wiggins (father of) & Tom Simpson).

Tom Simpson became the 1965 World Road Race Champion racing for Peugeot-BP.  The antique bike museum in the basement of the Plum shop is a bit chaotic (that is an understatement) but the Gios bike of Fons De Wolf was worth a closer look. The Plum Gent website is www.plum-gent.be

Richard Bukacki (Belgium) raced successfully for Plum then went on to win several professional races for his future Belgian teams.

Plum Sport where steel is real

The Plum Sport cycling museum is in the basement under the bike shop in Gent

Plum Sport cycle shop in Gent

News Shorts - 13 June

Lansdowne Park @ Waratah Masters @ 12 June - Peter Verhoeven (left) & Ian Grant (BiciSport Anytime Fitness). Both rode well in A2 grade.

Lansdowne Park @ Waratah Masters @ 12 June - Ian Grant

Lansdowne Park @ Waratah Masters @ 12 June - Peter Verhoeven

Lansdowne Park @ Waratah Masters @ 12 June - Ian Grant

Lansdowne Park @ Waratah Masters @ 12 June - Peter Verhoeven

Lansdowne Park @ Waratah Masters @ 12 June - Peter Verhoeven (second wheel) & Ian Grant (fourth wheel) in A2 grade

Sydney Cold Snap versus Giro 88 - Yes, its freezing but the next time your toes fall off going around Akuna Bay or Griffith think of poor Franco Chiccolli (pictured above) climbing the Gavia Pass in the 1988 Giro in a snow blizzard.

Note that Franco is using Campagnolo Delta brakes that were notorious for 1. looking great 2. simply not working ! … Franco is lucky he didn’t sail straight through Bormio at the stage finish and end up in deep darkest Austria

Its not official just yet but the Sydney Championships have quietly disappeared off the AusC Events calendar so its a fair statement to make that the Penrith Lakes Regatta Centre Sydney Championships have been CANCELLED due to ongoing roadworks stemming from the recent summer floods in Sydney. No news yet on a replacement venue but watch this space.

With the NSW calendar in something of a winter recess over the coming weeks the next major get together is at the NSW Masters State Championships in Singleton in early September but this is the calm before the Spring Storm when everything comes in a mad rush towards Wollongong in late September then continues into October with the Singleton TTT, Bowral Classic & Tour of Bright in Victoria

The following Special Events listing (below) has more detail in the Special Events section of this BiciSport website & hope to see you there.

Aug 28 - BiciSport Team Time Trial Training

Sept 2-4 - NSW Masters Road Champs @ Singleton

Sept 12-26 - National Masters Road Champs & World Elite Road Champs @ Wollongong

Oct 8-9 - NSW Teams Time Trials @ Singleton

Oct 15-16 - Bowral Classic @ Bowral

Dec 2-4 - Tour of Bright @ Bright, Vic

BELGIAN WAFFLE RIDE IN CENTENNIAL PARK REVERTS TO A THURSDAY

• The BiciSport gruppeto tried Wednesday, but have now reverted back to a Thursday @ 10.30am from the Spruce Goose Cafe in the centre of the Park. All welcome.

NATIONAL MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIPS - WOLLONGONG DATES & COURSES ANNOUNCED

• Details of the National Masters Road Championships in Wollongong are now posted in the Special Events section of this website

EASTERN CREEK RACEWAY RACING NOW IN WINTER RECESS UNTIL SEPTEMBER

• Waratah Masters now focus on Lansdowne Park & Heffron Park during the Winter 22 recess. So see you at ECR in early September

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 18 June

  • Oakville Road Race Handicap (Parramatta CC)

• 18-19 June

  • Tamworth Weekend

• 19 June

  • Heffron Park (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 14 June

  • 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 16 June

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

  • 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

• Sat 18 June

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Jacques Pro Cycling Team (Belgium) - 2004-07

Belgian to the core and nothing beats Belgian chocolate except maybe Belgian beer. Antoine Jacques was a chocolate maker based in Verviers Belgium. Bikes were Eddy Merckx (that’s a surprise, not). Sub sponsors were T-Interim (mobile phones) and Capri Sonne (soft drinks). Clothing was Vermarc (also Belgian).

Team managers were Roger Swerts (ex team mate of Eddy Merckx), Walter Planckaert (legendary ex pro) plus Christophe Sercu.

Team riders were a classy lot. Nico Eeckhout won numerous events (mostly Belgian), Matt Gilmore & IIjo Keisse featured on the velodrome, then Kevin Van Impe, Jens Koerts plus Dave Bruylandts were prominent on the road. Bruylandts was certainly prominent and enjoyed more than just Belgian beer & chocolate and did get caught for doping with EPO which ended that career quicker than it takes to neck a Duvel beer.

IIjo Keise moved onto Quick Step from Jacques and retires at the end of 2022 at the Gent 6 on the t’Kuipe Velodrome in his hometown.

Nico Eeckhout won the Belgian Road Championship in 2006 in driving rain in Antwerp and went by the nickname of “Bulldog”

News Shorts - 6 June

AusCycling National Cyclo Cross Series @ Adelaide @ 4 June - Mike Lawson (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) took the win in the M9 Category

Waratah Masters Lansdowne Park @ 5 June - Ian Grant (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) took the win in A2 grade

Parramatta Interclub @ Oakville @ 4 June - Ian Grant (left) finished 4th in the A+B Grade combined handicap at Oakville. Peter Milostic took the win.

Parramatta Interclub @ Oakville @ 4 June - Ian Grant (left) & Peter Verhoeven (BiciSport Anytime Fitness)

Griffith BiciSport @ 5 May - an early Sunday morning (freezing) dash around the outskirts of Griffith (L to R) - Max Kopp, Melissa Budd, Frank Signor, Peter Budd, Grantley Hodge, Mike O’Reilly & Roger Thompson-Seagrave

Barellan @ 4 June - on the way to Griffith, through the original home of Yvonne Goolagong

Giro 22 - Stage 19

BiciSport Special Events now resets towards 9 July at the Penrith Lakes Regatta Centre Sydney Championships.

With the NSW calendar in something of a winter recess over the coming weeks the next major get together is at the Sydney Champs at Penrith on Saturday 9 July. But this is the calm before the Spring Storm when everything comes in a mad rush towards Wollongong in late September then it continues into October with the Singleton TTT & Bowral Classic

The following Special Events listing (below) has more detail in the Special Events section of this BiciSport website & hope to see you there.

July 9 - Sydney Road Championships @ Penrith Lakes Regatta Centre

Aug 28 - BiciSport Team Time Trial Training commences @ Terrey Hills

Sept 2-4 - NSW Masters Road Champs @ Singleton

Sept 12-26 - National Masters Road Champs & World Elite Road Champs @ Wollongong

Oct 8-9 - NSW Teams Time Trials @ Singleton

Oct 15-16 - Bowral Classic @ Bowral

Dec 2-4 - Tour of Bright @ Bright, Vic

Penrith Lakes Regatta Centre @ 26 May - the heavy Sydney floods during the summer has resulted in major roadworks that are still being rectified

NATIONAL MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIPS - WOLLONGONG DATES & COURSES ANNOUNCED

• Details of the National Masters Road Championships in Wollongong are now posted in the Special Events section of this website

EASTERN CREEK RACEWAY RACING NOW IN WINTER RECESS UNTIL SEPTEMBER

• Waratah Masters now focus on Lansdowne Park & Heffron Park during the Winter 22 recess. So see you at ECR in early September

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 12 June

  • Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 7 June

  • 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 9 June

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

  • 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

• Sat 11 June

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Vini Caldirola Cycling Team (Italy) - 1998-2004

Vini Caldirola was a wine company with numerous secondary sponsors. De Rosa was the bike supplier. In 2005 the sponsorship moved onto Liquigas who sponsored the team for several years.

The team itself won numerous races at both Grand Tours & one day Classics - Francesco Casagrande was the major “notable” pictured above and Casa finished 2nd in the 2000 Tour of Italy (plus won the King of the Mountains) and prided himself on riding heavy gears at nearly every opportunity.

Romain Vainsteins hit a well known “sweet spot” of form in winning the 2000 World Road Championships and reached the podium at both the 2000 Milan San Remo & Flanders Classics. The likes of Mauro Gianneti was well past his career best but the team appeared loaded with “sweet spot” notables of that dubious era - Stefano Garzelli, Pavel Tonkov, Sergy Honchar, Nicola Minali, Dario Frigo & Gianluca Bortalami. If any team typified the era that was an alternate universe then this was most certainly it.

Casagrande at the Giro on top of a delightful De Rosa

Casagrande wins again

Casagrande at the 2000 Giro on a mountain stage

News Shorts - 30 May

West Head Road Race @ 29 May - Somewhat chilly conditions greeted Steve Holland (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) on the start line

West Head Road Race @ 29 May - Steve Holland

West Head Road Race @ 29 May - Craig Pager (BiciSport Happy Wheels) in the sprint finish

West Head Road Race @ 29 May - Tom Green (BiciSport Happy Wheels) having his first race since his major off at the Bowral Classic in October last year. Welcome back Tom

Giro 22 - Another great Giro & never a dull moment

Giro 22 - FDJ doing what they do best … on the Grand Tour road supporting a great team

Giro 22 - Felice Gimondi is no longer with us, but a lovely retro Alfa in Salvarani colours never disappoints at Giro 22

Salvarani team car & Felice Gimondi

Traffic conditions outside Sandstone Cafe on Myoora Rd are currently subject to road works with the construction of a retirement village

Penrith Lakes Regatta Centre @ 26 May - the recent Sydney floods have adversely impacted on the Penrith Regatta Centre. A lot of work remains to be done before the venue reopens for the Sydney Championships on 9 July.

NATIONAL MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIPS - WOLLONGONG DATES & COURSES ANNOUNCED

• Details of the National Masters Road Championships in Wollongong are now posted in the Special Events section of this website

EASTERN CREEK RACEWAY RACING NOW IN WINTER RECESS UNTIL SEPTEMBER

• Waratah Masters now focus on Lansdowne Park & Heffron Park during the Winter 22 recess. So see you at ECR in early September

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 5 June

  • Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters)

  • Mt Ku Ring Gai Criterium (Northern Sydney)

  • Ken Dinnerville Handicap (Gunning)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 31 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

• Wed 1 June

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

• Thurs 2 June

  • 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

• Sat 4 June

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Zonca Santini Pro Cycling Team (Italy) - 1970-79

A decade in Italian cycling with sponsorship from Zonca (domestic lighting), Santini (clothing), bikes were either Olmo or Colnago and groupsets Campagnolo.

A smallish team by any standards with an Italian focus but they did ride a Tour de France where Franco Bitossi (pictured above) won the Points Classification. The team was all about Franco Bitossi who had a staggering 171 race victories despite having a slight heart condition. Bitossi won everywhere - single day classics plus a Tour of Switzerland. Added to which Bitossi won two Italian Championships plus nearly won a World Road Championship when ambushed by his Italian team mate Marino Basso. The team itself won 8 stages at the Tour of Italy with team mates Pierino Gavazzi & Gianni Motta.

Franco Bitossi at the Tour of Italy

Gianni Motta wins a stage at the Tour of Italy

Pierino Gavazzi (centre) in the Italian Road Champions jersey

News Shorts - 22 May

BiciSport from the NSW Masters Track Championships Vault of Time @ Dunc Gray Velodrome … L to R … David Willmott, Alan Townsend, Peter Barnard, John Crouchley, Alex Simmons, Phil McKnight & Mark Arnold

BiciSport has a rich & varied history since it was established in 1995 and assisted many riders on their journey. The BiciSport History page on this website was a Covid 19 project of sorts and is a chronology of those past & present. Its been a rewarding journey

Lindsay Maynes Park Criterium Track @ 17 May - Construction is currently underway for the Masters National Criterium Championships in mid September in Wollongong.

A full review of the ITT, Criterium & Road Race courses was conducted by Mike O’Reilly on 17 May. If you need any further information feel free to contact Mike O’R directly.

Championship details (both Masters & Elites) are now posted in the Special Events section of this website

Lindsay Maynes Park Criterium Track - design plans

Lindsay Maynes Park Criterium Track @ 17 May

Meadowbank Cafe Luncheon @ 16 May - BiciSport members L to R … Peter Davis avec doggoe, Joc Young, Noel LaRose & Mike O’Reilly.

A chance to catch up with BiciSport founding member Noel LaRose

The Giro heads for the final week

Traffic Alert @ Myoora Rd Terrey Hills - construction of a new retirement village is directly opposite the Sandstone Cafe. Caution along Myoora Rd is recommended

NATIONAL MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIPS - WOLLONGONG DATES & COURSES ANNOUNCED

• Details of the National Masters Road Championships in Wollongong are now posted in the Special Events section of this website

EASTERN CREEK RACEWAY RACING NOW IN WINTER RECESS UNTIL SEPTEMBER

• Waratah Masters now focus on Lansdowne Park & Heffron Park during the Winter 22 recess. So see you at ECR in early September

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 29 May

  • West Head Road Race (Manly)

  • Heffron Park (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 23 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

• Wed 24 May

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

• Thurs 25 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

• Sat 28 May

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Pepsi-Alba Cucine-Fanini Pro Cycling Team (USA then Italy) - 1987-89

Nothing beats having Pope John Paul in the team photo & based on the meagre Pepsi Fanini race results even Papal support somehow wasn’t enough. In many respects it was a miracle they lasted 3 years as their only claim to fame was riding the 1989 Tour of Italy. Team bikes were Italian Alan frames … probably the worst aluminium frameset ever made (they looked great, just didn’t work).

Originally registered in USA (in 1987) then onto Italy in 1988 & 89. Ditto for the riders with numerous US riders on the team roster in 1987, then no US riders in the following years when the Italians took complete control. A somewhat fractured team roster - Gibi Baronchelli (headed for retirement after a magnificent career), John Eustice (USA), Roberto Gaggioli (team sprinter) and the one the only Mario Cipollini.

News Shorts - 16 May

Southern Cross Criteriums @ 15 May - Craig Pager (BiciSport Happy Wheels) took 2nd in the C grade criterium @ Waratah Park

Southern Cross Criteriums @ 15 May - Craig Pager and the Merckx 525.

‘525’ celebrates the number of professional victories by Eddy Merckx

Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters) @ 15 May - Peter Verhoeven (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) on the A2 grade start line

Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters) @ 15 May - the ECR finishing straight serves as the warm up zone as the 6.45am start time approaches. This was the last Sunday ECR event before the winter recess and racing resumes at ECR in September

Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters) @ 15 May - ECR was foggy at 6.30am but temperatures were nearly 20 degrees

Happy Wheels Waterloo @ 13 May - Rolly Delaytz atop his latest MTB purchase from Happy Wheels. The “Messina Ice Cream” socks were a nice touch

NATIONAL MASTERS CHAMPIONSHIPS - WOLLONGONG DATES & COURSES ANNOUNCED

• Details of the National Masters Road Championships in Wollongong are now posted in the Special Events section of this website

EASTERN CREEK RACEWAY RACING NOW IN WINTER RECESS UNTIL SEPTEMBER

• Waratah Masters now focus on Lansdowne Park & Heffron Park during the Winter 22 recess. So see you at ECR in early September

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 22 May

  • Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters)

  • Mt Ku Ring Gai Criteriums (North Sydney)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 17 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

• Wed 18 May

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

• Thurs 19 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

• Sat 21 May

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Pelforth-Sauvage-Lejeune Pro Cycling Team (France) - 1960-68

A classic French team as the picture above at the 1967 Tour de France suggests (when was the last time you wore a suit & tie to a coffee shop at the Tour de France !). Pelforth was French beer and Lejeune supplied the French bikes. Pelforth team manager was Maurice De Muer who later moved onto the Peugeot-BP team in the 1970’s.

A classy Pelforth grupetto with Jan Janssen (Netherlands) the stand out lead act. Janssen’s best years were 1967 & 68 when he won the Tour of Spain, Paris Roubaix, World Road Championships & Tour de France plus the Antwerp 6 Day track race for good measure (assuming here it wasn’t a well paid & pre-arranged gift). Janssen’s career came to a sudden halt when one Eddy Merckx came along and that was that. Other team mates were also very gifted - Jose Samyn won a stage in the 1967 Tour de France, Jean Marie Leblanc went on to being the Tour de France Race Director for several years, Johny Schleck (father of the Schleck brothers) the Groussard brothers, the Guyot brothers & Willy Monty.

Pelforth riders assist in helping themselves at a road side stop at the Tour de France

Pelforth rider climbs the Stelvio climb through the snow at the Tour of Italy

Jan Janssen (centre) with team mate Bernard Guyot to the right. Herman Van Springel (Mann Grundig) is far right

Jan Janssen (left) at Paris Roubaix Classic 1967

Pelforth at the Tour de France

News Shorts - 9 May

Grafton to Inverell Classic @ 7 May

No denying it - this is one monster of a race and its not just the distance of 228k. Seven climbs before Gibraltar Range and endless climbing after Glen Innes is a big ask. Its like the Liege B Liege Classic in Belgium with kangaroos for company (there are certainly more kangaroos than spectators).

BiciSport started 5 - Klayton Smith in Division 2 with Division 3 the home of Eric Dole (pictured above), Steve Holland, Randolph Baral & Craig Pager.

Entries for the G2I were dismal (and much less than 2021) and it would be less than honest to say the decline in event entries bodes well for the future. The G2I Classic urgently needs a “wow” factor to remain relevant and the future is far from certain.

Both Division 2 & 3 categories was like watching a grenade go off up the Gibraltar Range climb. Div 2 was reduced to just 16 riders in the lead group at Feed Zone 1 at Mt Mitchell and the peloton was simply non existent (they just disappeared, so where did they all go ?, but maybe they never started in the first place). Klayton Smith made the Div 2 cut and in the selective gang of 16. Klayton would get shelled just before Feed Zone 2 at Glen Innes and finished 16th @ 20min 56 seconds. A great effort by Klayton.

Division 3 saw the same grenade go off big time - by Feed Zone 1 the four BiciSport starters were the best part of 10 minutes behind the Div 3 breakaway of 10 riders and caught in no mans land between breakaway & Div 3 main peloton. It was carnage with riders littered all over the G2I countryside. Randolph Baral stopped at Feed Zone 1 and Steve Holland rode an excellent comeback race and stopped at Feed Zone 2. Welcome back Steve and see you in 2023. Eric Dole finished 19th @ 31min 49secs and Craig Pager 27th @ 55min 45secs. What a super tough day for all concerned.

A big thank you to the BiciSport support crew for making it all happen.

Grafton to Inverell Classic @ 7 May - Steve Holland @ Feed Zone # 1 at Mt Mitchell

Grafton to Inverell Classic @ 7 May - Feed Zone #1 and L to R in Craig Pager, Eric Dole & Randolph Baral

Grafton to Inverell Classic @ 7 May - Feed Zone # 2 at Glen Innes with Craig Pager & Steve Holland

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 14-15 May

  • Cootamundra Weekend

• 15 May

  • Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters) …. the last Eastern Creek race before the winter recess (racing resumes in September).

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 10 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

• Wed 11 May

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

• Thurs 12 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

• Fri 13 May

  • De Niro’s Cafe Kingsford Anzac Pde @ 6.15am sharp for La Perouse

• Sat 14 May

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Molteni Pro Cycling Team (Italy) - 1956 to 1976

Best way to digest the Molteni story is pre Merckx, then after Merckx joined the team in 1971. This Molteni team snaphot is pre Merckx (1956-70).

Molteni manufactured salami based in Arcore near Milan. Early team management were the Molteni brothers & the company now trades as Salmilano. The ‘Molteni’ trade name folded due to tax issues at the time.

One of the greatest teams of all time, and this was just the pre Merckx version of the Molteni team from 1956 to 1970. The Molteni boys won numerous single day Classics across Europe & Gianni Motta won the 1966 Tour of Italy. Motta took a total of 48 victories, Marino Basso took 34 wins. The Molteni team won 11 stages at the Giro, plus a Tour de France stage win. Rudi Altig won the 1962 Tour of Spain and then won the 1966 World Pro Road Championships. Michelle Dancelli took both Milan San Remo & the Fleche Walloon Classic in Belgium. Franco Balmamion won the Tour of Italy twice. If you don’t own a Classic Molteni jersey then you probably should and don’t ask why.

Marino Basso (left) at the Milan Velodrome

Martin Van Den Bossche (Belgian - Molteni) attacks Eddy Merckx (3rd rider - Faemino) at the 1970 Tour of Italy. Martin had faithfully ridden for Merckx at team Faema in 1969, then switched to Molteni to find his own way, then Merckx joins Molteni in 1971 !!! and brings every classy Belgian with him (most Italians then hit the exit door). Martin would then move on further to join team Jolly Ceramica (another Italian team) soon afterwards.

Rudi Altig with the World Road Race Champion bands on his sleeves

Eddy Merckx (Faema) sticks it to Gianni Motta (Molteni) in the 1968 Tour of Italy

Gianni Motta won the 1966 Tour of Italy for Molteni

Gianni Motta at the Tour of Italy getting a wheel change from a Molteni team mate

Gianni Motta (right) at the 1965 Tour de France. World Champion Jan Jansen is far left with Felice Gimondi (Salvarani) in Yellow.

Michele Dancelli (Molteni) on the way to winning the 1970 Milan San Remo Classic. Dancelli was a class act and won numerous races in Italy.

Michelle Dancelli (Molteni) wins the 1970 Milan San Remo Classic

Rudi Altig (left) with Felice Gimondi at the Baracchi Trophy (two man time trial)

Rudi Altig at the Molteni team presentation in the World Road Champions jersey

Basso, Motta & Balmamion headed the Molteni team

News Shorts - 2 May

West Head Road Race @ 1 May - Mike O’Reilly, Eric Dole, Craig Pager, Randolph Baral & Steve Holland

West Head Road Race @ 1 May - on the start line with Steve Holland (left) and Eric Dole

West Head Road Race @ 1 May - start line

West Head Road Race @ 1 May - Craig Pager (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) on the B grade start line

West Head Road Race @ 1 May - Craig Pager (centre)

West Head Road Race @ 1 May - Randolph Baral (BiciSport Happy Wheels)

West Head Road Race @ 1 May - Eric Dole attacks on the last lap

West Head Road Race @ 1 May - Steve Holland & Eric Dole sort out the coffee order at Sandstone Cafe

Mudgee Classic Cyclosportive @ 1 May - Ian Grant (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) on the chilly Mudgee start line. A big welcome to Ian as a new member to the BiciSport team.

Grafton to Inverell Classic - Best wishes to the five BiciSport riders (Steve Holland, Eric Dole, Klayton Smith, Randolph Baral & Craig Pager) competing in the Grafton to Inverell Classic next Saturday. This 228k epic is no walk in a park …. the journey out of Grafton is far from flat and reminds one of the West Head Road repeated several times over and that is before you even get the 15k long Gibraltar Range climb. The picture above is from the 2021 event and featured Travis Shields (3rd wheel) and Darren Benson (2nd wheel) from BiciSport Happy Wheels.

A full race report will be posted here on 9 May.

Grafton to Inverell Classic - the Gribraltar Range is the main challenge of the day

The best drop of meaningful pro cyclist intel spotted from the recent Tour of Flanders - Mathieu Van Der Poel’s nutrition plan for 272k … kilometres covered are on the left, blue dots are rice cakes (early on), food is hard style bars (early on) then gels later, the yellow emoji is a caffiene gel and some 8 bidons over three different liquid types.

VdP is not only a champion cyclist but a champion eater ! …. starts eating after just 20 kilometres and just never stops

It’s time …. the Tour of Italy (Giro) starts on 6 May and its a seriously open affair with no clear favorite.

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 7 May

  • Grafton to Inverell Classic

    • BiciSport starters - Steve Holland, Randolph Baral, Graig Pager, Klayton Smith & Eric Dole

• 8 May

  • Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 3 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

• Wed 4 May

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

• Thurs 5 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

• Fri 6 May

  • De Niro’s Cafe Kingsford Anzac Pde @ 6.15am sharp for La Perouse

• Sat 7 May

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Capri Sonne Pro Cycling Team - 1981-82

Capri Sonne came out of the Ijsboerke team (started in 1972) and managed by legendary Godefroot & Lefevere (now QuickStep). Capri Sonne was a German juice drink with Koga Miyata & Merckx as bike sponsors. Groupsets were Campagnolo.

The team personnel were the who’s who of Flemish cycling with De Witte, Haghedooren, Lieckens, Pevenage, Willems (pictured above), Wayenberg and non Belgians in Braun, Winnen & De Rooy. A classy peloton by any measure

Daniel Willems (right)

Gregor Braun on the Kemmelberg at Ghent Wevelgem

News Shorts - 25 April

An ANZAC Day tribute as the pro peloton pass through the Menin Gate in Ieper (Belgium)

Orica Classic @ Singleton @ 23 Apr - Randolph Baral (BiciSport Happy Wheels) & Craig Pager (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) had a tough day in Division 2 over the undulating Glendon circuit in preparation for the upcoming Grafton Inverell Classic on 7 May

Orica Classic @ Singleton @ 23 Apr - Eric Dole (BiciSport Happy Wheels) on the Singleton podium in Division 3

Orica Classic @ Singleton @ 23 Apr - Eric Dole (left) takes 4th in the Div 3 sprint finish

Orica Classic @ Singleton @ 23 Apr - Eric Dole (centre right of picture)

Orica Classic @ Singleton @ 23 Apr - Craig Pager (second) at the front of the Division 2 peloton

Orica Classic @ Singleton @ 23 Apr - Eric Dole (BiciSport Happy Wheels) took an excellent 4th in Div 3

Orica Classic @ Singleton @ 23 Apr - Eric Dole & Mike O’Reilly at the Singleton start

CENTENNIAL PARK RIDE … WAS THURSDAY NOW WEDNESDAY

• BiciSport has been running a successful Thursday training ride @ 10.30am for several years …. from now on it has moved to a Wednesday. All welcome.

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 30 Apr - Great Ocean Road Classic (Torquay, Vic)

• 1 May

  • Eastern Creek (Waratah Masters)

  • Gong Ride (Community Ride)

  • West Head Road Race

  • Mudgee Classic Cyclosportive

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 26 April

  • 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

• Wed 27 April

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

• Thurs 28 April

  • 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

• Fri 29 April

  • De Niro’s Cafe Kingsford Anzac Pde @ 6.15am sharp for La Perouse

• Sat 30 April

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Cosatto-Marscicano Professional Cycling Team (Italy) - 1970-71

One of the smallest Italian teams featured here with barely 10 riders on the roster. The only claim to fame being two appearances at the Tour of Italy. Team members contained a past legend (in Vito Taccone) who was headed for retirement shortly afterwards, but the future was bright for Fabrizio Fabbri, Enrico Maggioni and especially Wladimiro Panizza. Panizza in particular had a stellar career with numerous Italian teams and was one of several Italian riders who gave Eddy Merckx a tough time at the Giro in the 1970’s.

Cosatto Team riders with Michele Dancelli (Molteni) at the Tour of Italy 1970

Wladimiro Panizza

News Shorts - 18 April

Erik Mather Cup @ ECR @ 18 Apr - Team BiciSport at the Erik Mather Cup (minus Mike Lawson)

Erik Mather Cup @ ECR @ 18 Apr - David Munro (left), Matt Coy & Mike Foster (BiciSport Pilu Racing)

Erik Mather Cup @ ECR @ 18 Apr - Matt Coy (BiciSport Pilu Racing)

Erik Mather Cup @ ECR @ 18 Apr - Mike Foster (BiciSport Pilu Racing)

Erik Mather Cup @ ECR @ 18 Apr - on the start line with Davide Browne, Ian Grant (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) & Eric Dole

Erik Mather Cup @ ECR @ 18 Apr - Eric Dole & Davide Browne (BiciSport Happy Wheels) on the ECR back straight

Erik Mather Cup @ ECR @ 18 Apr - Mike Lawson (BiciSport Anytime Fitness)

Waratah Masters @ Lansdowne @ 17 Apr - Eric Dole (BiciSport Happy Wheels) takes 3rd in B grade

Sunde Memorial @ Heffron Park @ 16 Apr - Rolly Delaytz (BiciSport Happy Wheels) with the BiciSport Team Time Trial squad for 2045

Sunde Memorial @ Heffron Park @ 16 Apr - Stew Campbell (left) and Rolly Delaytz roll out at the B grade start.

Sunde Memorial @ Heffron Park @ 16 Apr - Rolly Delaytz (right) at the head of affairs in B grade with Stew Campbell some five riders further down the pace line. Rolly would go on to be the first B grader to finish but didn’t catch C grade in the handicap so the good result did not podium as C grade took the victory.

Sunde Memorial @ Heffron Park @ 16 Apr - After the finish of the Sunde Memorial it was Stew Campbell (left), Rolly Delaytz and Team Delaytz doning the Peugeot hats with the Peugeot 504 and race banners in the background. It was a great promotion by Easts CC at Heffron.

Sunde Memorial @ Heffron Park @ 16 Apr

On route to the Sunde Memorial at Heffron Park @ 16 Apr … coffee at the Sub Station Cafe @ Rosebery

National Masters Track Champs @ Brisbane @ 11-14 Mar - Lise Benjamin (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) took Gold in the W8 Time Trial & Sprint, Silver in the Team Sprint & 4th in the Points.

National Masters Track Champs @ Brisbane @ 11-14 Apr - Jeremy Hopson (BiciSport Pilu Racing) finished 5th in the M2 Individual Pursuit, 4th in the Time Trial and 4th in the Scratch Race.

Tour of Brisbane weekend @ 10 Apr - Klayton Smith (BiciSport Happy Wheels)

Tour of Brisbane weekend @ 10 Apr - Klayton Smith (BiciSport Happy Wheels)

Tour of Brisbane weekend @ 10 Apr - Klayton Smith (BiciSport Happy Wheels)

John Crouchley Mead @ Royal Easter Show 2022 again takes takes Gold & Silver - Mead is an alcoholic honey drink (a mixture of water & honey) but approximately 12.5% alcoholic … originally crafted by the Vikings a few centuries ago. John is a long standing BiciSport member & coach and his mead can be found at email greatsouthernmeadandhoney@gmail.com

CENTENNIAL PARK RIDE … WAS THURSDAY NOW WEDNESDAY

• BiciSport has been running a successful Thursday training ride @ 10.30am for several years …. from now on it has moved to a Wednesday. All welcome.

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 22-24 April

  • Beechworth Gravel Weekend (Vic)

• 23-24 April

  • Orica Classic (Singleton), NSW Crit Champs (Broke, NSW)

• 24 April

  • Eastern Creek Raceway (Waratah Masters)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 19 April

  • 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

• Wed 20 April

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

• Thurs 21 April

  • 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

• Fri 22 April

  • De Niro’s Cafe Kingsford Anzac Pde @ 6.15am sharp for La Perouse

• Sat 23 April

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Tartelotto Isorex Pro Team (Belgium) - 2010 to now

Tartelotto is a chain of patisserie cake shops, Isorex is plastics and bikes are Zanatta. Operating on the fringe of the UCI hierachy at the “Continental” level relying on invites to the bigger races then with the sole aim of getting in the TV “break of the day”. Its a tough way to earn a salary.

Results are few and far between but you can’t but admire the dedication and persistence. Tartelotto are pulling out of team sponsorship at the end of 2022 and the search is on for a replacement.

Yiber Sefa was the Albanian Road Champion for 2017-21 and rode with Peter Livingstone (BiciSport) in 2017 for the Flanders team (see pics below).

Yiber Sefa (bottom right) rode with BiciSport’s Peter Livingstone in 2017

Yiber Sefa (yellow bidon to mouth) rode for the same team as BiciSport’s Peter Livingstone in 2017. Yiber moved on to the Tartelotto team in the following seasons. Peter is the rider beside Yiber (with the sky blue bike) in the Flanders team.

News Shorts - 11 April

Tour of Flanders 2022

BiciSport Belgium @ Tour of Flanders 22 - Olivia & Koen Verhulst waiting for the Tour of Flanders in St Niklaas main square

BiciSport Belgium @ Tour of Flanders 22 - Just in front of Koen Verhulst in St Niklaas main square and a brief delay for race favourite Tad Pogacar (picture Koen VH)

BiciSport Belgium @ Tour of Flanders 22 - Nearly sorted and time to depart (picture Koen VH)

BiciSport Belgium @ Tour of Flanders 22 - Same Tad Pogacar incident from the other angle but Koen & Olivia Verhulst can be sighted in the background (just above the orange witches hat with a grey beanie)

BiciSport Belgium @ Tour of Flanders 22 - Olivia Verhulst in the St Niklaas main square with the St Niklaas statues in the background

BiciSport Belgium @ Tour of Flanders 22 - Noor & Yente Verhulst doing their own mini Tour of Flanders (on cobbles of course) in the St Niklaas main square

BiciSport Belgium @ Tour of Flanders 22 - Yente (sunglasses) and Noor waiting for the Tour of Flanders to pass the St Niklaas main square

CENTENNIAL PARK RIDE … WAS THURSDAY NOW WEDNESDAY

• BiciSport has been running a successful Thursday training ride @ 10.30am for several years …. from now on it has moved to a Wednesday. All welcome.

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 11-14 April

  • National Masters Track Championships (Brisbane) - BiciSport starter in Lise Benjamin, Jeremy Hopson

• 15 April

  • St Ives Criterium (HART Circuit)

• 16 April

  • Sunde Memorial Heffron Park

• 17 April

  • Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters)

• 18 Apr (Mon)

  • Eric Mather Cup (Eastern Creek Raceway) (Waratah Masters)

  • Mt Ku Ring Gai Criteriums (Northern Sydney)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 12 April

  • 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

• Wed 13 April

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

• Thurs 14 April

  • 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

• Fri 15 April

  • De Niro’s Cafe Kingsford Anzac Pde @ 6.15am sharp for La Perouse

• Sat 16 April

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

For Sale - Specialised S Works Road Shoes Size 44 (Wide), as new with spare inserts. Retail $550 - asking price $150 plus postage. Contact Frank Signor on 0458 723 897 after 7pm

Seat Orbea Cycling Team (Spain) - 1985-87

Seat was the Spanish version of Fiat, Orbea were the bikes, groupsets were Campagnolo, clothing was Exte Ondo. Team history had a lot before 1985, and plenty afterwards (be it Caja Rural, Paternina or Artiach). Jersey design was very easy on the eye.

Possibly unkind to say it was all about Pedro Delgado or Marino Lejaretta but it really was. Pedro won the 1985 Tour of Spain & Marino won what Pedro didn’t. Matthieu Hermans (Belgium) was the team sprinter and won 9 stages at the Tour of Spain

Pedro Delgado

Marino Lejaretta

News Shorts - 4 April

Koppenberg (Belgium) @ Apr 2019 - Celebrating the Tour of Flanders and Mike Lawson on the Koppenberg climb

Koppenberg (Belgium) @ Apr 2019 - Marty Wright on the Koppenberg climb

Koppenberg (Belgium) @ Apr 2019 - Celebrating the Tour of Flanders

David Cooper @ 31 Mar - a long time BiciSport supporter David Cooper now resides in Orange and is 79 years young

David Cooper @ 30 Mar takes the trike for a run around the Orange local area

Steve Dixon (BiciSport) breathes life into the 1975 BiciSport Peugeot 504 team car on 3 April via an alternator that now actually works. Bless you Steve …

CENTENNIAL PARK RIDE … WAS THURSDAY NOW WEDNESDAY

• BiciSport has been running a successful Thursday training ride @ 10.30am for several years …. from this week (6 April) it moves to a Wednesday. All welcome.

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 10 April

  • Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters)

  • Singleton Mail Run Cyclosportive

• 11-14 April

  • National Masters Track Championships (Brisbane) - BiciSport starter Lise Benjamin

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 5 April

  • 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

• Wed 6 April

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

• Thurs 7 April

  • 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

• Fri 8 April

  • De Niro’s Cafe Kingsford Anzac Pde @ 6.15am sharp for La Perouse

• Sat 9 April

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

For Sale - Specialised S Works Road Shoes Size 44 (Wide), as new with spare inserts. Retail $550 - asking price $150 plus postage. Contact Frank Signor on 0458 723 897 after 7pm

Australian Clyde Sefton

Fiorella Mocassini Citroen Pro Cycling Team (Italy) - 1977-78

A small Italian team with a limited focus. Biggest claim to fame being two starts at the Tour of Italy (1977 & 78). No guidance on sponsorship origins except Citroen obviously did the team cars, Clement the tyres, Alan the Italian framesets & Parentini the clothing. The Alan framesets were innovative as they were aluminium, but they had serious “bottom bracket sway” … like a palm tree in a firm breeze (looked great, but they really didn’t work).

Team members settled on a narrow few - winners being Bernt Johannsen, Carlo Barone, and Giovanni Battaglin. Team contributions from Josef Fuchs and outright Aussie legend in Victorian Clyde Sefton (Silver medallist in Munich Olympic Games Road Race 1972).

Tour of Italy 1978 - Gio Battaglin (left) & Bernt Johannsen

News Shorts - 28 March

NSW Masters Track Champs @ DGV @ 25-27 Mar - Jeremy Hopson (BiciSport Pilu Racing) took Gold in the M2 Scratch Race. Jeremy also took Silver in the M2 Individual Pursuit.

The NSW Masters Track Championships attracted 295 individual entries (the benchmark is 300). So the promoters would be happy with the level of interest in these Covid impacted times.

NSW Masters Track Champs @ DGV @ 25-27 Mar - Jeremy Hopson (BiciSport Pilu Racing) took Gold in the M2 Scratch Race

NSW Masters Track Champs @ DGV @ 25-27 Mar - Jeremy Hopson (BiciSport Pilu Racing)

NSW Masters Track Champs @ DGV @ 25-27 Mar - Davide Browne (BiciSport Happy Wheels) took Gold in the M4 Sprint.

The M4 Sprint Final against Simon Kirsten (Illawarra CC) was a cracker with Davide taking a “somewhat challenging” approach to owning the Sprinters Lane with one lap to go. Some of us wondered if Davide may (or may not) be disqualified but the Commissaires smiled and we all smiled. Great racing.

NSW Masters Track Champs @ DGV @ 25-27 Mar - Davide Browne before the Sprint Final

NSW Masters Track Champs @ DGV @ 25-27 Mar - Davide Browne before the Sprint Final

NSW Masters Track Champs @ DGV @ 25-27 Mar - Davide Browne exits the starting gate in the M4 Individual Time Trial. Davide finished 4th.

NSW Masters Track Champs @ DGV @ 25-27 Mar - Peter Verhoeven rode well in both the Scratch Race & Pointscore

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 22 Mar - Rolly Delaytz (BiciSport Happy Wheels) before the start.

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 22 Mar - Rolly brought out new Bonts … just in case the other riders in the bunch forgot who he is !

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 22 Mar - a strong nor-east breeze pushed everybody into the right hand gutter. B grade took the win but Rolly was delayed by a crash with 4 laps to go (he didn’t crash himself) but it prematurely ended his race.

Series 37 of Heffron Park Crits was a cracker - great organisation, great atmosphere and can’t wait for Series 38 in October 2022.

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 22 Mar - Rolly full gas down the Heffron Park finishing straight in the right hand gutter

Heffron Park Tuesday Night Criteriums @ 22 Mar - over the Heffron “Pimple” with a brief view towards the Heffron Park playing fields

Van Loon Junior Race @ Velle East Flanders @ 20 Mar - sponsored by BiciSport over 55k the 105 juniors on the start line in Velle village. Beneath the Omer sign is the infamous “The Falcon” bar in Velle where far too many Belgian beers have been known to be consumed …. Race organiser Stijn Verhulst (BiciSport Belgium) on the start line (white sneakers). BiciSport will again sponsor a race in Velle on 16 August

Van Loon Junior Race @ Velle East Flanders @ 20 Mar - start line up with supporting mums & dads

Van Loon Junior Race @ Velle East Flanders @ 20 Mar - race program

Van Loon Junior Race @ Velle East Flanders @ 20 Mar

Van Loon Junior Race @ Velle East Flanders @ 20 Mar - Stijn Verhulst judging on the finish line

Van Loon Junior Race @ Velle East Flanders @ 20 Mar - Jasper Schoofs takes the victory in Velle

Van Loon Junior Race @ Velle East Flanders @ 20 Mar - The presentation photo, on the left is Koen Verhulst (BiciSport Belgium), Jasper Schoofs the winner and on the right is Stijn Verhulst (BiciSport Belgium).

Van Loon Junior Race @ Velle East Flanders @ 20 Mar - Jasper Schoofs is interviewed after the victory

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 3 April

  • Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters)

  • Individual Time Trial West Head

  • Woodman Handicap (Wagga to Albury)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 29 Mar

  • 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

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 31 Mar

  • Happy Wheels Waterloo to La Perouse @ 6.00am

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

  • 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

• Fri 1 Apr

  • De Niro’s Cafe Kingsford Anzac Pde @ 6.15am sharp for La Perouse

• Sat 2 Apr

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

For Sale - Specialised S Works Road Shoes Size 44 (Wide), as new with spare inserts. Retail $550 - asking price $150 plus postage. Contact Frank Signor on 0458 723 897 after 7pm

Masta TeVe Blad Professional Cycling Team (Belgium) - 1980-84

Richard Bukacki (Belgium) pictured above whilst largely unknown won 9 professional races. The pictures from the era are certainly unique

Masta-TeVe Blad Professional Cycling Team (Belgium) - 1980-84

A boutique Belgian domestic team in every sense, struggling with a minimum budget & limited talent. TeVe Blad was a weekly Belgian TV program magazine (like the now defunct TV Week magazine in Australia). Bikes were varied with Puch (German), Olmo (Italy), Concorde (Dutch), then finally Eddy Merckx (Belgian).

The original 1980 Masta-TeVe Blad team (pictured above) was domestic focused and riders very much on the way to a better team in following years, or on the way out towards retirement & looking for another job. Most of the 1980 team line up were very much the latter. The exceptions were Johnny De Nul, Marcel Van Der Slagmolen, Richard Bukacki, Willy Govaerts & Freddy Maertens (on the way to somehow winning the 1981 World Professional Road Championship in Prague - when his career looked very much finished in early 1980). Freddy is pictured front right in the abovementioned picture probably thinking where his next pay cheque would be coming from and a long way from winning the Prague World Championships in 1981.

Freddy Maertens

Masta takes victory in Harelbeke-Poperinge-Harelbeke in 1982, with Australian Phil Anderson 5th (can be seen in a white Peugeot jersey in the background)

The things you discover doing research on defunct European cycling teams … a toy collection including a Masta jersey

News Shorts - 21 March

Trek Sydney Cup @ DGV @ 19 Mar - Davide Browne (BiciSport Happy Wheels) had a great night at the Trek Sydney Cup …. 2nd in the opening Div 2 Scratch Race, 2nd in the Div 2 Kieren, 3rd in the Trek Wheelrace heat, followed by 6th in the Trek Wheelrace final.

Trek Sydney Cup @ DGV @ 19 Mar - Davide Browne second in line

Eastern Creek Raceway @ Waratah Masters @ 20 Mar - Matt Coy (BiciSport Pilu Racing) took 5th place in A2 grade

Eastern Creek Raceway @ Waratah Masters @ 20 Mar - Mike Lawson (BiciSport Anytime Fitness) rode well in C grade

Eastern Creek Raceway @ Waratah Masters @ 20 Mar - Eric Dole (BiciSport Happy Wheels) in A2 grade took top 10

Eastern Creek Raceway @ Waratah Masters @ 20 Mar - Matt Coy (second wheel)

Eastern Creek Raceway @ Waratah Masters @ 20 Mar - Matt Coy & Eric Dole after the A2 finish

Happy Wheels does the Barossa Valley @ 15 Mar - Stew & Mirelle Campbell spotted in leafy South Australia

Happy Wheels does the Barossa Valley @ 15 Mar - Mirielle & Stew

For Sale - Specialised S Works Road Shoes Size 44 (Wide), as new with spare inserts. Retail $550 - asking price $150 plus postage. Contact Frank Signor on 0458 723 897 after 7pm

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 22 Mar - Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums

• 25-27 Mar - NSW Masters Track Championships (DGV)

• 26 Mar - Snowy Classic Cyclosportive (Jindabyne), Gears & Beers Cyclosportive (Wagga)

• 27 March - Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters), Bobbin Head Classic Cyclosportive (Sydney)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 22 Mar

  • 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

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 24 Mar

  • Happy Wheels Waterloo to La Perouse @ 6.00am

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

  • 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

• Fri 25 Mar

  • De Niro’s Cafe Kingsford Anzac Pde @ 6.15am sharp for La Perouse

• Sat 26 Mar

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Chateau d’Ax Professional Cycling Team (Italy) - 1983-93

Originally sponsored by Supermercati Brianzoli (1983-87), then Chateau d’Ax (1988-92), then finally Gatorade in the last season in 1993, when the team flipped to Polti sponsorship in 1994 and beyond. Chateau d’Ax were Italian furniture manufacturers and the bikes were Moser then Bianchi. Groupsets were Shimano. Team management was Gianluigi Stanga & Claudio Corti (not enjoying the sound of that)

The team won numerous races from Grand Tours to one day Classics. Gianni Bugno won a World Championship in 1991 in Stuttgart (plus a Tour of Italy). Accompanying victories by Laurent Fignon, Dirk de Wolf (Leige ‘91), Ivan Gotti (again a big no thank you), Alberto Volpi (not him either) & Tony Rominger. An odd bunch with a poor track record that couldn’t keep away from the toxic cycling lolly jar. The Polti team subsequently took on Virenque which says it all.

Gianni Bugno on his way to winning the Tour of Italy in 1991.

Laurent Fignon won a stage at the Tour de France

Gianni Bugno World Professional Road Champion 1991-92

News Shorts - 28 February

BiciSport St Albans Gravel Ride @ 23-26 Feb - Darren Benson (BiciSport Happy Wheels) leading the gravel peloton through St Albans, Wisemans Ferry, Pokolbin, Wyong & Cessnock.

BiciSport St Albans Gravel Ride @ 23-26 Feb - Dudley Hoskin (left - aka the BiciSport George Clooney lookalike) and Darren Benson

BiciSport St Albans Gravel Ride @ 23-26 Feb - Darren Benson (BiciSport Happy Wheels) doing the gravel thing

BiciSport Griffith @ 26 Feb - Griffith BiciSport head for the rice fields outside Griffith on the Saturday morning team ride. L to R … Frank Signor, Melissa Budd, Peter Budd, Michael Taylor (aka Beppe Saronni), Alana Rossiter & Ana Stoll.

BiciSport Griffith @ 26 Feb - With Peter Budd behind the camera it was L to R …Grantley Hodge, Tony Delgigante, Melissa Budd, Frank Signor, Mike Taylor, Alana Rossiter & Ana Stoll

BiciSport Griffith @ 26 Feb - Frank Signor

Red Cliff (Queensland) @ 24 Feb - Andy Feltham (BiciSport) in the rain on the Woody Point beachfront near Moreton Bay

A lovely retro pic of Gino Bartali (Italy) and some classic retro team cars & a picturesque mountain backdrop

Who will win Wollongong 2022 ?.

A BiciSport route review of the Worlds course is now detailed in Special Events on this website

BICISPORT COUNTRY ESCAPES - TUMUT OVER MARCH 11-13

• A strong BiciSport contingent heads to nearby Tumut over March 11, 12 & 13. Details are in the Special Events section of this website

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 1 Mar - Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums

• 5 Mar - Goulburn Track Open (with BiciSport’s Davide Browne)

• 6 Mar

  • Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters)

  • Snowy Mountains Challenge (Adelong, NSW)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 1 Mar

  • 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

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 3 Mar

  • Happy Wheels Waterloo to La Perouse @ 6.00am

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

  • 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

• Fri 4 Mar

  • De Niro’s Cafe Kingsford Anzac Pde @ 6.15am sharp for La Perouse

• Sat 5 Mar

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Carpano Professional Cycling Team (Italy) - 1956-66

Carpano was a Turin based wine company & Coppi supplied the bikes. Jersey design copied the Turin based Juventus Football Club with the white/black vertical stripes.

A classy Italian super team that won numerous stages in Grand Tours plus Franco Balmamion won the overall at the Tour of Italy in 1962 & 1963. The single day Classics unit was equally rewarded - Kublet (won Milan Turin), De Bruyne (won Flanders & Roubaix), Coppi (Baracchi Trophy), Defilippis (won at Piedmonte & Lombardy), Desmet (several Belgian Classics) and a youthful Zilioli (a future team mate of Eddy Merckx)

A classic black & white picture of a Carpano team car with Raymond Poulidor (BP Mercier) getting a bike change at the Tour of Lombardy single day classic

Another Classic (Paris Tours) and another wheel change

News Shorts - 21 February

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 15 Feb - Rolly Delaytz (BiciSport Happy Wheels) takes the B grade win plus 5th place outright.

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 15 Feb - Rolly Delaytz

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 15 Feb - Rolly Delaytz (centre of picture) takes 5th place outright at the finish

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 15 Feb - Rolly Delaytz

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 15 Feb - Stew Campbell & Rolly Delaytz on the warm up lap

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 15 Feb - Stew Campbell on the Heffron Park spectator hill

Waratah Masters @ Heffron Park @ 20 Feb - Good rides by David Cooper, John Robb & Ian Grainger rode well in C grade at Heffron

Who is your World Championship pick for Wollongong 22 ?. A review of the Worlds 22 course & spectator vantage points are now detailed in Special Events on this website

BICISPORT COUNTRY ESCAPES - TUMUT OVER MARCH 11-13

• A strong BiciSport contingent heads to nearby Tumut over March 11, 12 & 13. Details are in the Special Events section of this website

WEST HEAD RACING FOR 2022 ANNOUNCED

• The West Head racing calendar for 2022 has been released and all dates posted in BiciSport Special Events on this website

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 22 February - Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums

• 27 February

  • Lansdowne Park (Waratah Masters)

  • West Head Road Race

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 22 Feb

  • 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

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 24 Feb

  • Happy Wheels Waterloo to La Perouse @ 6.00am

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

  • 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

• Fri 25 Feb

  • De Niro’s Cafe Kingsford Anzac Pde @ 6.15am sharp for La Perouse

• Sat 26 Feb

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

Rokado Professional Cycling Team (Germany) - 1972-75

Sponsors were Rokado (furniture) and Maes Pils a very fine Belgian beer. Bikes were Belgian in Groene Leeuw.

A substantial team line up with 33 riders across road, track & cyclocross disciplines. If that all sounds like the 33 riders were spread too thin then you would be right. They really didn’t win much for the investment … Herman Van Springel won the Points Classification at the 1973 Tour de France, Andre Dierckx was a Classics specialist against the might of Eddy Merckx, Lucian Aimar was a fading French Tour de France legend (much better results in the 1960’s and way past his best at Rokado), Gerben Karstens (a great sprinter on his day), with track specialists Sigi Renz, Theo Verscheuren & Louis Pfenninger.

Herman Van Springel

Andre Dierckx (left) up against Eddy Merckx (Molteni)

Rokado team bikes were Belgian in Groene Leeuw

News Shorts - 14 February

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 8 Feb - Rolly Delaytz (BiciSport Happy Wheels) looks good even backwards

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 8 Feb - Rolly driving B grade over “The Pimple” Climb

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 8 Feb - Rolly over “The Pimple” Climb

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 8 Feb - Cresting The Pimple climb with an immediate view of the Heffron Park finishing straight & surrounding football fields

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 8 Feb - the Heffron Park finishing straight with 5 laps to go and B grade looked like they had victory in the bag but the Commentators Curse was soon to strike …

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 8 Feb - 4 laps to go and B grade was thinking about taking the podium, … trouble was they began to ease off …

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 8 Feb - 2 laps to go over the finishing line and B grade had lost their race winning mojo and A grade was hunting them down to take the win.

Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums @ 8 Feb - Rolly Delaytz always carries a smile

BiciSport Griffith @ 12 Feb - The morning ride from Griffith is a steady 90 minutes out through the numerous back roads and crops just outside Griffith with coffee back in town. L to R … Peter Budd, Melissa Budd & Frank Signor.

BiciSport Griffith @ 12 Feb - At the local Griffith coffee shop post ride

The coveted Rainbow jersey of World Champion and Wollongong 2022. Who will it be ?. Course details and best vantage points are now reviewed on this website in Special Events.

BICISPORT COUNTRY ESCAPES - TUMUT OVER MARCH 11-13

• A strong BiciSport contingent heads to nearby Tumut over March 11, 12 & 13. Details are in the Special Events section of this website

WEST HEAD RACING FOR 2022 ANNOUNCED

• The West Head racing calendar for 2022 has been released and all dates posted in BiciSport Special Events on this website

RACE SEEKER - THIS WEEK

• 15 February - Heffron Park Tuesday Criteriums

• 19 February

  • Dubbo Track Open - CANCELLED (victim of Shadow Covid Lockdown)

  • Melbourne to Warnambool Classic (NRS)

• 20 February

  • Heffron Park (Waratah Masters)

  • Ballarat Classic Cyclosportive (Vic)

  • Mt Ku Ring Gai Criteriums (Northern Sydney)

BICISPORT TRAINING RIDES

• Tues 15 Feb

  • 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

  • Centennial Park Lower Loop from 5.30am to 7.45am

• Thurs 17 Feb

  • Happy Wheels Waterloo to La Perouse @ 6.00am

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

  • 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

• Fri 18 Feb

  • De Niro’s Cafe Kingsford Anzac Pde @ 6.15am sharp for La Perouse

• Sat 19 Feb

  • Coffee @ Sandstone Cafe Miramare Gardens @ 9.30am

CLAS Cajastur Cycling Team (Spain) - 1988-93

Not a team that jumps out at you despite six years in the pro peloton. CLAS was a home improvement company and Cajastur was banking & financial services (anything with Caja in spanish suggests a bank or credit union). Bikes were Razesa (?) and more notably Colnago. Colnago being forever the innovator developed the “Twin downtube” frameset (see picture below). The best thing you can say about the jersey design was it was a lovely Colnago. Groupsets were either Mavic or Campagnolo.

From a team rider perspective it would be cruel to suggest it was all about Tony Rominger but … it was. Rominger won the Tour of Spain in 1992 & 93, and Abraham Olano rode for the team (Olano subsequently won a World Professional Road Championship under Mapei sponsorship). Beyond Rominger & Olano it was a blank canvas and the only time you saw Rominger with a team mate was on the start line.

Tony Rominger (right) with Pedro Delgado

Tony Rominger

Rominger (again) at the Tour de France on top of the innovative Colnago frameset