SRAM partners with Team Astana (press release)

 Since 2008, SRAM has partnered with Team Astana and their star rider Alberto Contador to clinch the three Grand Tours: The Giro d’Italia, the Vuelta Espana and the Tour de France. For 2010, SRAM has renewed its agreement with Team Astana and will continue as offi cial drivetrain supplier. Tour de France winner, Alberto [...]

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Race radio ban

I wrote this piece just before the Tour de France for the Astana website in response to the organizer’s ban on race radios in two stages. Now that the topic has resurfaced as the UCI is proposing phasing out two-way race radios. While there hasn’t been a time line established when exactly the radios will [...]

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Riding with Levi

“Do you want to ride with Levi?” It was Astana’s media relations guy asking me what I assumed was a rhetorical question. At the time Levi Leipheimer was the two time winner of the upcoming Tour of California, a Grand Tour podium finisher, and a decent enough guy. All I had to do was be [...]

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The Latest Equipment

The Tour de France is only behind the Olympics and World Cup soccer in the terms of eyeballs watching. So the Tour has become a showcase for sponsors to unveil new products. All the big teams are either on new bikes, aero clothing, or new components and the Astana team is no different. Behind the [...]

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The Race Radio Debate

Race radios are a relatively new piece of equipment in a sport that is over a hundred years old. The radio was first introduced by the Motorola team because, well, the title sponsor produced them. But beyond the obvious sponsorship tie-in the radios allowed the director in the team car to point out road hazards [...]

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Looking at the Three Grand Tours

If you follow competitive cycling you know that every July is the equivalent of the Super Bowl,World Series and Wimbledon all wrapped into one swirling ball of chaos, athleticism, and at times controversy. Of course I’m talking about the Tour de France. The Tour de France is just one of the triumvirate called the Grand [...]

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Happy Anniversary to me

My luxurious office Yesterday was my four-year anniversary at ROAD Magazine and at the end of the month is my birthday. The former I’m happy about, the latter not so much. While I feel like I’ve accomplished a lot here at ROAD, I thought now at my age I would be at least running a [...]

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The parents are gone and I need to apologize

My Parents chilling back at the shire For the five of you who read my diatribe/blog on a semi-regular basis I apologize for the lack of postings. My excuses are varied and many. After my parents left the States and returned to the shire, it was the holidays, then we had a magazine due and [...]

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ROAD Magazine’s official statement on Kid Rock’s arrest

As emails pour into the ROAD Magazine website, as well as the Neil@ROAD blog, we at ROAD are forced to comment on the unfortunate arrest of Kid Rock at an Atlanta Waffle House. ROAD Magazine has always considered a Waffle House as a sanctuary for peace and good times. Nothing brings locals as well as [...]

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I’m not an armadillo*

My meter has been on the low side recently I had been a little down in the dumps since returning from Interbike. I think it’s a combination of all the travel and general malaise that comes with the end of the racing season. But the coupe de grâce was Interbike. That place just crushed me [...]

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