Last night saw Bradley Wiggins crowned ‘BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2012′ despite an extended field of competitors. Great Britain has experienced a stellar year of sport which included the London 2012 Olympic Games and of course, a historic win by Wiggins and Team Sky at Le Tour de France.

The annual event has a range of awards from ‘Unsung Hero’ usually given to non sports stars who help members of their community to achieve their potential, to ‘International Personality of the Year’ which was taken home by Usain Bolt this year. Due to London 2012 being such a success for Team GB the normal shortlist for the main award was extended from 10 to 12. Some felt there should have been a separate title for Olympic competitors but this had the potential to water down the main award and I’m glad they chose the format they did. Contenders for this years main event included sailing legend Ben Ainslie, heptathlete and all round babe Jessica Ennis, the sensational Mo Farah, golf supremo Rory McIlory and track king Sir Chris Hoy.

The shortlist is compiled by a panel of male and female sports editors and journalists but the final vote goes to the public and is always hotly contested. Although not greatly appreciated outside the UK, for British sports stars the award is a big deal. London’s Excel Centre hosted the awards dinner last night and it looked immense! I have never seen a bigger sports awards ceremony and it did justice to the fantastic year of sport we have witnessed in 2012. And who better to award Wiggo the main prize but Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge or Kate Middleton to those not eligible for a stay in The Tower.

This award has been scooped by 3 cyclists in the last 5 years (Sir Chris Hoy 2008, Mark Cavendish 2011, Bradley Wiggins 2012) and goes some way to illustrate the upsurge in popularity of cycling in Britain. The only question now is if Wiggins does defend his Yellow Jersey in July despite initially stating he would focus on the Giro, can he make 2013 even more epic and take the top public voted sports award for a record second year in a row!?

UPDATE

Below is a link to a video that emerged on the BBC website of Wiggo jammin’ at the after show party! Such a dude!

Readers in the US might be interested to learn that here in Britain we’re taking a leaf out of your book – and carrying out a trial run of traffic lights designed especially for cyclists.

The scheme has been launched after the government looked overseas for solutions to counter increasingly grim cycling accident statistics – this year alone 84 cyclists have been killed on Britain’s increasingly busy roads, whilst the number of those seriously injured has risen by nearly 25% in the last five years.

Research from the state of California showed that the introduction of cycle traffic lights led to a significant drop in the number of accidents involving cyclists. At a particularly dangerous junction the number of collisions involving cyclists dropped from 16 in the two years before introduction of the traffic lights, to two accidents in the two years after.

The impressive statistics have inspired the testing of similar lights at a dangerous roundabout in East London – and if they prove successful then they are likely to be rolled out nationwide.

The lights have proven successful in the US because they give cyclists a head start in front of traffic turning left – a manoeuver particularly dangerous for cyclists, because it’s often difficult for motorists to see those on bikes when making a left turn.

Whilst statistics from the US suggest the lights have successfully reduced cycling accidents, some in Britain remain sceptical about the proposed scheme. It has even been claimed that drivers might be distracted or confused by the new lights; as they are to be placed at eye level, however, and will be much lower than regular traffic lights, this is unlikely to prove an issue. The new cycle traffic lights will be distinctly different to those used by motorists.

The president of the British Automobile Association, Edmund King, has also expressed scepticism about the traffic lights. King acknowledged that traffic turning left at lights is a safety problem, but questioned whether it was worth the expense of introducing an extra set of lights. Cycling organisations, road safety campaigners and personal injury solicitors have however welcomed the move.

Brit Peacock is a keen cyclist from the UK, currently blogging on road safety issues and we thank him for providing this insightful guest post today.

Image c/o icc.org.uk

photo courtesy of Steephill.tv

The British and world media may have been talking about London 2012 non-stop for the past year but the men’s Olympic Road Race did not disappoint. I was lucky enough to be on the race-making Straw Belle Slope on Box Hill with my brother @SteamyWynndows and saw some fantastic racing as well as humongous crowds.

Having been to the Tour de France recently and knowing how well the French and ASO organise the event with military precision, I was slightly worried (read petrified) at how the British organisers and LOCOG would mess up the race organisation and logistics. The ASO have had years of experience at putting on their largest event and although we have a superb set up in this country for the Tour of Britain and the criterium series, The Halfords Tour Series, I had a sneaking suspicion that the Olympic powers-that-be may not have bothered to consult any of these event organisers for advice and just do what they thought was necessary. For once I will admit it… hold on to your hats people… I was wonderfully wrong. Enjoy that, you won’t be getting another admission like that!

The view up the hill with my flag in full flutter

Team GB and Tony Martin lead the way for the peloton

The race circuit was well thought out, but we already knew that. I dash out of London into the Surrey Hills and then 9 laps of an undulating course with Box Hill thrown in the mix in the middle. Let’s be truthful here, Box Hill is not difficult. I can climb it at not a bad rate but clearly not at Pro speed! It was never going to decimate the field (although a fair few ‘lesser’ cycling nations felt the pace and fell off the back on the hill repeats) but having 9 laps of it defined the race and meant that teams (or just Team GB) would have to chase. The race route also took in some large but picturesque towns heading back to London before finishing in front Buckingham Palace. Already I’ve heard a few non-cycling friends (yes I have them!) say how beautiful the Surrey hills area looked and I’m pleased we got to see more than just an inner London crit circuit.

A crash at the bottom of Box Hill on the 1st lap saw Fabain having to chase back on. It wouldn’t be his only crash of the day

Stuart O’Grady bossed the break and Timmy Duggan did what Timmy does best and sat at the front setting a good pace

The crowds were also unbelievable. At every point in the race the roads were 3 or 4 people deep and they were SCREAMING their heads off. Following the race David Millar said that he had trouble hearing his team mates talk to him even when they were only a few feet apart due to the noise of the crowd. I have no idea that the percentage of bikies to non bikies was in the crowd but it was probably close to 50/50 if not more in the favour of non bikies, which is incredible. [ED: Please be reminded if you do find this incredible...  it's not surprising as I just made it up].

The crowds on Box Hill, which was the only ticketed area of the race were huge too and I was pleasantly surprised with the organisation and fluidity with which the got so many of us into the venue… which was essentially various bits of grass in the middle of a wood… on a hill! Although the Olympic Volunteers were as useful as a chocolate tyre lever the British Navy had been brought in to assist with crowds and the running of the event and they were superb, as our military always is with things like this.

My only major gripe of the ‘venue’ side of it was that although there was secure cycle parking as part of our entrance ticket we had to cycle about 1/4 of a mile along a muddy track through the woods. With hundreds of people on road bikes doing this there was obviously a few mumblings and swear words but in all honesty there was nowhere else on the hill they could have done it and we all survived due to it being a baking hot day. I would not have wanted to use it for the women’s event the following day when we had Biblical rain!

Mark Cavendish, with Luis Leon Sanchez, never featured in a race that could have been so great for him

Everything about the race felt like a big, top-class event

The major plus point of going to Box Hill to watch the race was not only would you get to see the riders a maximum of 9 times at a decent pace if you were on the hill but at Donkey Green, an area at the very top of the hill in a clearing in the woods, they had set up the largest TV screen I have ever seen with arena concert style speakers. There would be no fear of missing the final sprint as thousands of people tried to cycle home or try to cram into the nearest pub to watch it.

We just strolled through the woods, sat on the grass and drank a beer. It was brilliant. There were thousands of people sitting watching the race, many of whom had never watched a bike race in their lives but seemed to thoroughly enjoy the excitement and the anticipation of a Mark Cavendish once-in-a-lifetime win. I was almost as excited to feel the reaction and buzz from all these fans as I was to see a Team GB win.

Vincenzo Nibali and Philippe Gilbert attacked out of the peloton to try to bridge the gap before heading back towards central London

Taylor Phinney spent a long time in the break and eventually took first loser in 4th

But there had been so much hype about Cavendish in the run up to the race that if you are not a bike fan and understand all the nuances of cycle racing, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was a done deal. Even at the 20km it didn’t look like they were going to catch the break, the only real opportunity coming when Fabian Cancellara unceremoniously crashed into the barriers in Richmond Park after overcooking the corner and the break lulled briefly whilst the riders looked over their shoulders. Philippe Gilbert put the hammer down and refocused the riders minds very quickly and the peloton’s chance was gone.

A few hundred meters more of riders looking and watching to see if the fallen riders would get back on would have slowed the break enough for the peloton to gain on them, but alas, Team GB’s efforts at the front had been for nothing. Apart from help from the German team, most notably Tony Martin who withdrew before the race left Box Hill, Team GB worked on the front alone the whole day. With many nations putting a rider in a break that had been militarily organised by a hugely experienced and loony Australian Stuart O’Grady there put all of their eggs in the ‘chase the break down for a sprint’ basket. They know it would be hard. They had described it as Team GB versus the world and it definitely turned out that way.

I heard many non bikies asking why the other countries weren’t helping Team GB chase the break. It was too hot and I’d had too much beer to try to explain everything about cycling other than that riders don’t want to be in a bunch sprint with Mark Cavendish for obvious reasons and as with Team Sky, many teams would rather see the Team GB cycling team lose rather than try to win themselves. It’s a sad part of the sport currently but has only come about by the rider’s dominance of the sport.

You’d be forgiven for thinking it was a Team GB/Germany race

With the crowds, the terrain and the weather, Box Hill was the place to be

Some unintelligent journalists have already made noises about a rider who previously got caught for doping has now gone on to win a gold medal in the Olympics. I’m not sure what would have happened if Cav had won after being supported by one of the most open ex-dopers in the sport but that’s the fickle world of the media. I’ve always enjoyed watching Alexandr Vinokurov. He’s a gutsy rider who has style, grit and loves to attack. When he jumped after Uran it looked the perfect Vino move and I thoroughly enjoyed watching him win. I’ve already heard many cycling fans say the same thing and I believe within our sport he is a worthy winner despite his unclean past.

Marco Pinotti, Stuart O’Grady & Timmy Duggan coming through the feed station

It was a great day only spoilt slightly by the final result which was Mark Cavendish’s once in a lifetime chance to win Olympic gold in London. David Millar suggested it would be a different matter on Wednesday when Wiggo takes on the world on his own and with the withdrawal of Fabain Cancellara through injury in the road race and Cadel Evans for ‘fatigue’ it seems even more likely that Wiggins will take gold. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves yet…

Stevie

As I’m sure you are aware this week’s #bikeschool class is being hosted by two special guest Professors; Joe from @ryderseyewear and Canadian Olympian Lauren Campbell (@gunzycampbell). Having both hosted a class before I’m sure they will be very comfortable with the format but we wanted to find out more from the lady who will be pinning her hopes on selection to the Canadian Triathlon squad for London 2012 and hoping for some retribution dating back to Beijing!

Stevie Dexter – An athletes’ first Olympics can notoriously be a nervous and overwhelming time in their career. Having experienced the 2008 Olympics and the added media pressure that comes with that, are there areas of your life, training or racing that have changed because of those experiences?

Lauren Campbell - There’s no question that the Olympic experience was like none other and it’s something that has definitely left some lasting changes. The added media pressure really did affect how I carry myself, as I find that I am more comfortable speaking publicly and being interviewed. I used to be an incredibly shy person, nervous to even speak with sponsors or interviewers over the phone, but since I’ve come out of my shell a bit and put some of those fears behind me. As for training and racing, I guess you can say I’ve been carrying some unfinished “Olympic business” and have had that on my mind over the past four years! (I was involved in a bike pile-up in Beijing, resulting in a broken elbow and a DNF).

SD - Within the cycling peloton there are riders who are allowed to boss the race due to their experience, calibre or both. Is the same true within Triathlon and how do other athletes react to seeing you on the start list?

LC – There are definitely some more dominant riders in the pack, those that tend to be the stronger riders and want to see something happen, rather than sitting in and waiting for the run. The packs can be quite large in some events, often with the entire field of a World Series race, with over 60 women, so you can imagine some of the stronger personalities can emerge in those conditions. There are some women who are known to make some noise out there to get the group organized, which I respect (as I am often one of them), but the races are tactical so none of us want to work more than we have to get in position for the win.

Being away from racing for most of the past two years, I’m no longer a “big name” on the start lists. As a past podium contender and decent runner, I might be on the minds of some, but there are so many other potential winners these days. I’m still working my way back up to the top!

SD – Your blog mentions some of the ups and downs you’ve had in the last couple of years from ‘marriage, to injuries, crashes, sickness, surgery, frustrations, comebacks, and everything in between’. These are things that might happen to all of us, but how does a professional athlete cope with them?

LC – It’s definitely been a challenge to work through all of this over the past couple of years, and given the fact that my job relies on a healthy and functional body has made some of these setbacks even more frustrating. I have been very fortunate to have an incredibly supportive network around me that keeps my mind on track when I start to doubt my ability to return to form. Injuries and illnesses are all part of the game and I’ve learned that they DO heal, but you have to be patient and pro-active throughout the recovery. I can’t tell you how many physio, chiropractic, massage, surgical, and doctor appointments I’ve had over the past two years. It’s definitely been quite a process!

SD – When you see or hear LONDON 2012 what is your first thought?

LC – Pure excitement! It’s been a LONG road over the past few years to even get myself into contention to qualify for the team, so the Olympics will be nothing more than a celebration of everything I’ve been though. That, and the most competitive race I’ve ever done in my life. The sport has really grown over the past four years and I’m excited for the challenge to step-up and see how I go amongst the world’s best.

SD – Anyone with dreams of London 2012 has had to put in some big efforts during 2011 and this early part of 2012 to make sure they shine in front of the selectors. What are you doing to make sure you get to the start line in London this summer?

LC – Because I’ve been out of competition and training for all but 5 months over the last two years, I’ve been playing a lot of catch-up in terms of fitness and earning World Ranking points. Thankfully my health was back on track as of October of last year so I was able to put in a consistent block of aerobic, strength and base training, a critical component that I’ve missed out on over the years. By December I was able to add in some intensity and now I am away at a training camp in Florida, putting in a solid pre-race build that will hopefully set me up well for the busy season ahead. Because of the missed World Ranking Points, I need to race as much as possible between now and the end of May (the end of qualifying). The Canadian qualifying criteria is top-8 finishes at both Sydney and San Diego World Series events in April and May. As much as I’d like to only target those races, I haven’t earned that luxury and need to earn Canada another “country spot” for the Games, which is determined based on my Olympic ranking. It’s a bit of a confusing process, but thankfully I have a coach who is good at math and has figured out where I need to race and how I need to do at those races to earn the spot!

SD – Swimming… Cycling… Running… Which do you consider your forté and how do you use that to your advantage against your opponents?

LC – Running has always been my forté so I always race to get myself at the front of the race, or at least in a position to run myself up there. Racing has changed over the years though and there are many more strong runners, who are strong swimmers and bikers so I can no longer plan to run myself up from the 2nd pack. I’ve worked hard at my swimming and riding so that a) I’m in the lead pack off the bike and b) I’m strong enough on the bike that it won’t completely zap my run legs. But basically my race strategy is pretty simple: race hard and smart!

SD – When you need to completely switch off from training or racing what do you do to wind down and relax?

LC – I love to cook and have plans for my next career to be something food-related, so I spend a lot of my down-time researching recipes, sourcing foods, and of course cooking! I also love to read a good book, go for coffee, catch up with friends and do a spot of shopping every now and then.

SD – Many #bikeschool class members are triathletes or time-trialers and I find it hard to give advice… as I have no idea what I’m doing on a TT bike and swim like… well like a Richards Bay blue-bottomed monkey! What are your top 3 tips for #bikeschoolers?

LC – Top 3 tips, eh? There’s a lot I could say here but if it’s only three things then..

1) Enjoy what you are doing. There’s no sense in pursuing this path if you don’t enjoy it. Life’s too short, so find something you love and work hard at it!

2) Embrace the pain. I’m talking about the “good” pain, the lung-bursting, quad-burning pain that comes with a great workout or race. Getting to the next level is going to take you out of your comfort zone so you might as well welcome this discomfort!

3) Have balance in your life. Triathlon, cycling, etc is wonderful and exciting, but never let it take over your life. I’ve learned through my setbacks that there is much more to life than my sport/job. So whatever your goals, always remember why you are doing this and what’s most important to you in life.

SD – You’re running #bikeschool this week with Joe from Ryders Eyewear and we’re all really stoked. How does a relationship with a company like Ryders help you compete to your maximum potential?

LC – I’ve been so fortunate to have connected with a company like Ryders Eyewear. I’ve been on board with them leading up to the Beijing Olympics so we’ve been able to share this roller coaster of events over the past four years. They have been incredibly supportive of me through this hard time and this is the type of support network I mentioned earlier that has help keep me moving forward. So it’s this support AND getting to wear some of the sweetest sunglasses out there is what keeps me going!

SD – Finally, why are YOU loving the bike?

LC – I’m loving the bike because it’s a chance to see the world at my own speed. There’s nothing quite like rolling around a beautiful place and soaking in the sights! That, and getting to fill my belly with delicious post-ride treats!

My thanks to Lauren for some great answers and a lovely insight into a professionals career and life off of the bike (and out of the water). Don’t miss this week’s class as it’s sure to be a real doozy!

Keep The Rubber Side Down

Stevie

Happy New Year to one and all. I’m sure you will have enjoyed the festive season wherever you have celebrated it and I hope you are looking forward to a great 2012. Whilst most blogs and websites have been writing reviews, roundups and summaries of 2011, I chose to stay away from this area for two main reasons. Firstly, there are many fine writers out there who are much more qualified than I am to write such an article. Being able to write a blog on a daily basis really gets into your blood and the mind which makes recalling information though memory and your own archives much easier. Secondly, if I write about stuff that’s already happened and is in the history books, other people can check the accuracy of my research and writing and find me out to be a lazy, fantastical nincompoop and condemn me to the non-non-fiction section of the interweb. Therefor the obvious solution is to write about stuff that has not happened yet and you can’t tell me I’m wrong… yet! Genius!

2012 The Year of The Dragon

In my extensive research (stop sniggering) for this article I found out that 2012 is the Chinese Year of The Dragon and amongst other wonderful attributes such as hard-wearing scaly skin and a warm disposition the dragon is described as having “enough courage to face challenges and easily finds weak points that stand on his way to success.” A nice way to be I think. Although Mrs D has just reminded me that China beats to their own ancient drum and we’ll have to wait until the end of January sometime for the dragon magic to kick in.

2012 is set to be a great year for all… I can feel it in my dragon juice. Below is a selection of things I’m looking forward to in the coming year ranging from events and races to blogs, sites and products.

London 2012 Olympics

Bit of an obvious one really but I thought I had better lead with it. In short this Olympic games is set to be the biggest, shiniest and boldest games in history and will be a true statement of British achievement and world status. The home nation of any major sporting occasion always makes a big song and dance and gets behind their sporting troops, whether it be a FIFA World Cup, Commonwealth Games or World Series (!?) but being in the midst of that fever feels brilliant and it will only get better as we move closer to the event itself. Cycling as a sport has more separate disciplines than any other in existence so is sure to be a majorly exciting part of the games and of course, for British hopes of lots of medal! [Ed: I have no basis for this statement and have done no research to confirm this but someone once told me in a pub. So there.] There will be many articles about London 2012 as the months tick by but if you have any doubt about how much of a show-stopping event we are going to put on, check out the video below of the ‘V for Vendetta’ style fireworks display over London. The fireworks from the Clock Tower of St Stephens (known to most as Big Ben… that is actual factual!) were amazing. It’s a long video of the whole display to music but it is impressive to the last bang. Set aside 11 minutes and 28 seconds in your day and check it out…

Union Cycliste Internationale

2011 has seen its share of scandals and ludicrously mishandled issues that landed with a thwack on the desk of Mr McQuaid but I can’t help felling a sense of loving familiarity with the silly old git. As much as I hate the UCI sitting there quietly, doing their silent little farts in the room of cycling (which absolutely stink by the way and I wish they would do it behind closed doors or not at all) I can’t help feeling like I want to give them a cuddle and tell them it will be alright in the end. Just like that slightly musty smelling relative who arrives around Christmas who you don’t really want to sit next to at the dinner table. You also don’t want them to pass on to the re-cycle centre in the sky. So I say, “Pat, keep rocking on and try to balls up less stuff than you did in 2011 and you’ll be on to a winner.” I think that is about as much as we can ask from them!

Racing

Personally I’m looking forward to doing some proper training and racing this year. I said it last year and never pulled my finger out and organised a licence. This year is going to be different damn it and I’m putting serious efforts into competing… not necessarily winning! On the professional race circuit there are a few races I’m looking forward to in particular. The Santos Tour Down Under is only 2 weeks away and sparks the arrival of the new season. It’s a crazy race with Aussies fresh from the National Champs toting for glory along side pros looking for any early season spurt. The Ronde Van Vlaanderen will be held without the Muur this year as the finish line will change from Meerbeke to Oudenaarde. For those unfamiliar with racing in Europe, Spring Classics or Flandrian bike history, for the riders not to be tackling the Kapelmuur (and the Bosberg incidentally) is like… well I couldn’t think of something similar but its bloody weird! hopefully the race itself won’t be tainted by what will surely be a relentless media commentary on how the race will be run without two of it’s most iconic climbs. My final race I’m really looking forward to (I’m just plain-looking forward to all of them) is the Tour de Suisse. Not one of the most obvious races on the calendar but golly is it exciting!? Riders that have been absent from the Giro or Critérium du Dauphiné (Dauphiné Libere if your old school) suddenly come storming out of the gate. It truly is an exciting race and I urge you to find a feed… probably from @ProCycling Live.

Crying in pain

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times (never understood that phrase!) I love The Sufferfest videos. They don’t pay me to say that I promise. I’m looking forward to see what other dastardly montages explode out of that hellish studio, 2012 looks big for pain. A relative new kid on the block in the realm of indoor training videos is 3LC.TV. An Isle of Man based outfit that utilises the close-knit professional cycling community including World Champion and Team Sky rider Mark Cavendish. Keep your eyes peeled for a review of 3LC.TV coming to LovingTheBike.com in the near future.

Cranklist

If you weren’t already aware, here at LovingTheBike.com we have The Cranklist which is a collection of bike related blogs across all disciplines from across the world. Check them out but I have some of my personal favourites which I urge you to check out to get the most out of your cycling bloggery in 2012. Big Ring Riding is a great collection of photos and funny comments showing the hard-arsed side of cycling. Only championing the hardest of hard men it has bite-size chunks of Chapeau. Not a lot needs to be said about Cycling Tips, one of the finest cycling blogs out there and the reason I began writing about bike racing. Wade Wallace is considered by many to be the king of cycling bloggery and the excellent articles as well as breathtaking photography from around the world’s greatest races are well worth checking out. As a regular reader, Cyclocosm feels like a UK political magazine called Private Eye (I’m sure there is an American equivalent but I’ve no idea what it is). It is a mix of satirical, funny and intelligent articles from a guy who really knows his stuff about bikes and especially racing. Finally, The Inner Ring is what I consider to be the finest blog about professional bike riding as it incorporates so many up to date issues, covered in-depth and with a real understanding of the subject. I urge you to check out these blogs and others on the Crank List. I know most of my particular selections are race orientated but that’s what I’m into… this is my list not yours!

Bring it on…

There it is. Lots of things I’m looking forward to in 2012. Not an exhaustive list by any means but it’s something to be going on with. Here at LovingTheBike.com and #bikeschool we are really looking forward to a great 2012 and will be looking to push the limits. Of course we always want your imput so do let us know.

Tell us what you are looking forward to in 2012 in the comments below. You never know, your wish may become our blog!

Keep The Rubber Side Down

Stevie