Videos

“I think it is certainly the most difficult parcours I’ve ever raced on”Grinding to the top of a 3,275, eighty kilometres-plus climb on yesterday’s Taiwan KOM Challenge, WorldTour rider Simon Clarke (Orica GreenEdge) and Orica AIS competitor Tiffany Cromwell have both spoken about the difficulty of the Mt. Hehuan ascent and how it compares to the roads they have encountered in Europe. In a video interview carried out after yesterday’s race, Clarke has made clear that the mountain is a serious challenge and that it is comparable – or possibly even tougher – than many better-known climbs. “That last eight kilometres is pretty gnarly. It is up there with Angliru and those kind of finishes,” he told VeloNation, “But the fact that you have to do nearly eighty kilometres of climbing before it makes it a very hard finish.” “The idea was not to go too hard too early, because [...]

Australian rider part of Taiwan KOM challenge, will race to 3275 kilometres above sea level tomorrowStarting tomorrow as the best-known women rider attending the Taiwan KOM Challenge, a gruelling race which takes the riders up a 85.2 kilometre climb to the summit of Mt. Hehuan, Tiffany Cromwell has said that she is hoping to share her experience with the Asian riders and help to raise the profile of the unique event. The Australian rider had a fine season and is poised to move up another level in 2014. Before then, though, tomorrow’s event gives her the chance of racing one more time in the Orica AIS jersey before bidding it goodbye and moving to an as-yet unannounced team. “I was invited to come and compete, to help promote the women’s side of the race,” Cromwell stated in the video interview below, carried out with VeloNation at the rider hotel today. [...]

Irish rider speaks about Giro start in Belfast, his goals if he rides and a possible new build-up to the Tour Nicolas Roche had the best race of his career in the Vuelta a España, winning a stage, wearing the red jersey plus each of the other category leader’s jerseys and then finishing fifth in Madrid. The performance has boosted his morale and motivation, and shows that he is continuing to improve as he heads towards his thirties. Roche recently met with VeloNation and sat down for an extensive interview in a Dublin hotel. Away from the bustle of racing and the buzz of the pro circuit, he was relaxed and open in his answers, having time to go into considerable detail about a range of topics. In part I of a two part interview, he spoke at length about the Vuelta, about his season, about his move to Team [...]

Detailed discussion of year one with Team Saxo Tinkoff The 2013 Vuelta a España was a breakthrough race for Nicolas Roche, with the Irishman winning stage two and then, several days later, taking over the race lead. Both were first for the Team Saxo Tinkoff rider, who had gone close to Grand Tour stage wins and race leadership in the past, but always fell just short. Roche wore each of the leaders’ jerseys in the race and went on to finish fifth overall; again, that was a best-ever performance for him. It shows he is still improving and with his previous bugbear, the time trial, now becoming a stronger discipline, he is confident that he can go on to bigger performances in the future. The 29 year recently met with VeloNation and sat down for an extensive interview in a Dublin hotel. Away from the bustle of racing and the [...]