The Association Internationale des Journalistes du Cyclisme (AIJC) has named Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb) as the most media-friendly rider in professional cycling. The media organisation reported the award on its website, where it also announced it had given British cycling photographer Graham Watson the Outstanding Achievement in the field of Cycling Journalism Award.
The AIJC started the award in 2015 "as a form of recognition of those members of the professional cycling community who make a special effort to work with the media and who respect the media's independent role in professional cycling," according to the AIJC website. The first award in 2015 went to Giant-Alpecin, while Mitchelton-Scott's Esteban Chaves took home the award last year.
"At a time when the role of the professional media is proving to be more vital than ever but access and availability is often limited, Dumoulin's attitude and that of Team Sunweb should be considered an example for everyone in the peloton," the organisation wrote on its website.
Dumoulin said he was honoured to receive this award and bring it back to the team, which now races as Team Sunweb.
"We really value a good relationship with the media and understand that this is part of my job as a cyclist throughout the year," the 2017 Giro d'Italia champion said in a statement posted on the AIJC website. "I'm pleased to be considered as an approachable, keen-to-talk rider and I am happy that this is appreciated by the award."
UAE riders return to Sicily for training
With the WorldTour getting underway next week in Australia at the Tour Down Under, a dozen riders from UAE Team Emirates who are not competing in the race will return to Sicily for another block of pre-season training. The riders will be staying at the Hotel Eureka in Syracuse, which previously hosted a team camp in mid-December.
Alexander Kristoff and Dan Martin will join teammates Anass Ait El Abdia, Sven Erik Bystrøm, Kristijan Durasek, Filippo Ganna, Przemyslaw Niemiec, Edward Ravasi, Alexandr Riabushenko, Rory Sutherland and Oliviero Troia will take advantage of Sicily's mild climate to put in more miles before their seasons start. Simone Petilli is also expected to join the team to coninue working with physios to continue his recovery from injuries suffered in a bad crash at Il Lombardia in September.
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"In December we encountered perfect conditions in Syracuse to hold winter training; we hope that our athletes can work as profitably during this January retreat as well," Carlo Saronni said. "Many athletes are fast approaching their season debuts, so it will be important to be able to execute as best as possible the program laid out by the staff in charge of preparation."
Israeli federation OKs disc brakes
The Israel Cycling Federation Board of Directors has approved the recommendation from the technical commission to allow the use of disc brakes in national road competitions, effective immediately.
The decision has been made following the adoption of similar decisions by other national governing bodies such as British Cycling, Cycling Australia, Cycling Canada and USA Cycling. The UCI is continuing its 'test' of disc brake use in the pro peloton.
The Israeli federation's decision is only relevant to national road races that take place in Israel and not to UCI-sanctioned races or national or regional races abroad, where other regulations may apply.
Pidcock named British Cycling Team rider of the year
Two world titles in 2017 lifted Tom Pidock to Great Britain Cycling Team Rider of the Year honours, topping the vote among fans with 28.72 per cent of the 5,800 votes cast. World and European omnium champion Katie Archibald was second with 15.03 per cent and junior downhill world champion Matt Walker third with 13.59 percent of the vote.
The 18-year-old took the junior cyclo-cross world championship in January before adding the junior road time trial world title in Bergen, Norway, in September. In April, he became only the third British rider to win Paris-Roubaix Juniors, after Geraint Thomas and Andy Fenn.
Pidcock, from Yorkshire, concluded 2017 by taking four wins in the Telenet UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup in his debut under-23 season to win the overall title in the category.
