A Cylist In France: A Season Review

It's been a while but here's our latest update from our cyclist in France.

Andy Phillips's blog posts have been a popular addition to our blog and will continue to do so on SportTrades Pulse.

For those of you who are new to Andy and our blog, Mr Phillips is a Cat 2 cyclist whose progress we have followed throughout his season.

Here's his final post of the season. Before you read it, I'd like to say thanks to Andy for his blogs so far which have been a great addition to SportTrades: Pulse.

As a cycling fan myself, it's been great to read what it's like to be a cyclist and I'm already looking forward to next season when Andy starts writing up again. Anyway less of the introduction, I'll hand over to Mr Phillips and let him do the talking as he looks back overall at his season.

Andrew:Well I did not win my weight in apples. In fact I did not win very much over the season. My goals were to win a race, to get on the podium at the Departmental Championships and to go up to category 1.

I did not achieve any of these. Perhaps my goals were too vague, perhaps my training was not adequate enough or perhaps racing in only my second year in category 2 was just a lot harder than I thought it was going to be.

I am not sure. I think I am a strong rider but it isn't always the strongest that wins. I have found it hard this year as I still do not know many of the riders in cat 2. I don't know who to watch out for !! Also tactically I still make lots of mistakes. I am sure I can win a race but I need to learn how to if that makes any sense.

The season started good and proper on 28th March. I rode well in the first few races finishing just outside the top 10. Some mistakes along the way but some strong rides especially at Montamise where the peloton split into two and I managed to chase and catch up with the leading group on my own. Was very happy with that and it was cramp on the final lap which ruined my chances of a top 10.

The 24th of April saw my first Podium. 5th at La Rousselière. I was very pleased with this as in this particular race the 1st and 2nd cats went off together, the 1st cats having to do one more lap than us. The pace was very fast and set by the the 1st cats.

I spent most of the race towards the back of the peloton more or less hanging on. On the last lap it was all still together and I got myself to the front. I came round the final bend in 3rd position and was up there with the big boys. Yep I can do this!

It really is a bone of contention with me though that quite often the 1st and 2nd cats go off together. It just ruins the races.

Sometimes 1st cats will breakaway and by luck they can take some 2nd cats, who have been lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time, with them and then it's race over. They clear up on the Primes and we might be racing for 5th place. It's not fair.

The Departmental Championship was a bit of a disaster. In this race we are just up against people in our age group. Unfortunately I skidded on some oil and crashed.

After April on most occasions I have been there or there abouts.

I have had eight top 10 finishes and two 4ths. In fact there is some footage of me on youtube finishing 6th at La Chapelle Baton. Here's one of the vid's of me taken on the stage. Please excuse the language, lol.



I have had some bad luck along the way, a couple of mechanicals and another accident at St Fraigne. This was really frustrating as i managed to chase down a 5 man break.

The race was there for the taking but unfortunately one of the guys cut across me going up a hill and it took me and one of my team mates out. I was very cheesed off but that is cycling and it happens even to the best sometimes.

So no wins and certainly not enough points to go up to category one, which is slightly annoying but that’s cycling I guess.

St Fraigne was a great race as we road passed our friends Bed and Breakfast called Le Moulin de Merlageau. I can't forget to mention Babs and Lorna here as every lap they were out there cheering me on.

The two of them were waving feather dusters and holding up banners! They even had a Karaoke machine rigged up in the garden to sing a few songs and to make sure I could hear them! What a laugh and when I crashed they were there to do the First Aid. Certainly something I won't forget in a hurry.

The last race of the season took me to a place called Secondigny on 10th October. Every year there is a cycle race which coincides with the annual Fete De Pommes.

The atmosphere was fantastic. Lots of people watching the race, a brass band which played tunes for us when we set off, a fun fair and displays of various scenes all made out of apples.

The race was very fast with the 1st and seconds going of together. It was hilly and hard. I enjoyed it and again finished in the top 10. Yes it's true the winner wins his weight in apples. The winner just happened to be the guy who took me out at St Fraigne. So Pommes to you mate!

Well that's it from me this season. I have enjoyed writing on this blog right throughout my season.

It's been great to see the response of you guys reading my blogs and I thank you for your support, as your support does mean alot to me out here in France.

Remember you can follow me on facebook by becoming a fan of ‘The English Cyclist In France’’. I can also be found on Twitter @cyclistinfrance, where you're more than welcome to chat to me about my cycling and anything else really.

Au Revoir For Now!

A Cyclist In France: Andy's Take On The Tour So Far

We thought that with the Tour de France going on at the moment, who better to talk about the race so far than our own cyclist Mr Andy Phillips. Andy's a Cat 2 cyclist whose progress we have followed on the blog since the start of this year.

Andrew: I live on a road with two other houses. My neighbours are French and I don't see a lot of them during the month of July. I think they are glued to their TVs watching the tour. In fact Bernard's garden which is normally in tip top condition looks more than a little untidy after 3weeks.

This year everyone is very happy at the moment. A Frenchman has been in yellow twice . Not only that but a Frenchman from this region. Yes Chavanel is from the Poitou Charentes. I think he comes from a big cycling family and one of the guys from our club has been in a team either with him or one of his brothers. In fact I have been in a race with his dad. Small world hey?

I was pleased to see Chavanel back in yellow. It was a pity he lost it over
the cobbles. Normally the early stages are flattish and set up for the sprinters and he had quite a good lead which would have meant he should have stayed in yellow for a few days but the cobbles this year set the cat amongst the pigeons. I think he had two punctures. I am not sure what I feel about the cobble sections this year.

Good for the spectators yes, but not when as a result of punctures or crashes favourites could lose so much time that they could lose the Tour. But there again with the team back-up radio, communication between team cars and riders etc perhaps the Tour needs something like the cobble section to bring some excitement back. It has in some respects become all so predictable.

It is a pity that Frank Schleck crashed and has withdrawn from the Tour as a result of the cobbles. But that is cycle racing which is more than can be said for the stage prior to that which was closed down by Cancellara. What a nonsense that was.

Ok, might be able to understand that it was right for the peleton to wait but once it was all back together again they should have raced and there should have been a sprint. A lot of people took a day off work to go and watch the stage and many may have lost money. I would have been well cheesed off if I had waited hours at the finish line to see that. It was bad enough watching it on the telly. Was not impressed with Cancellara, but what can you do.

Team Sky are doing well. And I believe that at one point on Saturday's stage Geraint Thomas was in virtual yellow. I am also pleased to see that Mark Cavendish is back to his winning ways. A couple of really good stage wins. A lot of that is down to his team and his lead out men. But it was good to see him cry and it was good to see him thank his team. Perhaps he has been humbled! My opinion of him has changed a bit, perhaps the same can be said for other cycling fans as well.

Obviously I want Bradley Wiggins to win the tour but there is a rider I respect very much. He is as tough as nails and gives it 100% all the time and fights and fights untill the last. I generally don't like Australians but Cadel Evens is a worthy world champion. He is currently winning the Tour at the moment and I would love to see him win the Tour. I read somewhere that he's the first World Champion to lead the Tour de France in 20 years. It would be great for Cadel to win it as he was unlucky not to win in 2008 when Carlos Sastre suprisingly won after a tremendous time trial before the Champs-Élysées. Hopefully this time Cadel can do better, but it's still a long way to go yet.

Well I have not had a great deal of time to follow the Tour as much as I would like this year. Family, work, training, guests and life getting in the way. Is going to be interesting now we are in the mountains. I might just go and check on the nieghbours to make sure they are still alive.

Right that is it from me at this stage. Remember you can follow me on facebook by becoming a fan of ‘The English Cyclist In France’ or just join the facebook group ‘Help me Win in France’. I can also be found on Twitter @cyclistinfrance, where you're more than welcome to chat to me about all things cycling.

A Cyclist In France: A Big Scary Nurse

It's been a while but here's our latest update from our cyclist in France. Andy Phillips's blog posts have been a popular addition to our blog and will continue to do so on Sport Trades Pulse.

For those of you who are new to Andy and our blog, Mr Phillips is a Cat 2 cyclist whose progess we follow. So far on the blog we've heard how Andy got into cycling, his training methods and the start to his season which so far has been a mixed one. So what's next?

Andrew: Well I had some goals that I wanted to achieve this season. One of which was to get a podium position at the Charente Departmental Championships. This is a tough one as in my age category there are a number of first cats so it was always going to be difficult. The race was at a place called Reparsac on the 30th May.

I did quite well and was coping with the pace. Unfortunately it was a wet day and on the 3rd lap I crashed and skidded down the road. I got back on my bike and did another lap but I had a badly sprained wrist and a bad dose of road rash, and had to give up. Interestingly enough a couple of laps later there was a big crash at exactly the same place so perhaps there was something on the road.

The nurse was interesting to say the least! (see photo). Bit scary if you ask me. It was quite disappointing as my parents were over and had come to watch the race. They came last year to watch me at a place called Villefagnan.

Unfortunately at that race someone had a heart attack and the race was abandoned. So my parents have been over twice and have not seen me finish a race yet.

The crash at Reparsac sums up the last couple of months really. I have had some top 10 finishes and at times I have felt very strong. I am still making mistakes and some big ones. For example at Londigny, a race which could have had my name on it, I almost rode straight into a field.

My chain had come off for some reason and in chasing the peloton down, which I think I was doing quite well, I did not see an ‘S’ bend in the road. I was just watching the riders in front of me. Has anybody else ever done anything so stupid? I always cycle the circuit before the race but on this particular occasion I did not. I had driven it in the car a few days before but I forgot the ‘S’ bend.

One of my main gripes over the last couple of months has been the fact that quite often the 1st and 2nd cat’s race at the same time. The only difference being that the 1st cats do an additional lap to us.

This happened in the race yesterday at Prignac. The turnout was good. A lot of riders from all categories. I thought because of the number of riders that each category would have its own race. But no. At the start line when they announced that the 1st and 2nds would go off together my heart sank. I have never seen so many 1st cats before.

The pace was set by the 1st cats. It was a long flat circuit and some of the roads were quite narrow. There were attacks going on all the time and 5 second cats managed to get away with some 1st cats. Race over! Total confusion!

I stayed with the peloton and was strong at the end and finished 1st in the bunch sprint. So 6th overall. I was pleased with my performance and in some ways it was the best race I have done for a while.

But it is not fair that 5 guys were possibly pulled along by some 1st cats. It’s funny because at the race in Touvre a couple of weeks ago the 1st and 2nds set off separately and the 2nd cat peloton was lapped by some 1st cats. We had to let them go and would have been disqualified if anyone had been pulled along by them. SO WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?

Well enough of my moaning. Summer has arrived. The races are getting hotter. I think I ride quite well in the heat. I suffer. But there are riders who suffer more than me so bring it on. I have also had a good month of training. My friend Christian who is largely to blame for me cycling has started racing again and I have done some good training rides with him.

I would also, at this stage, like to thank Tony who helps to keep me on the road. Again after the crash at Reparsac he stepped in and did the necessary to get my bike and gears working. I would also like wish Paul a speedy recovery after another nasty crash. Hope to see you back on your bike soon.

Right that is it from me at this stage. Remember you can follow me on facebook by becoming a fan of ‘The English Cyclist In France’ or just join the facebook group ‘Help me Win in France’. I can also be found on Twitter @cyclistinfrance, where you're more than welcome to chat to me about all things cycling.

A Cyclist In France: One Mistake Is Too Many

Regular visitors of SportTrades Report would know by now that we're following a Cat 2cyclist in France called Andy Phillips. Here's Andy's fifth post which tells us how he's had a mixed start to his season so far.

Andrew: Well it's the end of April and I have 5 races under my belt so far. Boy have I made mistakes. In a race one mistake can be too many. The trouble is I quite often make quite a few.

The 1st race was at a place called Maine De Boixe. This is quite a tough one as there is a tough climb and this year we had very strong winds. In fact we had very strong north easterly wind for weeks.I cant say I had a chance to do anything wrong in this race as the hill and the strong winds played havoc on the peleton and it split into 3 on the second lap.I found myself in the 3rd and largest group.

The stronger riders in this group soon broke away and we chased hard until the end of the race. The end result was a respectable 14th. I was very pleased with this as we worked extremely hard to catch up with the guys in front. In addition last year, my first season when I started as a 3rd cat, I was dropped on the 3 lap in and road this race on my own.

My second race was near Poitier in the Vienne. Mistake. Trying to ride a very steep hill in a far too large a gear and pulling a muscle in the back of my leg. A stupid mistake.What was I trying to do? Nonetheless I had a strong ride.The peleton split into two and I managed to get myself into the 1st group. I managed a top 15 finish.

The next race was quite local near Ruffec. Had my usual problem of wasting too much energy. I worked too hard for everyone else. I have got to let other riders cover the attacks as opposed to trying to do it myself. I had this problem last year. Got to calm down. It was a very hard race and the wind was impossible. In fact many riders packed. I came 12th. One of my teammates came 5th and he thanked me afterwards for all the work I had done. Next time he can return the favour and work for me.

The Peleton Mafia operated at the race at St Maixent. The 1st and 2nd cats set off together and the peleton was controlled by the 1st cats. So much so that they let a breakaway of second cats get away on the 1st lap and then just stopped. I moved to try and bridge the gap but no one came with me. Mistake. I should just have not bothered.

Instead I rode at least half a lap "chasing potatoes" as they say here in France. I wasted energy. Also once I was caught I made similar mistakes as I had done the week before. In the end I had nothing left and was dropped on the second to last lap. I was still quite happy. I did not pack and on occasions had 1st cat riders getting on my wheel to get back into the peleton.

My 5th race. Yes I made some mistakes in the sprint at the end. However I had decided before the race that I was not going to do anything. I was going to let everyone else do the work. As it happens the 1st and 2nds set of together again. It was a flattish race and the pace was so high it was impossible to try anything. In fact for most of the race I was somewhere towards the back of the peleton. On the last lap I got myself up to the front . I came round the final bend in 3rd.

There was then a long false flat and then a straight flat out sprint to the end.There was a little argy bargy on the climb when someone deliberately tried to put me off the road when one of his teammates attacked.A bit extreme if you ask me and i told him so in my very best English!!! God I wish I had started racing years ago . I probably made a dozen mistakes in the last 2 kms. But I managed a 5th place. The 1st 5 get on the podium. I have now broken my duck and have 3 points towards my goal of going up to cat 1.

What I learnt from this last race is that doing the things that I keep telling myself to do before each race - i.e as little as possible - can actually work. I have got to save energy at all costs.I know I am a strong rider. I have just got to ride sensibly.

Well that is enough from me for now. Remember you can follow me on facebook by becoming a fan of ‘The English Cyclist In France’ or just join the facebook group ‘Help me Win in France’. I can also be found on Twitter @cyclistinfrance, where you're more than welcome to chat to me about all things cycling.

A Cyclist In France: 13's Unlucky For Some

Regular visitors of SportTrades Report would know by now that we're following a Cat 2 cyclist in France called Andy Phillips. Well I think it's fair to say his first three posts have proved to be very popular with more than a few people commenting on them.

Here's Andy's fourth post which tells us how he fared in his first race of the season, which as you're find out did not exactly go to plan. However as always it's a good read, over to you Mr Phillips.

Andrew: At the moment i'm sitting here eating my French bread and having a cup of coffee wondering why I had nothing in my legs last saturday. The race was a controlled event as a warm up for the start of the season . Luckily there were no points and no prizes as i managed to finish a very dissapointing 13th which if i'm being honest with i'm far from happy about.

I can come up with some excuses, which of course count for nothing after the race has finished. I only made the decision to take part yesterday morning so I had not properly prepared but there have been other races where mentally I've not been psyched up on the way there but once I've got there I've found my focus, so I want to find the real reason.

The first 3 laps of the race were controlled behind a car. Alarm bells started ringing when I found that I was struggling even with this. At the end of the 3rd lap I rode hard up along a false flat into the wind to get myself to the front, which is where I like to be. The car then pulled away and the race started but I struggled with the pace. Perhaps I had used too much energy getting myself to the front. I don't know. All I know is my legs were burning and thats not a good sign towards the end of the race.

In the Charente the 1st cats and the 2nd cats start together so the pace was being set by the 1st cats. Not a problem I thought, I have kept up with it before. But this time I had nothing. I have never felt like quitting before but yesterday was the first time I have felt like it, albeit only briefly. Once I was dropped off the back I recovered, got myself riding to a good rhythm, and rode the race on my own to the end picking off a few guys that had also been dropped on the way.

As I was going around the circuit I saw more and more guys at the side of the road who had packed. In fact only a few finished. For me the most annoying part was after having riden 3 laps on my own pushing myself into the wind a guy that had packed and was having a chat with one of his mates at the side of the road decided to get on my wheel and have a free ride.I was not having that so I had to ride even harder to drop him.

Well why was I so tired? Last week was our club test ride. It was a very hard event. 100kms in the freezing cold with very strong winds but I was strong. I came 6th in the club, having ridden with and kept up with 1st cat riders. I could have done even better if I had not got cramp. Again why did I get cramp? I have never had cramp before. At one stage when I first got it I was dropped but I managed to get back to the group I was riding with.

Towards the end of the race I tried to get on the wheel of someone who was riding away from the group I was in. Unfortunately I got cramp again lost a few metres which I could not get back as we were cycling into a very strong northerly wind. Nevertheless, I finished ahead of all the other 2nd cats in the club and rode most of the way with 1st cats, and felt positive about the start of the season.

So the big questions are why was I so useless yesterday? And why did I get cramp last Sunday? Why were my legs burning? Am I not doing enough training? Or have I done too much training? Come on guys help me. Any comments and advice would be much appreciated.

Well that is enough from me for now. Remember you can follow me on facebook by becoming a fan of ‘The English Cyclist In France’ or just join the facebook group ‘Help me Win in France’. I can also be found on Twitter @ cyclistinfrance, where you're more than welcome to chat to me.

A Cyclist In France: Training To Win!

You may remember in January, we announced that we'd be following a Cat 2 cyclist in France called Andy Phillips. Well after his first two posts which are worth reading, Andy's back with his third.

With less than two weeks to go until the start of his season, which starts on March 13th, Andy tells us more about his training and how he's desperate to win a race this season. Over to you Mr Phillips.

Andrew: Well our season is fast approaching. Our neighbouring club based in Civray is supposed to be having its test ride this weekend. This is the first major test to see how fit you are for the season, so it's abit of a nervy time even if everyone is in shape.

Unfortunately the weather has been downright dreadful recently with have 110 km hour winds in the country, so we've put that test off for a couple of days. Our club EC Taize Aizie will be having its test ride next weekend on the 7th March. The ride
is basically 100 kms. It is open to all the local clubs and is a race in all
but name.

Last year, when I was building up to my first season I was blown away in the Civray ride. I did a little better in our club's ride. This year I am a lot stronger and I hope to come in ahead of all the cat 2 riders in our club. It's a tall order maybe but it will be interesting to see how fit I am compared with everyone else.

Certainly training has been difficult with the terrible weather we have had. I should be at an advantage as, in that not having a lot of work on at the moment as meant that i've been able to train more. I feel I'm in the best shape possible and that this will help do well in the ride, at worst i'd like to finish second out of the cat 2 riders in our club!

Training overall has been 'ok' this year, with a few hit and misses along the way. It hasn't been as structured as last year, but thats because I've been training on my own and we've moved house which brings added stress as well. But we're settled in now and i'm more focused than ever.

The early races will all be part of the training to peak for May. I have started some intensity with repetitions on hills. I slowly increase the time spent climbing and then reduce it quickly to build it up again. Once the season starts I will be racing on Sundays. I will aim to train a minimum of 3 days per week - to include one lengthy ride, one session on hills and a sprint session. All that and a fiancee, life couldn't get any better could it?

One of the strangest things that the season throws up are the prizes on offer. For example I won an adult entry to the Valley of the Monkeys last year. It's a great day out for families if you're ever near Romagne and is a primate wildlife park. Kids will love it, the marmosets are particulary memorable. Here's the website for the Valley: http://www.larosevacances.com/activities.htm.

I also won a suitcase for coming second once, which to be honest with you felt like taking the mickey. This was due to the fact the bloke who came third won a case of wine, which between me and you probably cost more than the suitcase! As you'd expect when racing near Cognac, the prizes are of an alcoholic nature and are worth celebrating about.

However winning prizes is not what encouraged me to take up cycling, it was the passion of the sport and the determination involved. That being said i know when i win a race (which will hopefully be this season, please god) that i'll be delighted and will want to keep that winning feeling going.

Thanks to those who have commented on my 2 posts so far. Would be nice if you could leave your names, instead of writing in 'Anonymous'. After letting you guys know of some wierd prizes that I've won, what are the strangest prizes you've won. Doubt anyone can outmatch my prize to a Monkey Wildlife Park!

Well that is enough from me for now. Remember you can follow me on facebook by becoming a fan of ‘The English Cyclist In France’ or just join the facebook group ‘Help me Win in France’. I can also be found on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/cyclistinfrance, where you're more than welcome to chat to me.

Revolution Stars Prepare for World Championships

We love our Cycling at SportTrades with us following Team Sky and Andy Phillips but we also bring you British Cycling news and there's a great tournament British track sprinting stars will line up at Revolution 28 on the 27th of February against a host of international talent in preparation for the World Track Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark. It's a great night out for fans as the stars compete againgst each other.

The UK’s premier track cycling event - attracting over 15,000 dedicated fans every season and now entering its sixth year, Revolution has entered the vernacular of the British cycling fraternity. A family night out designed, since its conception, to deliver high octane fun, from the world’s best cyclists with a strong presence from the UK’s many World, Olympic and Commonwealth Champions.

Star of the show, Sir Chris Hoy, will head up the British contingent racing for Sky+ HD in the Revolution sprint events and team Flyers in the Revolution Championship. It will be the first appearance in the UK for Hoy since the Manchester World Cup so his performance will play a crucial part of his Worlds preparation. “It could go either way; I could gain psychological points by winning but could lose those points if I get beaten,” he conceded.

“I tend not to worry too much about the competition and just focus on my own performance,” he added. However, Hoy, Ross Edgar and Jason Kenny will have to keep an eye on strong opponents from Germany, especially World Kilo Champion Stefan Nimke, who could cause an upset.

Great Britain Head Sprint Coach Iain Dyer is well aware of the threat that the Germans pose at the Revolution and World Championships. “They’ve shown that they can do it at the highest level and we know they’ve got a great team sprint squad,” he praised. “They’ve got two exceptional Team Sprint start riders which gives them a good chance at the World Championships. It’ll be a very hard event for us to do well in, they’re a quality and respected sprint nation.”

There’ll be a notable absence at Revolution 28 of another leading track nation, the French. While the Germans appear keen to race against the British ahead of the World Championships, Dyer played down suggestions that the French want to avoid confrontation before the big event in Copenhagen. “The French guys have had the Grenoble six day and have kept busy leading up to the event. Some of them also did the Beijing World Cup, so I don’t think any team’s doing any more or less than another, it’s just their timing and their choice of preparation,” explained Dyer.

With only four weeks separating Revolution 28 and the World Championships, Dyer also insisted that there’s no risk of showing Great Britain’s hand too early. “Whatever condition we hit the Revolution in we are confident there’s a bit more to come. The team will be coming off the back of an important training camp in Australia; their taper will be starting so you’ll see a bit of that form come through at Revolution.”

In the women’s racing, Victoria Pendleton will lead the Brits against tough opposition from the Germans and also the Dutch, with Willy Kanis likely to be strong competition. Pendleton will be looking to fine-tune her sprint performances in the competitive Revolution sprint environment, before tapering towards the World Championships.

Tickets for Revolution 28 are sold out, but there will be an opportunity to watch Hoy and Pendleton in action in the sprint qualification as part of an extra afternoon session which also features the National Madison Championships. Racing runs from 12.00 to 15.30 and tickets are priced £6 for adults, £3 for concessions and £15 for families of four. Please visit the website www.cyclingrevolution.com for further details, or contact Manchester Velodrome on 0161 223 2244.

A Cyclist In France: Hills, Climbing And French Humour

You may remember that a fortnight ago, we announced that we'd be following a Cat 2 cyclist in France called Andy Phillips.

Well after introducing us to himself in his first post, Andy gives us a insight into his early cycling days and about the lessons he thinks he'll learn going into the start of his season starting on March 13th.

Andrew: When I started training in 2008 I hated hills! I weighed about 85 kilos and I remember the first time I was introduced to the hills of the Charente in the south west of France. God did I struggle. I was taken to a place called Nanteuil-en-Vallee and the hill my cycling friends made me climb was long and steep. I got up it though about 5mins after everyone else, which obviously made them laugh! I hated the hill, and although I rode up it a few times that year I tried to avoid it at all costs.

As I lost weight my climbing capabilities increased and I also learnt that you could pull up on your pedals. Now that sounds stupid to most of you I am sure but I had never ridden a bike with shoes that clipped into the pedals before. So when you are out of the saddle dancing up the hills pulling up on the pedals it's easy. Two weeks ago we went back to that hill in Nanteuil and I was first up racing to the top with a 1st cat rider from the club. That was a great moment for me and proved that through a little weight loss, i have really improved my climbing skills.

There was a funny incident earlier on which i've just remembered whilst speaking about hills.A couple of months ago i was climbing up a hill not too far from where i live with my cycling friends. As i was passing a young looking cyclist i heard him shout something that sounded like 'Grandad Grandpa'. I couldn't work out why he would be calling me this, considering i was going up the hill quicker than him. going up this hill quicker than him.

10 seconds later and he's at it again 'Tu est un Grand Pere' it sounds like, which means 'you are a great father'. That may well be the case as i'm a family man, but i just dont understand the French sense of humour! When we got to the top of the hill, this guy caught me up he said 'Tu est un grimpeur.' Ah I get it he reckons I am a climber! Interesting when I first started riding with him he said I was a rouleur (a good all rounder) and then when I got a bit fitter he said I was a sprinter and now he says I am a climber. Really I don't know what I am? What i do know is that the more i train and prepare myself the better i can become.

In terms of spritning, it's something i can do but i don't think that I am an out and out sprinter as I don't particularly enjoy the bunch sprints. However, I did get one of my second places last year in a bunch sprint, which came as a nice suprise. I have got a lot to learn with sprinting and the positioning on the road and when to go and when to wait etc. I wish I had started riding years ago as some of the guys have years of experience and know all the tricks including some rather underhand ones!

So the season is fast approaching. The training is going ok or at least I think it is. I am new to this and I dont know if I am traning too much or not enough.What should I be doing at this time of year? I don't ride as much with the club as I did last year as I prefer to do my own thing . They are also a bunch of nutters and it usually ends up going mad and ending up as a race and I find it hard to control myself and and up joining in!

I am the same in a race - I just waste too much energy riding at the front. If I am not attacking (usually too soon), I am chasing down others who attack. I have got to learn to let others do it. I would say that I am an attacking allrounder. However, this year I have got to use my head more and try and control myself.

As ever if you want to keep in touch with me over the season, remember you can do so via becoming a fan of ‘The English Cyclist In France’ on facebook or just join the facebook group ‘Help me Win in France’. I can also be found on Twitter @ http://twitter.com/cyclistinfrance where i will try and reply to any comments during free time i get from pratice and my work. Lastly you can also follow me right here on SportTrades Report. I will get back to you guys in a fortnight or so where my training would have really picked up.

Team Sky Looking To Continue Bright Start

As some of you should know by now, it's been a good start for Team Sky so far as they managed to win two stages during last month's Tour Down Under in Australia. It was a fine start for the team and one that had the team's chief principal Dave Brailsford througly delighted, never mind the riders and the growing fanbase of the team.

After all, the team are in the sport to win and would have been quietley confident of a good start. That being said it's still quite impressive when any new team gets of to a good start (in any sport to be fair) and for the team to made their mark so soon is great credit to Brailsford and everyone involved with the team. The Tour Down Under was great for the team as it helped the team see just how good the team was in race conditions. There were good reports coming out of the training camp in Valencia that the team was working well and that Brailsford's target of doing well over the season was not just fighting talk.

Victory in the Cancer Council Helpline Classic in Adelaide, the prelude to the Tour was a great bonus for the team. It was a good win for the team and came on a day of great attendences around the city. It was particulary impressive given that Team Sky dominated the front of the peloton making it hard for any other moves from the opposition to evolve and come to the front.

Team HTC Columbia, a team well known for winning stages and races over the last couple of years (of course famously with Mark Cavendish over the last 2 years) could not break through. With the peloton whizzing around the circuit on the last lap, it was left to Greg Henderson to take advantage of the tremendous lead out by the team to win the stage ahead of fellow Team Sky rider Chris Sutton to claim a famous 1-2 for the team.

The Tour itself was a good experience for the team and they experienced another victory, this time on the final and sixth stage of the tour which also happened to be a 1-2 as well. Sutton this time getting the victory on the line ahead of Henderson, who finished on the podium with a derserved 3rd place in the GC. Henderson a proud Kiwi would have been delighted with his performance and I have to say the bits of highlights I saw on the tv on SkySports showed that the team looked organised and ready for a goos season. Speaking of tv, it was good to see more coverage of the sport and especially on Sky. Eurosport and ITV4 of course do great coverage of the Tour and some of the other grandtours. That being said it's important the lesser known tours get shown on tv, as not only will it keep the old fans happy but bring in newer ones further raising the profile of the sport.

Over the last couple of days, Team Sky have been competiting in the Etoile de Besseges race. This race is usually the first race of the European Season and the team's riders particulary John-Lee Augustyn, Nicolas Portal and Michael Barry all shone on the fourth stage of the race yesterday. Augustyn the talented South African is just one of the young riders on the team that British cycling fans should be keeping tabs on and along with the team today were placed well, which will no doubt please the team so early on.

Barry who was involved in the final descent on the stage with Augustyn as well as fellow Team Sky rider Nicolas Portal feels so far the team have learnt from this experience so far. "As a team we were able to test our legs on some hard climbs and the team was present at the hardest moments, so far this race has given us a chance to learn more about each other and been a real stepping stone for us to gel as a team." Augustyn by the way is the highest placed of the team's riders in 62nd place going into the final stage of the race which finishes today with a sprint finish.

Also starting today is the Tour of Qatar which marks the debut of Team Sky's marquee signing Bradley Wiggins. Qatar is probably one of the last places you'd think when you think of cycling, but has grown in popularity and the 2010 event will mark it's ninth competition. With the market in the Middle East growing since the turn of the decade it's important that cycling follows sports like football and formula 1 in having a step in the middle east and racing in Qatar is a great way to attract new sponsors and new intrests in the sport. Incidently you can catch coverage of the 6-day event on Eurosport, so it should be worth tuning in to see not just Team Sky but the other teams like Team HTC-Columbia and Lance Armstrong's RadioShack outfit.

But back to Wiggins. Wiggins and Team Sky came under fire after his signing for bullying their rivals into getting their riders with David Millar, Wiggin's team mate at Garmin and Jon Vaughters, the american's team director being critical of the team for their hard approach to sign the Olympian. Wiggins however has hit back saying "People are trying to attach a stigma to us, but it is a load of b*****s, I think there is a lot of jealousy around from certain riders because they are not in this team."

Wiggins of course is looking forward to racing in Qatar. "The expectation to win is always there with us, to stand here and say we're not that bothered would be a lie. It's a big objective for us tomorrow which will hopefully put us in good focus for the year ahead." The first stage started early this morning and it was intresting to watch as the team worked well getting the fastest time out of the other teams to win the stage.

The eight riders contesting the Tour of Qatar for Team Sky are: Kurt-Asle Arvesen, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Russell Downing, Juan Antonio Flecha, Lars-Petter Nordhaug, Ian Stannard, Geraint Thomas and Bradley Wiggins. For an outside bet look out for Sky's Hagen to do well, after all he is one of the stars of the future and will be learning all the time alongside experienced heads like Arvesen and Flecha around.

Responding to more rumours about Cavendish linking up with the team when his contract with Team HTC-Columbia Wiggins said that the move at the moment is highly unlikley. Reffering to the team ethic at Sky and the difficulty of a team managing with two elite sprinters Wiggins said that it would be difficult. "Our riders that came from Columbia came to Sky to get more of a chance for themselves, as i know that Dave Brailsford is quite keen that if Cav were to come, that there won’t be a team built solely round him."

That comment i found quite intresting and it summs up what Team Sky are about, in the fact that it's obvious that Brailsford is looking for that right balance to make the team successful. But depending on how Columbia perform this season, as Wiggins proved over the winter if a rider wants to join a team, the rider will get his move so Cavendish -> Sky shouldn't be ruled out completly. Though it's something that at the moment is highly unlikley. More from the team in a fortnight's time.

Posted by Adam Dennehey

A Cyclist In France: Introduction To Andrew Phillips!

Cycling is now getting more coverage than ever. With the success of the GB Olympic Cycling Squad in Beijing as well as recent glory in the Tour de France for Mark Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins the sport is now fully in the mainstream.

On our blog we already follow the new British Cycling team Team Sky and we will be giving you updates on them throughout the year and beyond. However there is more to cycling than the big teams and those famous faces and SportTrades are delighted to announce that we will be following a amateur cyclist next season.

His name is Andrew Phillips and after living in France for the last couple of years, decieded in an attempt to get fit to buy a bike and join a cycling club. Last year after much training he raced as a category 3 rider in the Poitou Charente Region in the South-West of France. Throughout the season, which starts around the beginning of April we will be hearing from Andrew and we think it’s a brilliant chance for cycling fans to hear a different perspective to the sport. Here's Andrew’s first post for us which describes how he got into becoming an amateur cyclist and what his hopes are for the 2010 season...

Andrew: Do you know I am racing against guys who spend more money on their cycling shoes than I did on my bike? Well thats the truth and my journey into cycling is something that even suprises me.

When I was 43 I saw an advert in the local super market for a bike for sale. The price was 250 Euros. Included in the price was a spare set of wheels, a turbo trainer, a pair of cycling shoes my size and a suit case to put the bike in. A bargain I should say. So I bought the bike and as I was unloading it from the car one of my French neighbours saw me and said “you can come training with us if you like we go Tuesday and Thursday evenings".

That was the start. I only bought the bike to do some riding and to get fit. Instead in May 2008 I started training with some French guys in a proper cycling club. They have been great and have been very patient with me. They have made me suffer and I have been put through hell and back. I have always been quite fit but I have never been in such shape as I am in now. Within a few weeks i was able to ride about 80 kms and by August I was occasionally coming back from the training rides smiling.

There was talk of me participating in a race towards the end of the season but I decided that I would continue with my training throughout the winter and start racing in 2009. I trained hard throughout the winter. As I had not raced I just kept going when everyone else was having a rest. I got stronger and stronger and teamed up with some other guys who had different ideas on training to the guys that I had started riding with. It really took me to a different level and I ended up being caught in the middle of people all offering me different advice on how I should train. Even arguments about the size of my front chain ring. Help! This was all getting too technical, but i learnt quickly that thats what the sport is.

I signed up to race for 2009. As I had never raced before I automatically was placed as a category 3 rider. In the UFOLEP organisation there are 4 categories and a separate category for people over 60 or 65. I did quite well in my 1st season. I achieved three 2nd places, one 3rd and a 5th. I obtained enough points to go up a category but have yet to win a race, though four podiums in my first season was more than i could have dreamed of! Towards the end of the season I bought a frame which a friend spotted on Ebay. With the help of some other friends and by begging, borrowing and not quite stealing I now have a proper racing bike which I will be using for the 2010 season. This will definitely be a great help!

My objectives for next season are to win a race, to obtain enough points to go up to category 1 (should be tough as there are a lot of very strong 20 year olds and younger) and to obtain a podium position in the Departmental Championship. This is definitely possible as in the championship I will be racing with people the same age as me, though'll it will be just as tough as these guys will have more experience than me.

Hopefully you’re hear more from me over the next couple of months when i can let you guys know how my training goes on. Aside from my training it will be also a big couple of months as I am currently in the process of moving house with my family. If you want to support me please become a fan of ‘The English Cyclist In France’ on facebook or just join the facebook group ‘Help me Win in France’. I can also be found on twitter @http://twitter.com/cyclistinfrance Hope you enjoyed my first post.

SportTrades Report Manager Adam Dennehey is delighted to have got this link up with Andrew. "As a cycling fan, i think it will be good for people intrested in the sport to remember that just like football, the sport is more than just the big names. It should be intresting to see how Andrew builds on his success from last season and how he can go wheel to wheel with the french cyclists and hopefully build on Wiggo and Cav's success from last year". There will be more from Andrew over the coming months.

Tour Of Britain Team Up With Prostate Cancer Charity

As if giving you guys news about Team Sky wasn't enough, here's some very intresting news about a partnership between The Tour of Britain organisers and a more than worthy cause, The Prostate Cancer Charity.

Following a successful entry into the world of sportives last year, Prostate Cancer Charity, in partnership with The Tour of Britain, is pleased to announce they will stage a further three events in 2010. Cyclists will have the unique opportunity to measure themselves against the pro riders, taking on one or more stages of The 2010 Tour of Britain, going the full distance of 150km, or taking on a challenging 70km. The Prostate Cancer Charity's Tour Rides, which will all take place in September, will offer amateur cyclists the chance to ride three full stages of Britain’s national cycle tour in 2010.

1) In a brand new event for 2010, cyclists will be able to tackle a tough route which traverses the scenic South West, travelling 150km from Minehead to the South Devon coast or covering part of the route over a distance of 70km, on Sunday 5 September.

2) Stoke-on-Trent, which saw 1,300 riders participate in the inaugural Tour Ride last year including British Road Race Champion Kristian House, will again play host to cyclists, offering a gruelling 145km route which starts and finishes in Stoke-on-Trent in the City’s centenary year, as well as a 70km challenge event, on Sunday 26 September.

3) There will also be an event on the London stage of the event, which will take cyclists on a route past some of the most iconic landmarks in the capital, on Saturday 18 September, prior to the final stage of The Tour of Britain. This will no doubt prove popular and all concerned are hoping it will be a success.

The Prostate Cancer Charity Tour Rides are part of the Charity’s commitment to get people on their bikes to raise awareness of the disease, under its ‘Unite ByCycling’ initiative. In both the South West and Stoke-on-Trent, there will also be 20km family rides, as well as other cycling-related activities at the event sites, so that people of all ages and cycling abilities can take part. John Neate, The Prostate Cancer Charity's Chief Executive, said: "Last year’s events proved hugely successful and we received extremely positive feedback from participants about the organisation of the day and the fact that they could take on a leg of the actual Tour of Britain for the first time."

"Of course, everyone who takes part, as well as completing a personal challenge, will be helping the Charity to raise awareness of prostate cancer and helping us to raise funds to fight the disease, which kills one man every hour in the UK. We are delighted to be entering into the second year of our successful partnership with The Tour of Britain.Places are limited for the event, so we are urging cyclists to ensure they are at the start line by signing up early."

The Prostate Cancer Charity Tour Ride, the first event of its kind in Great Britain, provided members of the public with a unique opportunity to get on their bikes and ride the official Stoke-on-Trent stage of The 2009 Tour of Britain race, all in support of a fantastic cause," said Hugh Roberts, CEO of The Tour of Britain. The inaugural event in Stoke-on-Trent proved to be a huge success and this year we are pleased to be extending the number of Tour Rides to include a new ride in the South West."

The Prostate Cancer Charity Tour Rides cost £40 for the full stage distances, £30 for the 70km distances and £20 for a family of four to do the 20km Family Rides, in both Stoke-on-Trent and the South West. Entries close on 1 September 2010 but as places are limited and expected to fill up fast, riders are encouraged to sign up as soon as possible.

The Tour Rides have got full backing from all the Councils involved in staging them. Cllr David Huxtable, Somerset County Council’s Cabinet Member for Resources, said: "Somerset County Council is thrilled that The Tour Ride will be coming to the region. It’s a great triumph for Somerset and Devon to be hosting both The Tour of Britain and The Tour Ride in 2010. "The fact that The Tour Ride offers cyclists of all abilities a chance to experience some, or even an entire South West stage of The Tour of Britain will hopefully encourage thousands of residents and tourists to take part in the mass participation event."

Cllor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council Cabinet Member for Highways and Transportation, said: "To be chosen to host one of this year's Tour Rides is a great reward for all of the hard work put in by Devon and Somerset County Councils with The Tour in recent years, and we're proud to again be hosting two stages with Somerset. The Ride is an exciting opportunity for people in the region, and from right across the country, to see what the professionals on The Tour will be put through on this stage. At a slightly more leisurely pace than the pro riders, they'll also get the chance to sample Devon and Somerset's breathtaking scenery, which can only be good news for our local economy."

Stoke-on-Trent City Cllor Derek Capey, cabinet member for sport and leisure, for Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: "It is excellent news that The Tour Ride is coming back to Stoke-on-Trent after the success of the event last year. Almost 1500 people of all ages and abilities took part in the ride in September and I would think even more will come along this year.

"Stoke-on-Trent is a city that is committed to cycling and sport in general. This event provides people with the opportunity to take part in a superbly organised, mass participation ride, that has health, social, tourism and economic benefits. We very much look forward to the day."

Prostate cancer is of course the most common cancer diagnosed in men in the UK. Every year in the UK 35,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer. Alarmingly One man dies every hour of prostate cancer in the UK. The Prostate Cancer Charity is striving for a world where lives are no longer limited by prostate cancer. The Charity is fighting prostate cancer on every front - through research, support, information and campaigning. For more information go www.prostate-cancer.org.uk/. The Tour of Britain's organisers should take great credit for teaming up with this great cause and hopefully many people turn up for the Tour Rides on the stages mentioned above and support the cause.

Swift Move For Team Sky

After much talk about the move in the last couple of weeks, it was announced on the 3rd of January that Team Sky, the new British Pro-Cycling team had finally signed the young and talented British rider Ben Swift. There was originally controversy as Sky named him in their squad for the Tour Down Under last month while he was still, allegedly under contract to Katusha. On January 3rd 2010, the day before the official Sky launch, photos appeared on the web showing Swift in the new Team Sky kit, confirming the speculation.

In 2009, 22-year old Swift enjoyed a debut professional season that many riders would dream of; he finished a Grand Tour and the Giro d'Italia, and he scored a win and a string of top ten placings, including a top three finish in a stage of the Giro.

Commenting on his debut season, Swift said; "I’m really pleased with my first season. But I think I’m more surprised than pleased. I never expected to ride the Giro, then to get placings there, and to finish - that's what I was most happy about."

At the same time, Swift gave credit to Katusha for allowing the Brit the chance to race with Sky and for the opportunity that the Russian outfit gave him. "I'm massively grateful to Katusha for the opportunities they gave me," says Swift, "but coming to Team Sky feels like coming home because I know so many of the support staff and riders. I will be in the perfect environment to grow as a rider with Team Sky."

For Team Principal Dave Brailsford, Swift is a valuable addition to an already impressive line-up. He said; “Ben is a real talent and his future looks bright because he ticks all the boxes that it takes to make it in this sport. He’s extremely serious, skilled on bike, he can climb and sprint and I really believe he can go far with us. We’ve worked quite some time with him on the track and I think the next years could be a massive breakthrough for him on the road as well”.

Swift's arrival means that Team Sky have now completed their 26-man roster for the 2010 UCI tour. The full compliment of riders is as follows:

Bradley Wiggins, Geraint Thomas, Steve Cummings, Pete Kennaugh, Chris Froome, Ian Stannard, Russell Downing and Ben Swift [Great Britain] Davide Vigano, Dario Cioni, Morris Possoni [Italy], Edvald Boasson Hagen, Kurt Arvesen, Lars Petter Nordhaug [Norway], Chris Sutton, Simon Gerrans, Mathew Hayman [Australia], Sylvain Calzati, Nicolas Portal [France], Thomas Löfkvist [Sweden], Kjell Carlstrom [Finland], John Lee Augustyn [South Africa], Juan Antonio Flecha [Spain] Michael Barry [Canada], Greg Henderson [New Zealand] and Serge Pauwels [Belgium].

Remember as always, that throughout the cycling season SportTrades Report will be bringing you the latest news to do with Team Sky, as soon as we get it.

2010 Sporting Predictions - Will Any Of Them Be Right?

As ever 2009 has been another fine year in British Sport. Jenson Button became F1 World Champion, England retained the Ashes, Ryan Giggs won the PFA Player of the year as well as BBC Sports Personality of the Year. Then of course there was continued British pride in the Tour de France where Bradley Wiggins came 4th overall and Mark Cavendish won 6 stages including the famous Champs Elysees

2010 should be a stellar year for British and World Sport overall, as there’s just so much to look forward to. At the end of the day there will be winners and losers, with talents emerging and teams possibly on the down-side looking for one last hurrah. Sport is something that can grip a nation and with more and more technology and interactivity in today’s sports coverage, there’s even more sport out there to follow. That should hopefully get more people interested in sport and should get some people inspired, particularly the young and get them active in their lives. I’m all for laptops and PS3’s but at the same time it’s dreadfully important to keep our fitness up.

Anyhows, here’s my predictions for the sporting year ahead. I've only predicted the sports that i know about mostly and Whatever your feelings are on the sporting year ahead remember to comment at the end of this post and type your own, let’s see if great minds think alike?

Cricket: It should be quite an interesting year for England, as all eyes will be focused on November when the Ashes series starts down under as Andrew Strauss's team look to retain the Ashes. It should be another entertaining series and I’m sticking my neck on the line and tipping the series to be drawn 1-1. It could very well be the final stage for Ricky Ponting as Australia captain and it wouldn't surpise me if he calls it a day. A name to look out for this summer for England fans could be Michael Carberry who has grown into a fine batsman at Hampshire and is on the fringes of selection. In terms of bowlers it would be good if the selectors could find a nasty bowler who would clean up the tail - Chris Tremlett perhaps? Before the Ashes though, England face the 'mighty' Bangladesh in 4 tests (2 home and away) where Adil Rashid should figure ahead of Monty Panesar if the selectors wish to experiment. After that England face an always colourful and passionate Pakistan side in the summer. England should be too good for Pakistan, but by the end of the series everyone will have heard of Mohammed Aamer who will be talked about as the next Wasim Akram. There's also the World Twenty20 to look forward to at the start of April. England will be edged out in the second round, with South Africa finally claiming their first ICC tournament trophy with AB De Villiers top scoring in the final.

Football: Well the biggest prize on offer this year is the World Cup, and as much as I’d love England to win it, Brazil look the best built team to win it and I can see them beating us in the semi-final on their way to winning the trophy. Don’t worry Ireland fans, France will not get anywhere near winning the tournament, after all Domenech can’t surley get them to another world cup final, can he? England and the FA are jubilant come the end of the year as the much maligned 2018 bid wins the rights to host the 2018 World Cup edging the Iberian bid by Portugal and Spain. On the domestic front, I think Chelsea will overcome their recent form and the lack of their African stars (Drobga basically) in the new year to just edge Manchester United to claim the Premiership. I've got a feeling Aston Villa will win something next year, think they may be losing finalists to Manchester United in the Carling Cup but can see them winning the FA Cup for some reason, edging out Liverpool in the final.

Speaking of Rafa Benitez, he'll still be in a job come the start of next season but will have to win big as I think they're just be edged out of the top 4 on the penultimate day of the season. Sadly for Bolton, Wolves and Portsmouth fans i think your teams will get relegated, Newcastle and WBA will romp to promotion with Cardiff edging out Nottingham Forest in the playoff final to join them in the top flight. In the other competitions that will be talked about, Real Madrid will go out in the Champions League semi-finals with their arch-rivals Barcelona beating Arsenal along the way to win the final at the Bernabéu. Valenica will also cap a good year for Spain in Europe by winning the Europa League, which should be a great conclusion to David Villa's career with the club. Next move England perhaps?

Motor Sport: Michael Schumacher's return to the sport to claim a remarkable 8th World Title will be the story of the next Formula 1 World Championship. Providing his Mercedes GP team are able to build on Brawn's success, you’d have to be insane to rule it not happening. A rejuvenated Fernando Alonso at Ferrari will look to beat Schumacher once again for the championship as the Italian team will challenge for this year's title. As for the Brits at McLaren, i think both Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button will challenge for this year with the 2008 Champion just edging out Alonso to claim his second world title.

In Touring Cars, providing he's signed up for next season James Plato will edge out Colin Turkington to claim the BTCC title. In the World Touring Car Champ, both Andy Priaulx and Rob Huff will win races, but will be beaten to the title by talented Brazilian Augusto Farfus. In Moto GP, a fully fit Casey Stoner will get back to winning ways and edge out the talented Jorge Lorenzo to claim the title. Valentino Rossi will see out his final year as a Yamaha rider before switching to a Ducati bike for 2011. James Toseland should bounce back well in Superbikes, but will be edged out by Aussie Chris Vermuelen to the title.

Rugby Union: In another fiercly competitive 6-Nations France will edge a startling England outfit to the title. I think it'll be slightly too much for Ireland and Wales who are probably the two most committed teams to watch in the 6-Nations. Andy Robinson's Scotland team should improve and it wouldn't surprise me if they give England a scare at Murrayfield like they've done famously over the last decade. On the domestic front Saracens are currently sitting top of the Guinness Premiership, but Northampton with Shane Geraghty i feel will end the season well and claim glory at Twickenham in the Final to claim a fine season for Jim Mallinder's team. Toulouse look well placed to win the Heineken Cup, but the Osprey's could be a dark-horse to win it.

Other Sports: Mark Selby to win the World Snooker Championships, with the only 147 in the tournament going to Ding Junhui. After Phil Taylor claims yet another PDC Darts Title, attention turns to the Lakeside where Tony O'Shea aka Silverback, claims the BDO World title. St Helens will win the Super League Final, whilst Wigan will claim prestigious Challenge Cup. Athletics fans will see Jessica Ennis and Phillips Idowu claim gold at the European Athletics Championship in Barcelona. Lisa Dobriskey in the 1500m should get a medal as should Christine Ohuruogu in the 400m.

Celtic Manor, in Wales will be the scene for Europe to retain the Ryder Cup and there's good chance of another European winner at the Masters in Augusta. Young Rory McIlroy will do the whole of Britain proud by making a real challenge at the Open before falling short on the last round. Cycling fans will also have good reason to cheer next year as Bradley Wiggins and Team Sky should have a good year on the UCI tour. Alberto Contador will storm to his third Tour de France title, but Wiggins will finish again in the top 10 whilst Mark Cavendish will fullfil his destiny and win the Green jersey. As for the Winter Olympics coming up in February, Team GB will claim three medals with one of them shockingly a gold. Last but not least Andy Murray will overcome the competition and reach two Grand Slam semi's falling short in 5 sets on both occasions.

Posted by Adam Dennehey, SportTrades Report Manager

More Good News For Team Sky!

Cycling is one of the sports that we're now going to be following on SportTrades Report from now on. As well as hearing about the latest news with regards to the new British Pro-Cycling team Team Sky, we're also on the look out for any young amatuer cyclist to follow throughout the season whatever lower level of the sport that you're in.

Following on from Team Sky's announcement on Thursday that they've signed Bradley Wiggins, they've also had some good news as they've got more backers to the team. Deals announced early on Monday show that the team are now getting investment from Sky Italia and News Corporation who have both put backing into project called Sky Pro Cycling. Announcing the new investors Robert Tansey, Chair of the Sky Pro Cycling Board and Brand Marketing Director of BSkyB, said: “We have the perfect partners backing this team and welcome Sky Italia and News Corporation on board.

“Italy has a great heritage in road cycling, through its riders and manufacturers, and that is already reflected in our team. They have a real passion for the sport and we’re delighted that Sky Italia has joined us. “News Corporation is a leading broadcaster in sport globally and brings a huge range of skills and experience. Like our first partners, British Cycling – who have proven international success and are working closely with BSkyB to inspire people to get out and ride - each will now be represented on our operating board".

“Team Sky is a very exciting project with great ambition; not only to win in style and with the right racing attitude but to inspire the public to enjoy cycling too.”

Team Sky have of course been awarded a four-year UCI Pro Licence this autumn and will first compete at the Tour Down Under in January. The team already has strong Italian connections with a training base in Italy, three Italian riders - Davide Vigano, Dario Cioni and Morris Possoni - and a partnership with Italian bike producer Pinarello. In addition, British Cycling’s academy, where Max Sciandri helps to train Britain’s future talent, is based in Tuscany. It's all part of an exiciting looking project for Sky and one that is looking to build the sport not just proffesionally but for the public as well.

Bradley Wiggins Signs For Team Sky

The move that had been on any British cycling fan’s lips the last fortnight or so has finally happened, as today, in London, it was announced that Bradley Wiggins has signed for the new British Pro-Cycling team, Team Sky in a four-year deal.. It’s a major move, not just for Wiggins but for Dave Brailsford, team principal of Team Sky. Brailsford has had to work with Garmin and Jonathan Vaughters, the team principal of the team in order for the move to be sanctioned. In fact, the move has only happened in the last couple of days with the UCI verifying it last night.

The 30-year-old finished fourth in this year's Tour de France, equaling the best British finish and will be aiming to better that finish on the next tour which starts in Rotterdam next July. Wiggins admitted it was hard leaving his previous team. “It was always a difficult situation trying to leave Garmin because I had a lot of friends there," Wiggins said. "There was only one team I was going to come home for and that was Sky and Dave Brailsford who helped me to my Olympic success. We want to be the best we can possibly be for whatever the goal is and next year that's the Tour de France.

"This team wants to be the biggest and best and most admired in the world, and to be there from the start is something special. It's a bit of a strange day, it has been going on for a long while since I finished fourth in the Tour de France," Wiggins added. In fact the Olympian had been aware of Brailsford forming a team after the Beijing Olympics but signed for Garmin when told that the project was still out of reach at the time.

Brailsford was thoroughly delighted that Team Sky had finally got their man claiming that, “Brad will be at home in Team Sky. It is the perfect fit and he will be a marquee rider for us. “He is an exceptional athlete - a great performer at a great age. And he will get better still. At Team Sky he can continue to develop, surrounded by some of the coaches and performance experts who have worked with him for years as part of the British Cycling set-up”.

The fact that Wiggins knows the staff and other British riders on the team is obviously a major factor in the move and it was clear to see that it’s a comfortable move for both parties as they’re so sure of each other. Wiggins is obviously a marquee signing for the team and one who, after such a great season in 2009, will be a great addition to the squad that Team Sky has. I asked Brailsford about the other riders in the team, particularly the younger riders like Edvald Boasson Hagen of Norway, Geraint Thomas of Great Britain and John Lee Augustyn of South Africa, who of course is well known for that fall he had on the descent of the Col dela Bonette in the 2008 tour.

Brailsford reply was simple. “When we started to think about the riders that we wanted on the team, it was clear that there was an opportunity to get some talented youngsters who, with the help of our team and programme, can become better riders”. Hagen is certainly a name to watch out for having tasted success on the Ghent-Wevelgem classic, the Giro d’Italia when he won a stage, and of course, when he won the Tour of Britain over the summer.

It’s good that Team Sky are picking talent from abroad as Brailsford clearly realizes that it’s not just a passport that plays its part, it’s the personality and work of a rider that counts and certainly that has proven to be the case with the riders so far signed up. There is the good mix of youth and experience in the team. Riders like Michael Barry, Kurt Asle Arvesen, and the classy Juan Antonio Flecha are riders who will not only help the team develop but get results. During the Press Conference, Brailsford commented on how the team are not just a pro cycling team but a project which is aiming to get more and more people involved with, not only the sport but keeping fit. It’s a good move for not only Sky to get involved with, but for the nation to get out and about.

With that information in mind, I asked Wiggins whether or not he believed, he believed through the Team Sky project and campaigns, whether or not, in the future there would be non-white British professional cyclists. Wiggins hoped that there would be. “You only have to look at the diversity of the UK to realise the potential of the sport and just by looking at the numbers and the areas Team Sky and British Cycling are looking to fund, that there’s a good chance we will get people from all backgrounds involved in some capacity in the sport”.

Wiggins also added that in France, there is an emerging trend of Arab/Algerian riders getting involved at amateur level and that with the attention the sport’s getting now, not just from him and the team there are doors opening up for people into cycling. It’s hard to disagree with that as you only have to look at the diversity of the nation and see the potential that Wiggins was speaking about.

With a four year deal, it’s one that Wiggins is looking to enjoy and he admitted that it could be his last contract as a rider in the sport. With ambitions of getting onto the podium in the next tour and helping the team have a successful year it’s good to see that Wiggins wants to repay British Cycling and the Olympic team by stating that he’d still like to be involved in the sport when he retires. Wiggins said “developing youngsters is something that I’d like to do, it’s all part of the Team Sky project which has the drive to get people involved in the sport and keep the future of the sport bright in the UK’.

Lastly. there was almost a sense of a full-circle for Wiggins, who emphasised to the reporters that looking back 15 years ago, it’s hard to imagine that he’d be being interviewed by the press at a top hotel in London for a press conference of this scale. At that time Wiggins was working in various hotels in London doing various odd jobs before his cycling career kicked off. Three successful Olympics later and good performances as a road cyclist have led to him being reunited with Brailsford with today’s presentation in London.

The move to Team Sky is one that should be a fitting end to a great career as a cyclist, and all eyes will certainly be on the team when the new season starts next month with the Tour Down Under. With the riders signed up so far to the team, they certainly have every right to be ambitious and target the 2010 season with the intent to be as high up as the standings as possible. As a huge cycling fan myself, i hope that that proves to be the case.

By Adam Dennehey - SportTrades Report Manager (and avid Cycling Fan!)

Sean Yates Joins Team SKY

The new British Pro-Cycling team Team Sky who are bound to turn some heads in the 2010 Cycling season have announced that Sean Yates, a respected and well known figure will join the team in the New Year as Sports Director.

The 49-year old Englishman rode for Peugeot, Fagor, 7-Eleven and Motorola in his 14-year pro career and was a team mate of Robert Millar and Lance Armstrong. He became the third Brit to wear the yellow jersey at the Tour de France, in 1994, and rode 12 Tours during his career. Sean Yates has previous experience as a sports director heaving held the role recently at Astana since 2008 and before that was at Team Discovery Channel and Team CSC.

Sean Yates said; “I’m extremely excited to join Team Sky. Obviously for me, to be part of a British team at the highest level is something truly special. I have a lot of experience in a winning team and I look forward to helping Team Sky to fulfil its goals. The scope and the ambition of the project is unique and I think we have put together a great team. I really believe we can be contenders on all levels in the future and I’m proud to become part of that.”

Dave Brailsford, Team Principal for Team Sky, said: “Sean brings a wealth of experience and we’ve been very keen for a long time to bring him on board. He’s well known as a hard-working sports director with a deep understanding of the sport and good connection to his riders and staff. He will be a true asset to our management team and a great colleague for the other Sports Directors we have signed.

“Our ambition is to have our Sports Directors collaborating with the best available expert knowledge on all the relevant aspects of sport and we believe that it will provide Team Sky with a unique fundament to perform and win. Sean and the other Sports Directors will be working in a performance driven team where I’m convinced we can bring out the very best in the riders.”

Yates will join Team Sky in the New Year as Sports Director. He will join Scott Sunderland, Steven De Jongh and Marcus Ljungqvist, the other Sports Directors for the team.

Team Sky will compete from the start of 2010, beginning with the Tour Down Under, and hopes to gain an invitation to next year’s Tour de France. The initial squad of around 25 riders will be supported by a team of coaches, technicians and support staff drawn from across the cycling world, many of whom work throughout the year with British elite and developing riders.

The Team Sky riders announced to date are; Geraint Thomas, Steve Cummings, Pete Kennaugh, Chris Froome, Ian Stannard, Russell Downing, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Thomas Löfkvist, Kurt Arvesen, Simon Gerrans, Juan Antonio Flecha, Kjell Carlstrom, John Lee Augustyn, Greg Henderson, Lars Petter Nordhaug, Morris Possoni, Michael Barry, Serge Pauwels, Chris Sutton, Sylvain Calzati, Nicolas Portal, Mathew Hayman, Dario Cioni and Davide Viagno.

When we hear more news on Team Sky, we'll let you guys know.