Jon radcliffe

THE CYCLING VIEW

- Martin Johnson : From Rugby to Cycling - Grand Tour Previews - The journalist opinions : What to expect this year

CONTENTS Page 3 : Editor’s Column with Jon Radcliffe Page 4-5 : Martin Johnson : From Rugby to Cycling Page 6-7 : Giro D’Italia preview Page 8-9 : Tour de France preview Page 10-11 : Vuelta a Espana Preview

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EDITOR’S COLUMN the second consecutive year in which the Tour starts in a country other than it’s namesake, but that will not bother the French public who will be out in force to welcome the peleton. This year will suit the climbers, with just the one individual time trial and 5 summit finishes. Contador, Froome and Quintana are all confirmed to appear at this year’s Tour, and if Vincenzo As we progress through the Nibali’s Astana retain their UCI year, we are getting closer and licence, then we could witness closer to the biggest cycling the rare sight of all three Grand events on the calendar. All of the teams taking part have long Tour holders racing against each other on the biggest stage. Their since began their preparations will also be some tricky cobbled for this year’s three Grand sections to manoeuvre, as well Tours, which each promise to as 9 flat stages where Mark Cavthrow up some interesting batendish, Marcel Kittel and co will tles and moments.

First up is the 98th Giro d’Italia, steal the limelight.

Last but not least is Spain’s Vuelwhich will start in San Lorenzo ta a Espana, which leaves Puerto al Mare on 9 May. As always, Banus on August 22. Although the course will be one for the not as high profile as the first climbers, where there will be 6 two, it is still a chance for many mountain top finishes. Expect to see some tough battles on the riders, mainly the spaniards, to show of their skills and gain varying ascents that the riders some appreciated exposure for will face. Those who do not their teams and sponsors. A enjoy the climbing, primarily the sprinters, wll also have their gruelling first week will see 4 chance with several stages suited summit finishes in the first 9 days so there will be no time for to their needs, including the the GC contenders to feel their annual Milan finish.

Second and biggest of the three way in. All 9 summit finishes will cover new ground, so the is the Tour de France which departs from Utrecht in the flat riders won’t be used to the terrain. All this will make for interlands of the Netherlands. It is

esting viewing especially when we found out who is taking part.

As part of this edition, we will be taking an in depth look at each of the three Grand Tours which can be found from pages 6 to 11. If you are looking for a complete preview of ths year’s big three, then this is the magazine for you.

We also have a world exclusive interview with former England Rugby Union captain Martin Johnson. Since hanging up his boots in 2006, he has become more and more involved in cycling, which saw him take part in last year’s Etape de Tour. After confirming his participation for this year’s edition, he takes us through his preparation and his views on the current cycling climate. You can find the riveting interview on pages 4 and 5.

We also have the views of Velonews web editor Spencer Rowlinson who will tell us how he sees each of the three Grand Tours shaping up and who he believes will take home the top prize.

So there you have it. I’ll leave you to get in to the good stuff in this edition. Until next time....

Jon Radcliffe Editor in Chief 3

Martin in two very different sporting situations

MARTIN JOHNSON : FROM RUGBY TO CYCLING Former England Rugby captain Martin Johnson retired from Rugby in 2006 after 17 years at the top of the sport. But that wasn’t to be the end of his affiliation with sport. Since then, he has turned his attention to Cycling, which is something that he now does on a regular basis. He even took part in last year’s Etape de Tour and plans on taking part again this year.

In this world exclusive interview, Martin tells us about his love for cycling and his participation in the Etape, as well as what he has planned for the future from a cycling perspective.

First of all Martin, thank you for joining us. Since you retired from rugby, you have become very involved in cycling. Why is that ?

I enjoyed it a bit when I was a kid, I had a mate who’s dad was a good cyclist so I was aware of cycling when I was 11, 12 ,13. After I retired from international rugby a mate of mine was cycling by on his road bike and I thought “ wow I want

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to get back into cycling” because during my rugby career I didn’t really have the chance because the two don’t mix. I got myself a road bike but although I only cycled about 3 times in my last year before retiring, I knew it was something I wanted to do after rugby.

Why do you enjoy cycling so much ?

The attraction is 3-fold : The sensation on the bike is brilliant when you are

feeling good and flying along. It’s also sociable because you can go out for a ride with your mates, it gives us a chance to meet up because we don’t see each that often as we’re always busy. The competition is also great. At first it was just about having a bit of a ride and seeing how we go, but now it’s far more competitive. It also gets you out and you see the country side. I love it.

The fitness side is an important factor as well.

Obviously Rugby and cycling are two very different sports, but what would you say are the main differences between the two ?

Firstly, Rugby’s a game.

You can be a very good rugby player without being the best athlete, but in cycling you have to have a good physique and be very fit. A game of rugby is over in 80 minutes whereas cycling is a lot longer. Also, when you’re cycling, you’re just cycling, whether that

is uphill or downhill, but in rugby there are so many different skills you need to learn. It’s also a contact sport and a team sport.

Although there is an element of a team in cycling, it is still far more individualistic. When it comes to physical size they couldn’t be much different. The smallest players in rugby are generally bigger than the larger cyclists.

Any similarities ?

Of course. As in any sport, the ones who do well are the most determined. Like any sport, the difference is in the mind.

It’s fair to say that you don’t have the build of the average cyclist. Was it difficult for you to adapt at first ?

Not as much as I thought.

I’m not competing like I did in rugby so it’s a different situation meaning that it’s not as intense. If I look back at when I first started cycling, yeah, I was probably all over the place. But it’s something we all did as kids so it’s something you can pick up whenever as the saying goes. You can improve very quickly as well so it wasn’t hard to get into the rythm of it.

Last year, you took part in the Etape du Tour for the very first time. Did you enjoy it and how did you find the experience bearing in mind the horrible conditions in which the event took place ?

I actually enjoyed the horrible conditions. I’d much prefer to do it in the cold

and the wet than the heat, which would of broken me I think. Overall, I knew what we were getting into.

I mean if you’d have asked me at the time if I was enjoying I’d have probably punched you in the face, but when you get to the top of a mountain after the suffering you appreciate what you’ve achieved.

There is a bizarre enjoyment in it. You can say you’ve done the Etape, that you’ve done this climb or that climb and it’s also a challenge. At the time you don’t really enjoy it but when you look back it you feel a sense of satisfaction.

This year, you’re doing it again. Having done it already you kind of know what to expect. Are you expecting it to be easier or just the same ?

Going up mountains is never easy. It’s like a death by a thousand cuts. It was very tough last year and I think this time could be even tougher bearing in mind that there are more climbs and it’s a tougher course so it’s going to be a long old day.

How did you find the training for the Etape ?

I didn’t train too scientifically. It was just about riding the bike and getting the miles in. Training in a group was so much easier, as there are others to test yourself against.

Also it was hard to find the right terrain. Training for big mountains when you live in Leicestershire is not easy. Fortunately my brother lives in the south of France so I was able to

do some training there. I could have trained more effectively but I didn’t want it to become a chore because cycling is something I love.

Over the last few years the Etape has become a huge event. Over 10,000 people took part last year and 13,000 are already signed up this time. Why do you think that is ?

I just think people have discovered it, it’s great fun.

I mean a lot of the guys I know played other sports like rugby and football and then stopped for one reason or another but with cycling you can just carry on and on and improve.

It’s a simple pleasure.

You can go out with your mates and do it at your own speed. It’s easy to get hooked on and the more you get into it the more you want to to tick of the big events like the etape.

The Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a Espana have their own equivalents of the etape. Are those two events something that you would contemplate doing in the future ?

Yeah definitely, especially the Italian one. I think Italy’s a great country. I rode their last year on a charity do and we rode up the Stelvio which was fantastic and a great way to see a new place. I love the Giro, it’s got it’s own identity. In it’s day it was as big as the tour, so it is definitely something I would consider Other than the Etape, what other events are you

doing in the near future ?

I’m going to Belgium to do the Tour of Flanders Sportive in April, which will be a huge test. Although flatter, the route is 254 kms long, which is the furthest I will ever have ridden before, so it will be a different challenge but I am definitely looking forward to it.

Finally, would you recommend the sport of cycling to other retires sportsmen such as yourself ?

Absolutely. It keeps the weight off, it’s healthy, you can get a good social group together and ride with your mates. It’s also something to keep you busy... blokes love tinkering with their toys, in this case bikes, and you can change pretty much every piece of a bike to your own liking. There is so much gear to acquire when cycling that you can be searching for hours for nothing more than handlebars. Overall, it’s a fantastic way to spend time.

Thank you for your time Martin, and good luck in the Tour of flanders, the Etape and beyond!

No problem

Martin is an ambassador for Prudential RideLondon, which organises different events for amateurs.

Visit their website at www. prudentialridelondon.co.uk to find out more.

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Giro D’Italia

A look at this year’s map route

This year’s Giro D’Italia will start in San Lorenzo al Mare with a 17.6 km TTT ( team time trial ) just like last year’s edition, finishing in Sanremo. It will be a good chance for the the General Classification contenders to get a stronghold before heading in to the mountains which begin almost immediately from the 3rd stage.

Nairo Quintana was last year’s winner, but it seems that this year he will instead go for a Tour-Vuelta double, meaning that he will almost certainly not defend his title in Italy.

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However, both the second and 3rd place riders, colombian counterpart Rigoberto Uran and Fabio Aru respectively (depending on Astana’s UCI licence outcome) are rumoured to be taking part.

The big name will be neither of those two though.

Spain and Saxobank’s Alberto Contador, 6 time Grand Tour winner and victor of the 2008 Giro d’italia, will be taking part in what will more than likely be his last participation in the race after confirming he will retire at the end of next season. Although he will most probably be using

the Giro as a warm up for the Tour de France, it will still be one of his season goals to put in a good performance in Italy.

And it will be a course that suits him. This year the route will please not only Contador but all of the strong climbers taking part. There is just 76 km of time trialling to be completed and 7 stages for the sprinters, meaning that the rest of the race will be fought out in the mountains.

Overall, there are 7 summit finishes to take on.

With the course being as it is, it comes as no suprise that Contador is

the bookmakers odds on favourite, bur Uran and Aru are close behind, with the Giro more than likely to be their primary goal over the whole season bearing in mind that they will be team leaders for this race.

This year’s Queen stage will take place on 26th May. Starting in Pinzolo and ending in Aprica will take in 56,4 km of classified climbing, and it promises to be one of this year’s defining stages.

The day’s biggest climb will be the Passo del Mortirolo ( Mortirolo pass ) which will see the riders climb 12,4 kms at

an average gradient of 10.5%, hitting a maximum of 18%. Fortunately for the competitors, the stage will come after the second rest day, but they will still have to be in top form both mentally and physically if they want to get through without any problems.

The riders who are more accustomed to the flat stages will also have their chance to shine, with 7 sprint finishes on offer.

Mark Cavendish will almost surely take part (whether he finishes is a different matter), but last year’s points winner Nacer Bouhanni has stated that the Tour de France is his main goal of the year, almost confirming

that he will opt out of defending his title like Quintana, which leaves it wide open, although with his pedigree, Cavendish is a strong favourite.

GIRO D’ITALIA ODDS

Contador 8/13 Aru 6/1 Porte 7/1 Nibali 7/1 Uran 15/2 It is still early in the season for the actual riders to be confirmed, but we do know which teams will be taking part.

Nairo Quintana : General Classification winner 2014

Julian Arredondo : Mountains Classification winner 2014

As always, the 17 WorldTour teams and cyclings biggest hitters will automatically be taking part, but they will be joined by five wildcards chosen by RCS Sport, who are the organisers of the Giro D’Italia. Those wildcards are Bardiani CSF, Southeast, Androni Giocattoli, Nippo Vini Santini ( all italian outfits ) as well as Polish team CCC Sprandi Polkowice, which includes former doper and 43 year old team leader Davide Rebellin.

There is still a way to go before the first Grand Tour of the year, but the riders taking part and hoping to put in big performances will already be well into their

preparations for the race.

It will be interesting to see who comes out on top going into the second Grand Tour of the year : The Tour de France.

EXPERTS VIEW Spencer Rowlinson, Velonews Web editor : I think Contador will win the Giro. He won the Vuelta at the end of last season so he’s likely to be carrying on his form into the spring.

Nacer Bouhanni : Points winner 2014

Nairo Quintana : Young Rider Classification winner 2014

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TOUR DE FRANCE

This year’s Tour de France route

After last year’s Grand

Depart from Leeds being such a huge success, with millions of fans lining the streets of Yorkshire, the Tour de France will once again start on foreign shores, this time starting from the dutch town of Utrecht on Saturday 4th July. As is usually the case with the Tour, the race will start with a short prologue of just 14 kms ( although last year did begin with a straight road race ).

The Netherlands is not the only foreign country that the Tour will take in however, as it will also pass through the neighbouring

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Belgium. This means that the riders will have to take in the dreaded cobblestones which tore the race apart last year, although last year’s winner Vincenzo Nibali will not be too worried after putting in a superb performance on a similar route during his Yellow Jersey overall victory.

And it wasn’t just on the cobbles that the italian dominated his opponents.

His margin of victory was the highest the race has seen in 17 years, and he also added 4 stage victories to his General classification win.

However, despite such an

impressive three weeks, not everyone was totally convinced by Nibali’s win, but through no fault of his own. His leading rivals and pre race favourites Chris Froome and Alberto Contador were both forced to retire early thanks to injuries in the 5th and 10th stages respectively. Add to that the fact that new star on the block Nairo Quintana decided to not even take part, and it seems that Nibali was facing a rather weak field.

This year though, that is almost certain not to be the case. Both Froome and Contador have con-

firmed that their season’s goal is the Tour de France, while colombian Quintana has done the same.

With Nibali also almost certain to take part, it will mean that the viewers will be treated to the rare sight of all three current Grand Tour winners taking part in the same one of the Tour themselves. Contador will also be taking in the Giro meaning that he could be a little tired when the Tour comes around, but the other three have made the Tour their sole focus. Someone will be going home disappointed.

The course this year is

very much set up for the climbers, with just 42 kms of time trialling and 5 summit finishes, including a return to the mythical Alpe D’Huez. Other mountain top finishes include La Toussuire and Plateau de beille. The race will be won and lost in the high finishes as the major contenders as well as other hopefuls such as Pinot and Van Garderen fight it out for valuable seconds.

TOUR DE FRANCE BETTING ODDS

Froome 2/1 Contador 5/2 Quintana 11/4 Nibali 5/1

A interesting sub plot to the General classification battle will be the race for

the Green Jersey.

It has been dominated by Peter Sagan over the last three years, but changes to the scoring system mean that on the flat stages the winner of the stage will win 50 points to the second place rider’s 30, which is a 10 point change from the 45 to 35 respective points seen in previous years. This change will therefore reward the winner of the stage far more than before.

Although Sagan has gained consistent finished over the years, he has won very few stages. Last year, he even failed to win one. It was Marcel Kittel dominated the flat stages last year with a total of 4 wins, but he is likely to be pushed much closer this year by manx man Mark Cavendish who has made the stages races his own over the last 10 years. In

the last couple of years he has failed to win at the same rate he did before, but he is rumoured to be back to his best after a strong pre season. It will be an interesting battle that will culminate on the prestigious Champs Elysees where the sprinters will have the last laugh and the Green will be decided.

The White jersey for best young rider will be contested most notably by french trio Pinot, Romain Bardet and Warren Barguil. As the three of them are not strong time triallers, it will be an interesting subplot to the main action in the mountains.

As always, the Tour will delight the thousands watching on the streets as well as those at home.

But the season does not end there. Next up is the Vuelta a Espana.

EXPERT’S VIEW Spencer Rowlinson, Velonews web editor I’m tipping Nairo Quintana to win the Tour. He’s young and he’s already proven himself. This year’s Tour has a penultimate stage up Alpe D’Huez, which will suit the colombian. If he he isn’t already leading by then.

Contador will be tired from the Giro and I’m not sure Froome will be able to compete on the hardest climbs.

Vincenzo Nibali : General Classification winner 2014

Peter Sagan : Points winner 2014

Rafael Majka : Mountains classification winner 2014

Thibault Pinot : Young rider classification winner 2014 9

VUELTA A ESPANA

This year’s Vuelta a Espana map route

The Vuelta a Espana is

the year’s third and final Grand Tour. Although it does not come surrounded with the same pedigree as the first two, but it is still an important race on the cycling calendar, and it is also a chance for some riders and teams to save their season if they haven’t performed up this point.

There will also be some stars present on the starting list, with both

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Froome and Quintana expected to take part along with a host of Spain’s best such as veterans Alejandro Valverde and Joaquin Rodriguez who will be hoping to make their presence felt.

However, 6 time Grand Tour winner Alberto Contador will not be present on the starting line, with him already confirming that he will race in Italy and France prior to the event.

The 69th edition of the race will start with a team time trial from Puerto Banus to Marbella. Movistar won last year’s opening TTT so it will be interesting whether they can put Quintana in a good position this year. As always, it will more than likely be a race for the pure climbers, with less than 50 km in overall time trialling and some cruel gradients which will test everyone.

Froome and Quintana will be the two favourites going into the race, much like the Tour de France, and one of them could potential be in with a chance of completing a Grand tour double.

As mentioned before, Valverde and “El Purito” Rodriguez will be in with a shout, but there is usually a suprise package somewhere along the way, so prepare to see someone like colombian

Carlos Betancur challenge for a podium finish if others aren’t on the top of their game.

EXPERT’S VIEW

Spencer Rowlinson, Velonews web editor It’s hard to say at this point who will take home the overall victory. It is often a contigency plan if someone’s Tour doesn’t work out. Froome or Valverde could win depending on how their summers go, but it could be a good race for Richie Porte if Sky decide to give him the leadership.

One of stages that is most

likely to decide the tour will be on Monday 9th September. Starting in the port of Luarca, it will take on a couple of early, tough climbs climbs before making it’s way to the short but incredibly steep Ermita de Alba Quiros. Although only 6,5 kms long it has an average gradient of over 11% including an average last km of over 15%.

Such is the difficulty of this stage along with several others, that it will most likely be decided by the GC contenders as the lesser riders fall away one by one.

In the race for the Green Jersey that is awarded to the rider that tops the points classification, Team Giant-Alpecin rider John Degenkolb

will be hoping to top the leaderboard again after winning 4 stages last time around.

tween those who specialise on the flat stages.

With the way that the points system is done in

Ermita de alba Quiros profile Although it is hard to make out which of the sprinters will line up in Spain, we can expect that he will be put under pressure, with potential rivals such as Mark Cavendish and Nacer Bouhanni attempting to upset the applecart.

However, it is unlikely to be a straight shoutout be-

Spain, it could very well be one of the climbers who amass the most points with consistent performances on the high slopes, which has been the case several times in the past few years. It promises to be an exciting race and will round of what we hope to be an enthralling year.

Alberto Contador : General Classification winner 2014

John Degenkolb : Points winner 2014

Luis Leon Sanchez : Mountains classification winner 2014

Alberto Contador : Combined classification winner 2014

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