2011 archive

Peloton rides in mourning through Giro d'Italia's Stage 4; Leopard Trek team pulls out

A somber mood accompanied the 4th stage of the Giro d'Italia on Tuesday as the cyclists rode their bikes en masse without competing.

They rode in honor of Wouter Weylandt, the 26-year-old Belgian cyclist who died in a solo crash descending the Passo del Bocco on Monday.

Weylandt's best friend in the peloton, Tyler Farrar of Wenatchee, WA, is planning to leave the Giro at the completion of the stage. The two became friends and training partners in Farrar's European home base of Ghent. …

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/10/peloton-rides-in-mourning-through-giro-ditalias-stage-4-leopard-trek-team-pulls-out/

Giro in mourning

Cyclists rode en masse

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/10/giro-in-mourning/

Tributes for Wouter Weylandt

Many cyclists shared their feelings about cyclist Wouter Weylandt as the horror of what happened in Stage 3 of the Giro d'Italia began to sink in. Monday was a truly sad day in cycling.

It was unknown how the peloton plans to honor the fallen cyclist. In times past, cyclists have ridden the stage following a death en masse, much like the Ride of Silence. Race organizers said they will adhere to the peloton's wishes.

One of Weylandt's friends was Tyler Farrar, the Wenatchee, WA, native who now makes his home in Ghent, Belgium. That was also the home for the Belgian cyclist ….

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/10/tributes-for-wouter-weylandt/

Tragic stage for the Giro d'Italia;
Wouter Weylandt dies in crash

A fatal crash on a downhill run cast a pall over the Giro d'Italia as it wrapped up Stage 3 on the Italian Riviera on Monday.

Belgian cyclist Wouter Weylandt, left, died from injuries he suffered in a crash on the descent of Passo del Bocco, about 15 miles from the finish line.

Video from the race showed EMTs performing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation on the rider for Leopard Trek. Reports say he was later airlifted to a local hospital ….

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/09/tragic-stage-for-the-giro-ditaliawouter-weylandt-dies-in-crash/

Wouter Weylandt

Belgian cyclist for Leopard-Trek

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/09/wouter-weylandt/

Previewing bike race climbs on Giro d'Italia Stage 3

While Stage 3 on Monday is another day for the sprinters, the cyclists will first have to survive two climbs on the 173km bike race from Reggio Emilia to Rapallo.

Here are descriptions and route maps of the two climbs from CyclingtheAlps.com. You also can take a virtual bicycle ride over the second climb with Streetviews.

First is the gradual Passo del Bocco (957m) that ends in a series of short ramps …

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/08/previewing-bike-race-climbs-on-giro-ditalia-stage-3/

'Ale-Jet' wins disputed Stage 2 Giro sprint;
'Manx Missile' in pink

Two prolific Giro d'Italia sprint winners of recent years battled to a controversial finish in Parma on Sunday.

Known as well by their nicknames Ale-Jet and Manx Missile, Italy's Alessandro Petacchi edged Mark Cavendish (Great Britain) by the width of a bicycle tire at the finish line.

While Petacchi threw up is arms in celebration, Cavendish gestured angrily at his rival and then the judges, motioning that he'd been cut off in the last hundred yards of the sprint. [Video from UniversalSport.com shows how it unfolded]….

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/08/ale-jet-wins-disputed-stage-2-giro-sprint-manx-missile-in-pink/

Giro – Alessandro Petacchi

Alessandro Petacchi of Lampre

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/08/giro-alessandro-petacchi/

2011 Giro – Cavendish

Mark Cavendish at Giro d'Italia

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/08/2011-giro-cavendish/

Bicycling, and coding, for the love of Alpine mountains

Some bicyclists will do anything to avoid a climb. They route their rides through the flat lands and never taste the challenge of vertical exertion.

At the other extreme is Dennis Wegewijs, a Dutch bicycling enthusiast who searches out the most difficult climbs — namely Alpine passes — to summit on his bicycle with his friends.

Dennis said that at some point, they decided to ride their bicycles over all the passes of the Alps. Why?

“To stay fit, to reach something in life …”

That enthusiasm for Alpine cycling prompted Dennis to launch an amazing website named CyclingtheAlps.com….

Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2011/05/08/bicycling-and-coding-for-the-love-of-alpine-mountains/