Cycling Opinions

Brussels hosted Le Grand Départ 2019 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Merckx’s first Tour victory. The total costs for this tribute, including the €5 million hosting fee transferred to Tour organizer ASO, amount to €15 million at least, primarily financed through public funds. Money well spent, according to Brussels[…]

“Sprint stages do not necessarily have to end in a sprint. I remember stages of which everyone said it would be a boring day with bunch sprint, but it was a spectacle for hours. The windy stage in the 2013 Tour de France to Saint-Amand-Monrond where Mark Cavendish won is a good[…]

“The often-heard complaint that motorcycles can influence the outcome of races is justified” In professional cycling, in-race motorcycles such as TV motorcycles drive in between the riders. In the slipstream behind the motorcycle, cyclists can gain time. For the first time, the exact extent of this advantage has been scientifically[…]

Three years ago, Felix Magowan and I wrote a commentary about on-going consolidation trends in the broader bicycle industry. When growth is slow and too many companies are competing to provide similar services, that’s what naturally happens – down-sizing on the supply side of the market and consolidation amongst the remaining[…]