BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
ASO SCREENSAVER
"The start of the 2005 Tour de France is right around the corner – thought you might enjoy this stunning screensaver as a reminder," emailed Annie Coghill, media relations officer for Amaury Sport Organisation’s US office.
Download the screensaver here: http://homepage.mac.com/…/FileSharing4.html
The screensaver email was to promote the fact the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), owner of the Tour de France, participated in the International Licensing Show in the US.
"The Tour de France has recently announced a licensing program to extend its reach into U.S. markets via manufacturing and distribution partners," said ASO’s press release.
http://www.aso.fr/2005/events_us.html
SADDLE UP FOR THE TOUR DE FRANCE
"Change gear with a Haven Europe siblu parc holiday," said the release from Haven Europe.
"Le Tour takes place on the open road so you can cycle a stage in your own time before or after the main event," suggest Haven’s PR team.
"If you believe in relaxing holidays, be sure to avoid the mountains!"
Haven EuropeÂ’s Le Bois Dormant and Le Bois Masson siblu parcs, in St Jean-de-Monts in the Vendée, are both offering discounts of up to £350 off stays during Le TourÂ’s first four stages (2-5 July), which power through the region – and past the parcs – from Fromentine to Blois. Prices start from £390 for two adults and up to three children, including Dover-Calais ferry travel… and lots more in the same vein…
MIKE AND THE BIKE
Lance Armstrong: ”At a very young age I fell in love with my bike- and not much has changed! I have ridden thousands and thousands of miles around the world! I have made friends from all walks of life! And I have learned that many times in life the things that we enjoy most as children are the things that we turn to and?enjoy most throughout our entire lives!
"To me, there really is nothing like riding a bike, and I am excited to introduce you to someone who reminds me a?lot of myself- Mike! I think that you will like reading and riding with Mike, so when you are done, hop on, go for a ride and have some fun! Enjoy the Ride!”
This is the foreword to Mike and the Bike, published in the US on Friday.
It’s a book for children, written by Grammy Award-winning guitarist Michael Ward (Ben Harper, The Wallflowers). It starts: “This is a boy whose name is Mike. This is MikeÂ’s pride and joy – his bike.”
Here’s the press release:
As a concerned parent, Michael found himself having to compete in another realm: motivating kids to exercise more – and play videogames less.
Encouraged by long-time friend, 6-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, Ward created MIKE AND THE BIKE, a story that blends humor and music to connect with today’s kids. Ward discovered cycling when he reached his 20’s, and has dedicated himself to the sport ever since. While on tour with The Wallflowers, a friend recommended Ward invite Lance Armstrong to a concert. Ward didn’t actually expect the legendary cyclist to return his call – but Lance did, and the two hit it off immediately. Their friendship continued through the years, with Lance and Michael riding together and Michael regularly performing in benefit concerts for the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
Illustrated in a retro-contemporary style by Bob Thomson, a musician friend of Michael’s who has become an avid and accomplished cyclist himself, MIKE AND THE BIKE rhymes its way from Mike discovering his bike through our hero enjoying adventures around the world and back home – where he goes to bed wearing his helmet, ready for the next day!
Featuring a foreword by Lance Armstrong, an accompanying 30-minute music CD featuring original songs composed and performed by Ward and his son, Tennessee and a special narration by the “Voice of Cycling” Phil Liggett, MIKE AND THE BIKE rides into retail on July 1 – on the eve of Lance Armstrong’s final Tour De France before his official retirement from professional cycling.
”I created MIKE AND THE BIKE as a way for parents to help introduce their children to the fun and fitness of cycling. The story – and the up-tempo rock songs accompanying the book – are written for both children and adults to enjoy. Introducing my son Tennessee, now six years, to the sport has been a highlight of my life. Helping inspire children to discover the world of cycling would be a dream come true.”
MIKE AND THE BIKE is published by Cookie Jar Publishing, the book division of the Cookie Jar Group.
TV SCHEDULES
ITV2 HITCHES A RIDE WITH THE TOUR DE FRANCE 2005
The Tour de France, the worldÂ’s most prestigious cycling race, returns to ITV2 in July. 21 teams of 9 riders face one of the toughest challenges of their lives and to add to the excitement of the 2005 event, six-time winner, LANCE ARMSTRONG, will be fighting tooth and nail for an unprecedented seventh victory before he retires. The Tour De France 2005 on ITV2 from Saturday 2 July. Highlights will be shown every night at 7pm with live coverage every weekend.
Thoughout July, competitors will face the ultimate endurance event, covering 21 stages over a total distance of 3,584 kms. The route is dedicated to Jacques Goddet, former competition director, on the 100th anniversary of his birth.
ITV2Â’s cameras will be on location throughout the raceÂ’s three-week duration with top presentation team GARY IMLACH, PHIL LIGGETT and PAUL SHERWEN. Fans will be provided with an invaluable view of the performances of the worldÂ’s best cyclists and CHRIS BOARDMAN, ex Tour Cyclist and Olympic and World Champion, is also joining the team full time to give his Expert Analysis on the events of each day. Finally NED BOULTING will be reporting along the route with all the news, fresh from the track.
The Tour De France 2005 on ITV2 from Saturday 2 July. Highlights every night at 7pm and live coverage every weekend
BBC4
On Saturday July 2nd – the night after the first stage – the BBC digital channel is having a Tour de France evening.
There’s a documentary on the life of Tom Simpson, Death on the Mountain. as well as Sunday in Hell, the classic documentary about,er, Paris-Roubaix. The evening finishes with another showing of Belleville Rendezvous, the animated movie featuring the Tour de France and some exploding frogs.
8:20 pm Rendezvous
8:30 pm Death on the Mountain
9:30 pm Jules et Jim
11:15 pm A Sunday in Hell: Storyville
1:00 am Belleville Rendezvous
2:15 am Death on the Mountain
3:15 am Missing Believed Wiped: Time Shift
BRITISH EUROSPORT
British Eurosport will broadcast up to 85 hours of action from the 21 stages. Presenter James Richardson will be joined by expert David Duffield in the studio ‘dungeon’. The channel will feature up to 30 minutes of preview and discussion before every stage followed by a further 30 minutes of studio reaction and review at the end of each dayÂ’s cycling. The Tour commentary team is David Harmon and Sean Kelly. They will be accompanied along the way by Richard Virenque.
Friday 1st July Preview and Presentation of Teams?Live 18:00-19:30 Saturday 2nd July Stage 1: Fromentine to Noirmoutier-en-IÂ’lle 19km (TT)?Studio 15:30-19:00?Highlights 21:00-22:00 Sunday 3rd July Stage 2: Challans to Les Essarts 181.5km?Live 13:00-17:15?Highlights 21:00-22:00 Monday 4th July Stage 3: La Chataigneraie to Tours 212.5km?Live 13:00-17:15?Highlights 21:00-22:00 Tuesday 5th July Stage 4: Tours to Blois 67.5km (team/TT)?Live 13:15-17:30?Highlights 21:30-22:30 Wednesday 6th July Stage 5: Chambord to Montargis 183km?Live 13:15-17:30?Highlights 21:00-22:00 Thursday 7th July Stage 6: Troyes to Nancy 199km?Live 13:15-17:30?Highlights 21:00-22:00 Friday 8th July Stage 7: Luneville to Karlsruhe 228.5km?Live 13:15-17:15?Highlights 21:00-22:00 Saturday 9th July Stage 8: Pforzheim to Gerardmer 231.5km?Live 10:30-17:15?Highlights 21:00-22:00 Sunday 10th July Stage 9: Gerardmer to Mulhouse 171km?Live 10:45-16:45?Highlights 21:00-22:00 Tuesday 12th July Stage 10: Grenoble to Courchevel 192.5km?Live 13:00-17:15?Highlights 21:00-22:00 Wednesday 13th July Stage 11: Courchevel to Briancon 173km?Live 11:00-17:15?Highlights 21:00-22:15 Thursday 14th July Stage 12: Briancon to Digne-les-Bains 187km?Live 12:00-17:00?Highlights 21:00-22:15 Friday 15th July Stage 13: Miramas to Montpellier 173.5km?Live 13:00-17:15?Highlights 21:00-22:00 Saturday 16th July Stage 14: Agde to Ax-3 Domaines 220.5km?Live 13:00-17:15?Highlights 21:00-22:00 Sunday 17th July Stage 15: Lezat-sur-Leze to Saint-Lary Soulan (Pla dÂ’Adet) 205.5km?Live 13:15-17:30 Tuesday 19th July Stage 16: Mourenx to Pau 180.5km?Live 12:00-17:30?Highlights 21:00-22:00 Wednesday 20th July Stage 17: Pau to Revel 239.5km?Live 13:00-17:15?Highlights 21:00-22:00 Thursday 21st July Stage 18: Albi to Mende 189km?Live 13:00-17:15?Highlights 20:30-21:30 Friday 22nd July Stage 19: Issoire to Le Puy-en-Velay 153.5km?Live 15:15-17:15?Highlights 21:00-22:00 Saturday 23rd July Stage 20: Saint-Etienne to Saint-Etienne 55km (TT)?Live 15:15-17:15?Highlights 21:00-22:00 Sunday 24th July Stage 21: Corbeil-Essonnes to Paris Champ-Elysees 144km?Live 16:30-17:15
