Cycling

Owners of electric bikes in London and Hertfordshire received a welcomed boost for the upkeep of their electric bikes from an unlikely source.

KiniSys Electric Bikes today announced that they will be offering free servicing to owners of electric bicycles. What makes this offer so appealing is the fact that the offer is not strictly limited or reserved for regular customers of the online dealer and custom E-bike manufacturer. The offer of free servicing extends to anyone who owns a hybrid bicycle.

Despite rainy conditions in Eibar, Colombian Nairo Quintana managed to win the fourth stage of the Tour of the Basque Country two seconds ahead of his countryman Sergio Luis Henao.

The Manxman Mark Cavendish led his team Omega Pharma-Quick Step to the finish line with a time of only 19 minutes and 24 seconds, despite unfavourable weather conditions. Their team -- which must have been using powerful bicycle tyres - consisted of Niki Terpstra,  Michal Kwiatkowski, Zdenek Stybar, Tony Martin, and of course, Cavendish himself. However, it was to Martin that Cavendish credited some of the glory for the win. Cavendish said when the team arrived at the finish line,  "Two words, one name - Tony Martin. He did the majority [of the work] today.

The Oman Tour seems to be the first of 2013 that will showcase cycling's racing royalty with three of the last Tours de France winners in attendance. The tour, which runs from February 12 to 16, will supposedly highlight the performance of Cadel Evans, Alberto Contador, and Bradley Wiggins.

The thoughts of Team Sky supporters, however, remains to be the duel between team mates Wiggins and Chris Froome.

Women's cycling continues to garner more attention and recognition as key athletes in the field are poised to dominate the sport as much as their testosterone-fuelled counterparts. Case in point: Tiffany Cromwell. The sprightly 24-year-old Australian road biker has competed in major cycling events hosted in her homeland and is now eyeing a bigger prize to add under her decorated belt.

Andy Schleck, the 27-year-old cyclist from Luxembourg, struggled in the Adelaide heat while participating in the 15th Santos Tour Down Under held in South Australia.

Schleck abruptly returned to his hotel after experiencing a mechanical problem during the tour's final stage this Sunday surrendering the title to Dutch cyclist, Tom-Jelte Slagter, also known as the Flying Dutchman.

In an interview, the 51-year old American rider said, "I'm ready. I was asked and I accepted". He was also quick to point out that it is his desire to restore the confidence and reputation back to the sport of cycling. "It is now or never to act".

He also added, "Riders do not understand that if we continue like this there will soon be no money in cycling."

The National Institute for Health Research Public Health Research (NIHR PHR) Programme has funded a research study to examine the cycling infrastructure and the street engineering practices in the UK to improve cyclist safety and increase the levels of cycling among the British public.

This study, to be conducted with the Nottingham University Hospitals Trust and a team of public health researchers, will check examine road layouts, which includes the shared use of road space among motor vehicles and cyclists.