Dirty Kanza cancelled, Brändle renews: Daily News Digest
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Hello CyclingTips readers,
Tuesday’s headlines brought news that one cycling’s biggest gravel events would not be moving forward in 2020.
Dirty Kanza organizers had originally rescheduled the event for September, but on Tuesday they announced that the race would be cancelled altogether this year amid continued coronavirus concerns.
They nonetheless expressed optimism about the event’s future, which could include a possible name change.
Away from the gravel world, Mathias Brändle has renewed with Israel Start-Up Nation, the CPA Women has called for unity, Jean-Christophe Péraud is no longer leading the UCI’s efforts against motor doping, Richard Carapaz and Jhonatan Narváez will be able to fly from Ecuador to Europe after all, and Rapha has announced a new kit collaboration with Geoff McFetrdige.
Read on for more …
Dane Cash
News Editor
What’s news
| Dirty Kanza cancelled for 2020 amid coronavirus concerns
After initially being rescheduled for September, the Dirty Kanza has now been cancelled altogether for 2020 amid coronavirus concerns.
“We’ve spent time working to make the best, safest and most educated decision possible for the well-being of our community as well as yours,” organizers said in a statement. “Ultimately it is not safe to host the 2020 edition of the DK for our athletes, volunteers, staff, and community members.”
Organizers said that registrants will have the option to defer entry to 2021 or 2022, to donate their entry fee to the Life Time Foundation to benefit the school lunch program of the Emporia Unified School District 253, or to receive a refund minus service fees.
The announcement of the event’s cancellation also touched on the subject of an upcoming name change. In the statement, which referred to the race only by the name “DK,” organizers expressed optimism for the event moving forward.
“Truly we can’t wait to share with you all that we have in store, from a new look and name, to an even better experience for athletes, volunteers, and community members alike,” they said. “We would love nothing more than for you to join us.”
| Brändle renews with Israel Start-Up Nation
Matthias Brändle has signed on for two more years with Israel Start-Up Nation, the team announced on Tuesday. The 30-year-old Austrian, who counts several Austrian national time trial titles on his career palmares and was the world Hour Record holder for a few months at the end of 2014 and the start of 2015, has been with the squad since 2019.
“To be trusted like that by your team, I could not ask for more,” Brändle said via a press release that also touched on what has been an emotional and challenging time for him. Brändle’s father Arnold was recently hit by a car while riding his motorcycle and was seriously injured. Fortunately, he has since woken up from a coma, and his son is optimistic that he will make a full recovery.
| CPA Women calls for unity
The CPA Women, one of two organizations vying to represent the women’s peloton (the other being The Cyclists’ Alliance), put out a press release on Tuesday calling for unity.
Following a virtual meeting of the CPA General Assembly, CPA Women’s coordinator Alessandra Cappellotto emphasized the organization’s successes in a message that did not explicitly mention The Cyclists’ Alliance.
“Collaboration with the UCI, race organizers and team managers is proactive and it has grown stronger during this critical period of the Covid-19 pandemic,” Cappellotto said. “In order to promote the growth of the movement, we need to be even more united and to work together.”
| Peraud no longer leading UCI’s efforts to fight motor doping
L’Equipe reports that former pro Jean-Christophe Péraud is no longer leading the UCI’s push to combat “technological doping” amid budget cuts at the governing body. Peraud had served in the role since 2017, helping to usher in an era of increased checks for hidden motors. France’s National Financial Prosecutor’s Office recently dropped an investigation into motor doping in cycling, however, without having found further evidence of the problem.
Cyclingnews reports that the UCI says its commitment to combatting mechanical doping “remains unchanged.”
| Carapaz and Narvaez will be able to fly from Ecuador to Spain
Giro d’Italia winner Richard Carapaz and his Ineos teammate Jhonatan Narváez had been planning for the possibility of needing to travel from Ecuador to Colombia to catch a flight to Europe for the resumption of the racing season, but that apparently won’t be necessary now, VeloNews reports.
Following a decision by the Spanish government to relax travel restrictions for foreign athletes, Carapaz and Narváez will now be able to fly from Quito to Madrid.
| Rapha launches collaboration with artist Geoff McFetrdige
Rapha has announced a kit collaboration with Los Angeles-based artist Geoff McFetrdige for its Rapha Cycling Club member-only collection.
McFetrdige’s colorful designs can be seen in a kit collection that includes a jersey, bibs, base layer, vest, cap, socks, and musette. You can see more over at Rapha’s website.
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SUBSCRIBE TO THE DAILY NEWS DIGEST PODCASTToday’s featured image of Matthias Brändle at Tro Bro Leon comes from Kristof Ramon.
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