Xylon van Eyck

If you are like me, every year you can’t wait for the cycling season to start at the Tour Down Under. January 17 2010 was no different. I was up in the early hours of the morning to watch the traditional Cancer Council criterium before the TDU started. Lance Armstrong had returned to racing the […]

10. Spend lots of time with his wife. 9. Watch An Idiot Abroad. Brilliant show! 8. Tweet during Tour de France stages. Stuff like “@andyschleck, you know I would have beaten you today” and “@bradwiggins, b*#ch please, stop frontin”. 7. Do more sit ups in seven months than Alejandro Valverde did in two years. Apparently […]

When asked this week if Marcel Kittel is a faster sprinter than he is, Mark Cavendish quickly replied, “No!” Kittel has been dubbed the most successful neo-pro ever because last year in his debut season he won 17 recognised UCI races. Rumour has it he pushes out 1890 watts during a sprint. A doctor asked […]

Philippe Gilbert could do no wrong in 2011. He undeniably enjoyed the most successful year of his career, which eventually ended with 18 victories. Winning a race nearly every month of the season, he embarrassed other members of the peloton from February (when he took out his first win in the Volta ao Algarve) to […]

As MTN-Qhubeka embarked on their European racing campaign today in the Tour de Gironde in France, it made me think. How many South African cyclists do we have riding in Europe? Unlike Australia and America, we don’t have a federation-sponsored house in Belgium where riders are based racing against the best up-and-coming youngsters in the […]

It seems like we say this every season but this year’s racing has been outstanding; from the first race of the season in Australia to the Tour of Flanders this past weekend. Breakaways have stayed away by two seconds, Tommy Voeckler has done what he does best (attack and win) and strong teams on paper […]

One of the things I enjoyed most about the Milan San Remo on Saturday was the build up. Anticipation in the morning of the race was high. Riders were tweeting what they were having for breakfast while journalists were predicted the day’s winner. Cycling fans have a horrible time from October to January when there […]

Tyler Day (Bonitas) benefited from a perfect lead out by his team to win the 2011 Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour. The 21-year-old crossed the finish line of the 110km mass-participation event in a time of 2 hours 32 minutes ahead of experienced teammate Malcolm Lange. It was Lange’s last race as he […]

Stage 3 — 171km — Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium to Summerstrand Port Elizabeth lived up to its name as the “Windy City” when it hosted Stage 3 of the Cell C Tour of South Africa. Following Monday’s rest day, the stage started in earnest at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, before finishing 171 kilometres later, […]

Stage 2 — 163km — Montecasino via Soweto to Montecasino Stage 2 of the Cell C Tour of South Africa was neutralised due to traffic concerns on the road. The race started off well, leaving Montecasino in the north of Johannesburg towards Soweto. Attacks were fast and furious with Johan van Zyl (Toyota CSA), Christiaan […]

Stage 1 — 154km — Menlyn Park shopping centre to Montecasino Kristian House (Rapha Condor Sharp) enjoyed his time under the African sun when he rode solo to win the first stage of the new Cell C Tour of South Africa. The 2009 British Road Race Champion also took the leaders’ gold jersey. Returning this […]

There’s six days to go until the 2011 Cell C Tour of South Africa (February 19-26). I’ll be accompanying the race and will post daily updates here. The South African cycling community is looking forward to what is going to be a fantastic event. It will get broadcasted to various countries across the world and […]