Is Cavendish's move to Sky a good choice?

Cycling’s worst kept secret has finally been revealed, with Mark Cavendish confirming he is heading to Team Sky; but is the Manx missile making the right choice?

There have long been rumours that Cav was heading to the British-based team, but his hand was forced when HTC decided to pull out of cycling. The newly crowned World Road Champion will be joining some of the men who helped him take the title in Copenhagen. Including this year’s Vuelta successes, Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome, and Welshman Geraint Thomas. Other Grand Tour are Edvald Boasson-Hagen and, for the first time, another Manxman Peter Kennaugh. So, do Sky have the mother of all teams or the mother of all nightmares?

Video: La Vuelta 2011 - Stage 21

So I popped down to Madrid and took in the final stage of this year's Vuelta a Espana and I wasn't dissapointed. Juanjo Cobo's fans were out in force, with their drums and cowbells, making a brilliant atmosphere. I even managed to find a few of the riders after the stage and took a lot of pictures. So here are a few of the pictures I took, set the the Vuelta's theme tune Como Yo, by La Fe de Manuela. I am currently uploading my pictures to Flickr and they should all be on the blog by tomorrow, so enjoy the video.

Video: 2011 Tour de France - Stage 7 + Bradley Wiggins crash

Tdf: Mark Cavendish makes it two as Bradley Wiggins crashes out

Mark Cavendish sprints to his second victory of the 2011 Tour, while his compatriot Bradley Wiggins pulls out with a broken collar bone.

The Manx express defeated his former teammate Andre Greipel and last year’s green jersey winner Alessandro Petacchi, to move him in to third in the standings. HTC have struggled to get their famous lead-out right, this year, but Mark Renshaw and Matt Goss timed it perfectly to allow their sprinter the best chance.

Tyler Farrar wins on Independence Day

Tyler Farrar made it a second stage victory for Garmin-Cervelo and rode in to the history books, as the first American to win on Independence Day.

Farrar’s first tour victory came after help from his teammate, and former green jersey winner, Thor Hushovd and Julian Dean. The American edged out Romain Feillu of Vacansoleil, by half a bike, Jose Joaquin Rojas. Farrar dedicated his victory to his best friend Wouter Weylandt, who was killed in a freak accident during the Giro D’Italia, by putting his hands in a W sign.

Video: 2011 Tour de France - Stage 2

Gilbert takes opener as Contador loses time

Philip Gilbert took the opening stage of the 2011 Tour de France, with a stunning final sprint, while Alberto Contador lost over a minute.

Gilbert made it made it past a crash, which took out half the field in the final eight kilometres, to set himself up for the short climb to the line. The Belgian champion looked like he’d run out of steam as several riders made their challenge. Fabian Cancellara launched an attack, which seemed to be the decisive one, but the Swiss rider wasn’t able to sustain the pace.

Gilbert didn’t panic and held off a closing Cadel Evans and Thor Hushovd, for the victory, this win adds to his stretch which goes back to April. Evans is in a very good position, only three seconds down on the yellow, while Alberto Contador lost over 1 minute 20 seconds.

The bunch had been seriously depleted when a spectator got a bit too close to the peloton, causing an Astana rider to fall into the group. The crash left most of the road blocked and several of the big favourites stranded. Contador was one of those who got caught up in the crash and has his work cut out, with Andy Schleck crossing the line only six seconds down.

Maxgear beat Sky to the team prize at Revolution 32

The sold out crowd at the Manchester Velodrome were treated to a double bill of the National Madison Championships and Revolution 32, but only if you arrived early.

Former junior champion Peter Kennaugh took the title with his partner Luke Rowe; ahead of Jon Mould and Tom Moses. Once the Madison riders got the crowd going, it was time for more of the home-grown talent to hit the boards. Back after being sidelined with flu was, crowd favourite, Craig McLean.

Andy Fenn Takes Two in the Madison with Six-Day legend Franco Marvulli

The Le Col team of Franco Marvulli, Andy Fenn and Jon Mould took victory in the highly anticipated three-man Madison at Revolution 30 on Sunday 21st November 2010.

Six-day veteran Marvulli produced a brilliant final sprint to give him and his young teammates a hard fought win in the 80 lap event. Close behind were the Max Gear Racing team of Adam Yates, Simon Yates and Leif Lampater, who had been ahead for much of the race, but finished two points behind. The three-man Madison has been a common occurrence during the hugely popular six-day events, but it is the first time it’s happened at the Revolution.

Sean Yates: Tour de France Contenders Will Miss Giro d'Italia

Team Sky sports director Sean Yates has said that top Tour de France favourites will miss out on the 2011 Giro d’Italia due to the toughness of both.

Yates didn’t name any riders from his squad that might miss the event next May but it is unlikely that Bradley Wiggins will be on the line in Turin. This year Wiggins used the Giro as a warm up for the French event even winning the opening prologue. Race director Angelo Zomegnan announced that Alberto Contador would race in Italy in 2011 last April. This is unlikely, however, after the events of this year and moving to Sunguard Saxo Bank for the new season.

Visit to Etna
RSC sport announced the Giro d’Italia route only four days after the Tour de France route was revealed to the world and both are set to be some of the toughest in years. Yates called, Vuelta a Espana winner, Vincenzo Nibali as the favourite as the Italian finished third in this year’s even behind teammate Ivan Basso. The event will start May 7th in Turin and do an entire loop of the country back up to Milan.

Tour of Britain - Round Up

This year’s Tour of Britain boasted a high quality including Olympic champions Bradley Wiggins and Ed Clancy.

Stage one brought the riders from Rochdale to 132km up the road to the seaside town of Blackpool. Despite the tough nature of the course it was sprinter Andre Greipel who opened his account with victory. Saxo Bank rider Jonny Bellis only managed 54km before he was forced to climb off the bike. The Manxman is coming back to form after suffering from a near fatal accident in Italy last September.

Team Sky’s Greg Henderson gave the home crowd something to cheer in stage 2 about when he beat Heinrich Haussler and Michael Albasini to the line. The Kiwi was joined in the 18-man breakaway by teammates Wiggins and Geraint Thomas.

The home knowledge helped them on a course that was much more difficult than it looked on the profile.

HTC Columbia was back on the top step and back in yellow after stage 3 with Albasini crossing the line first. The stage was difficult from the start and several riders were dropped immediately the race was de-neutralised. Albasini became the third man to wear the yellow jersey in three stages.

Vacansoleil put on a big show in stage four finishing first and second after the pair launched an attack on the final climb of the day.

ToB: Andre Greipel takes another victory in stage 6 of the Tour of Britain

Andre Greipel won his second sprint finish in Stage six of this year’s Tour of Britain in Great Yarmouth.

The German had too much pace for Borut Bozic and went on to claim his 20^th victory of the season. If he hadn’t had Mark Cavendish as a teammate this man would surely have a few Grand Tour victories under his belt this season.

Greipel also won the opening stage from Rochdale to Blackpool beating Manuel Belletti to the line. The victory was also the second today for his team, fellow sprinter Mark Cavendish won his third stage in la Vuelta a Espana.

Mayer Makes the Brake

Cameron Mayer from Garmin-Transitions made a brave attempt for a victory today and it looked like he could do it. He launched an escape with Jeremy Hunt initially but the Cervelo ride was soon dropped and Jaroslav Marycz joined Mayer. The two managed to build up a big lead of seven minutes assisted by a tail wind most of the way, but the Aussie launched an attack and lost his Saxo Bank companion.

ToB: Marco Frapporti beat Bradley Wiggins to the line in Tour of Britain Stage 5

Marco Frapporti beat home favourite Bradley Wiggins after a late break in stage 5 of the Tour of Britain.

Frapporti was in a breakaway group of seven riders before launching his attack along with Dan Martin with 10 kilometres to go. The pair managed to pull out a small gap on the lead group, but after the exertions of yesterday Irishman struggled to stay on the pace.

At 5km to go Martin was dropped, when Frapporti attacked on a small incline, and passed swiftly by the following riders; Wiggins was the only man who could keep up with the Italian using his pursuiting skill to bridge the gap, but he just could catch up with him before the finish.