More Grand Touring and Alternative Events.

The top level cycling just keeps coming this summer, made more visible with British success and offering up a large collection of events to cover every weekend.

Before I get into the road events let’s spin round some less tarmac-based riding.

This weekend saw the second Crankworx event in Whistler and this video is a treat for those of you who like insane FMB slopestyle action:



Keeping it freestyle and jump orientated there will yet another innovative Red Bull event in Berlin next weekend with the R.evolution BMX race designed to combine racing with tricks. I’ll revisit this but the live stream will be here on the 24th.

It’s perhaps a conscious move to keep BMX away from becoming a too formulaic and organised Olympic event by keeping some street style in the sport. On that note even freestyle BMX can get dull when it’s always on purpose built ramps and parks, so this video caught my eye with the freestyle use of an urban playground.



Slightly more alternative again I have been holding out hope (as I’m sure you have too) that mountain bike chariot racing would make it into the World Alternative Games.

So. Inevitably there’s more road business to deal with. Starting with the man who has dominated the summer, Bradley Wiggins, who settled with a slower stage as his own Sportive event took place in Lancashire yesterday, attended by hundreds of fans. In excellent news for his fans Wiggo also announced that he would be racing the Tour of Britain in September, which will give the country a chance to see him race on home roads again. Other members of Team Sky were in action as the Vuelta a Espania kicked off with a chaotic team time trial on Saturday. What you need to know (if you don’t already) about the Spanish tour is that Sky are pinning hopes on Froome showing that the form he showed in France can translate to him leading a team and getting a win to improve on his second place last year. One of his main challenges will be from Alberto Contador who is returning from his ban for tainted steak or vitamins, or simply just taking steroids depending who you believe. As a fan of clean racing I have no problem in hoping that Contador is soundly beaten.

The prologue team trial saw all sorts of confusion with riders crashing and going the wrong way, as well as tram leaders dropped at the finish by their own team. Rabobank perhaps had the biggest reason to moan as they were kept in the sun in a hot-seat situation for ages before being pipped by Movistar and then relegated to third anyway. Sky’s sprinter for Spain is Ben Swift who bagged a third place after leading out the first stage sprint. It’ll be an interesting three weeks of hard climbs to race over.

Let’s not forget that we’re not done with action from the London games and in a couple of weeks we’ll see the Paralypians take the stage (to steal an advertising line). An interesting extra element to these games is the extra technology that has to go into the athletes themselves.

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