This was quite a year for bicycling news. Doping allegations against Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador, and a bicycling ban in Black Hawk, Colorado, were among the biggest stories of 2010.
I like to go back and check what stories, on a month-to-month basis, got the most hits at the Biking Bis blog. Some of these stories are spun from the big news of the day, while others simply inform bicycle enthusiasts who's televising a particular race or where to sign up for a ride.
Here they are:
January: “2010 Tour Down Under bike race schedule and TV coverage” — This essentially sorted out the times and broadcast schedules for the annual Australian bicycle race. Because of time zones and international date lines, figuring out the live schedule in the US is a little bit like the movie “Back to the Future.”
The second most popular story that month — “Dutchman to complete TransAmerican bike ride 34 years late” — told about a cyclist who was returning to finish a bike ride he started in 1976.
February: “2010 RAGBRAI rolls out from Sioux City to Dubuque” — With an estimated 10,000 people participating in this ride, there's a lot of interest every year in where it goes.
“Uneven support for U.S. Bike Route system” got the second-highest number of hits. It quoted a list by Adventure Cycling Association regarding which states were pressing ahead with signed routes for long-distance bike travelers.
March: That RAGBRAI story must have had legs, because it was the most popular in March as well. It was followed closely, however, by “Lance Armstrong confronts bicyclists' Public Enemy No. 1,” which told about Armstrong speaking out against radio shock jock Tony Kornheiser. Talking about bike lanes on Pennsylvania Avenue, the ESPN radio commentator said motorists should just hit bicyclists with their cars. Armstrong fumed on Twitter, then called in and took him to task on the radio show.
Another big story that month: “Google Maps launches route finder for bicycles.”
April: “Bicyclists aren't ready to rumble when they ride” — Told how improperly installed rumble strips on many highway shoulders were making travel dangerous for bicycle riders. Although they serve to alert sleepy or distracted motorists that they are drifting off the road, they're impossible to ride on for bicyclists. The story told about the right way, and wrong way, to install these recessed strips.
May: “Most of Top 10 leanest cities are bicycle friendly” — Took a Top 10 list of fattest cities printed in Men's Health magazine and compared it to the League of American Bicyclists' list of Bicycle Friendly Communities. None of the Top 10 fattest were bicycle-friendly, but 8 of the 10 leanest cities were bicycle friendly.
Further down the list was “Lance Armstrong again target of doping allegations; this time it's Floyd Landis” — This surprise from the Tour of California launched a federal investigation that's ongoing.
June: “Banned in Black Hawk; bicycles off-limits on most roads in Colorado town” — My first story about that casino town where police ticketed bicyclists for using the streets. Turns out the City Council had banned bicycle use. The ban prompted a boycott, a rally at the state capitol, and a court challenge that was struck down. Six months later, bicycles are still banned in Black Hawk.
July: “Mechanical problem puts Contador in yellow; Schleck vows revenge” — Andy Schleck was leading the Tour de France on Stage 15 when he dropped his chain making a shift on the Porte de Balès in the Pyrenees. Alberto Contador surged ahead, gaining enough time to take the yellow jersey. Many said the Contador should have slowed to wait for Schleck instead of taking advantage of a mechanical problem.
August: “Bicycle support threatens personal freedoms, says Colorado candidate” — There must have been something in the air in Colorado this year. Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Maes said during the primary campaign that bicycle-sharing programs, like the one in Denver, are “well-disguised” programs dictated by the United Nations that could “threaten our personal freedoms.” He actually won the primary, but lost to former Denver mayor John Hickenlooper in the general election.
September: “Man commits suicide after running down his bicycling friend” — This is a very sad tale that unfolded not far from where I live. A 20-year-old was riding his bicycle home from a party early one Sunday morning when he was struck and killed by a pickup truck driver. The motorist stopped; when he realized that he had just killed his friend, he shot himself with a handgun.
October: “Contador failed drug test at Tour de France; blames food contamination” — Months after the end of the 2010 Tour de France, the UCI announces that traces of the banned substance clenbuteral were found in Alberto Contador's blood samples. The Tour winner claims the performance-enhancing drug must have come from some contaminated steaks that were given him by Spanish supporters. The issue has yet to be resolved.
Personally, I liked a story a little further down the list: “Dutch cyclist is last to finish Bikecentennial bicycle tour” — Frank van Dijk of the Netherlands finished his cross-country bicycle ride that he started with fellow countrymen 34 years ago. He was hit by a car in Eureka, Kansas, and couldn't finish the ride. He returned as a 58-year-old tavern owner to finish the bicycle tour.
Also in October, a big local story: “Change at the top of Cascade Bicycle Club: Chuck Ayers is out” — The board of directors fired the executive director of 13 years, only to rehire him on an interim basis after the ensuing controversy. Now the board is facing a recall election.
November: “Dates set for 2011 Seattle to Portland (STP), RAW and RSVP” — With the 10,000-rider cap achieved in April for the popular STP bike tour, recreational cyclists must have been eager to learn the 2011 dates and how and when to sign up (Cascade Bicycle Club website at noon Jan. 10, 2011, for members).
Also high on that month's list: “Financial planner gets “bailout” in hit and run vs. cyclist in Vail” — Back to Colorado, again, where a district attorney dropped the felony charges against financial planner because he might lose his job.
December: “Municipal judge upholds Black Hawk bicycle ban” — Four bicyclists who challenge their tickets in the casino town lose their case. Bicycle advocates examine other ways to strike down the ban.
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