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La Course Reviving Interest, Leading To Rumors Of Women's World Tour In '16

It is "only two years old but the benefits of La Course have already been felt much further afield," according to Alasdair Fotheringham of the London INDEPENDENT. Created to "act as a showcase event for women's cycling, La Course feeds off the back of the publicity" the Tour's arrival in Paris generates. The last multi-stage women's Tour de France was run in '09, after which it was "axed due to a lack of sponsorship." Such is "the revival of interest now that the finances could start to roll in again." Other events such as the women's Fleche Wallonne or Tour of Flanders, held on the day of the men's race, "have done the same" and, given that La Course is arguably women's cycling's highest-profile event outside the Olympics and World Championships, the strategy is "again working." As women's cycling has "become more high profile," for the first time a women's World Tour, paralleling the equivalent top league for men, is "strongly" rumored for '16. Substituting the current World Cup series and offering a total of 30 to 35 days racing "means many of the current World Cup events would be incorporated," along with La Course, La Course by La Vuelta (the Spanish equivalent race), the Women's Tour of Britain -- another event which is "going from strength to strength -- the Tour of California, and the Giro Rosa" (INDEPENDENT, 7/25).

DISC BRAKES CAUSE CONCERN: In N.Y., Ian Austen reported "long after disc brakes became the method of choice for stopping almost everything that moves quickly," riders at the Tour de France "still slow down by squeezing two rubber blocks against the rims of their wheels." Largely because of a push from the bicycle industry, however, "that is set to change for professional road cycling teams" -- on a trial, at least -- in August and September. Following an agreement with a sporting goods trade group, the Int'l Cycling Union (UCI) will allow teams to "give disc brakes a tryout at two races of their choice in those months." Moving to disc brakes is "far from simple," and although there is a consensus among teams at this year's Tour that the change to discs is "inevitable," some riders are regarding it with "apprehension or concern." Changing how road bikes brake "involves engineering entirely new bicycle frames, wheels and other components." Routine matters, such as how to help riders with flat tires, will have to be adapted. And "there are worries that the rotors of the disc brakes will add a new hazard in crashes and even that their additional stopping power could itself be a source of spills." Some riders have said that the change "is overdue." Orica-GreenEdge spokesperson Brian Nygaard said that he was "not surprised by the doubts." Nygaard: "There's just a general divide within the riders. Some would prefer not to ever change anything in terms of frame wheels. That divide will always be there." Sandy, Utah-based racing wheel maker Reynolds Cycling Technology Founder Paul Lew acknowledged that "many riders needed to be won over." Lew, who sits on a committee at the UCI that is reviewing disc brakes, said, "I think there's some skepticism and some reluctance, but there's also some enthusiasm. From a consumer standpoint, however, I don't think there's much skepticism; consumers are going along with it." The industry's sales pitch is that discs "provide more stopping power, allow finer control and perform as well in wet conditions as dry ones" (N.Y. TIMES, 7/25).

POLICE OPEN FIRE: The AFP reported French police were searching on Sunday for the "driver of a car that smashed through a security barrier in central Paris near the finish line" of the Tour de France. Police opened fire on the car, "failing to stop it from speeding away after the incident in the Place de la Concorde at the foot of the famous Champs Elysees." A police source said that witnesses "saw two men and two women leaving the bullet-ridden car" (AFP, 7/26).

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