2009 Grand Prix...

Britain's Jenson Button has emerged from the shadows of world champion Lewis Hamilton to win the first grand prix of the 2009 season in Australia

World Champion Hamilton (photo left) looks set to embark on a difficult title defence as McLaren Mercedes struggle with the aerodynamics on their new car.

Constructors' Champions Ferrari look to be there or thereabouts - Kimi Raikkonen needing to re-establish himself over team-mate Felipe Massa this year.

Toyota, BMW Sauber, Red Bull, Renault and Williams have all set promising times during pre-season testing but the headlines have nevertheless been stolen by Brawn GP.

The last team to appear on track - Honda's sale of the outfit only being confirmed at the start of the month - they immediately vaulted straight to the top of the timesheets.

Even if they can, surely it's the case that a season-long title assault is out of the question?

And what of the rule changes themselves? Do you think new aerodynamics and the introduction of KERS will allow for more overtaking in 2009?

Top 10 Sporting Events of 2008

That's it .... 2008 has now gone, but what great sporting events happened? Below are some... Perhaps you have your own favourite or another event that is not here...

10 - New Zealand beat Australia in the Rugby League World Cup
Quite simply, the biggest shock in the history of international Rugby League. Australia had won six successive World Cup titles since 1975 but despite facing odds of 7-1 the Kiwis silenced the 50,000 capacity crowd to be crowned deserved champions in the Aussie’s Brisbane backyard. Finishing 34-20, the match demonstrated everything that is good about Rugby League. Thrills, spills, controversy and exceptional skill were aplenty but the match will live long in the memory for ‘Silly’ Billy Slater’s suicidal back pass that all but sealed the New Zealand victory.

9 - Woods wins US Open despite injury
In an unbelievable show of courage World No.1 Tiger Woods pushed his body to the max and secured his third US Open title despite a debilitating knee injury and an undiagnosed double stress fracture in his tibia. Wincing in pain and limping down the fairways, Woods survived a 19-hole playoff against compatriot Rocco Mediate at Torrey Pines in a victory he described as ‘his best ever.’ It came at a cost; a week later Woods had surgery, missed the Ryder Cup and was ruled out until 2009.

8 - Michael Phelps eight gold medals in Beijing
A nation expected and he delivered. The subject of intense media interest as soon as he touched down in Beijing, man-mountain Phelps successfully took the gold medal in each of the eight events in which he competed and in so doing broke Mark Spitz’s Munich 1972 record of seven golds in a single games. Just for good measure he broke seven World Records, swam with his eyes shut after a goggle-malfunction, shared the secrets of his gargantuan dietary needs and maintained his nice-guy persona throughout.

7 - USA storm to Ryder Cup victory at Valhalla
They may not have had Tiger Woods, but buoyed by Nick Faldo’s 'sandwichgate' cock-up and manic home support, Paul Azinger’s twelve good men came up trumps in Valhalla. Despite being rank outsiders, a half-and-half split between experience and rookies saw Europe blown away on the first day; despite the briefest of come-backs they never really recovered and the Yanks stormed to a 16.5 to 11.5 win. Boo Ridley’s antics may not have been to more conservative tastes but his unconfined joy at securing victory in front of the assembled hicks and yokels was a memorable sight to behold.

6 - Spain win Euro 2008
Proof at last that good football can be translated into Championship glory. Spain were by far and away the most exciting and consistent side throughout the Austro-Swiss football fest and walked away deserved winners after a clinical finish from Fernando Torres in the final against Germany. Italy were the only side to stop the Spanish finding the back of the net but after Cesc Fabregas held his nerve in the resultant penalty shoot-out they never looked back. David Villa ended the tournament top scorer, Xavi was voted best player and seven other players made the UEFA team of the tournament. After 44 years of hurt Spain finally tasted victory on the international stage.

5 - Team GB triumph at Olympics
Buoyed by lottery funding and Lord Coe’s Olympic bid triumph, TeamGB arrived in Beijing looking to lay the foundations for a successful London 2012; what happened next took everybody by surprise. Chris Hoy was the headline act with 3 gold medals as GB dominated in the Velodrome, 19-year-old Beccy Adlington was a revelation in the pool, Cristine Ohuruogu defied her detractors in the 400 metres while the rowers, sailors and equestrians also delivered. 19 golds, 13 silver and 15 bronze saw Team GB leave Beijing with astonishing 47 medals haul and a creditable 4th place in the table behind heavy-weights China, USA and Russia and ahead of old foes Australia.

4 – United win Champions League after Chelsea shootout
The first ever all English final saw Ronaldo, Lampard and Drogba all live up to their reputations as Chelsea and Manchester United battled in the torrential Moscow rain. Ronaldo leapt like a salmon to head United into an early lead before Lampard stole an equaliser with half-time approaching. Opportunities were spurned by both sides before Drogba’s histrionics saw him deservedly sent off with minutes of extra time remaining. It all boiled down to a tense penalty shootout and the chance to secure hero status. With the opportunity to score the winning penalty falling to blues captain John Terry, United looked dead and buried. Alas, as in 1999 they came back from the dead; Terry famously slipped, Giggs calmly slotted home, leaving Anelka having to score. As it turned out, the Frenchman saw his effort saved by Van der Saar and the Red Devils sealed their a second European Cup, forty years after their first triumph and fifty years after the Munich disaster.

3 - Nadal vs Federer Wimbledon final
Federer’s five years of dominance at Wimbledon came to a fitting end in one of the greatest matches ever seen at the glorious SW19 venue. Having already saved two Championship points in the fourth set tie break the Spaniard finally overcame his Swiss opponent 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 9-7 in a match timed as the longest final in the tournament’s history. Finishing 7 hours and 15 minutes after its scheduled start, the two players battled into the night, despite the near darkness, playing unbelievable shots to each other from all angles of the court. Millions around the nation were so gripped that when the 22-year-old finally lifted the trophy, a 1,400 megawatt spike was recorded – equivalent to 550,000 kettles being boiled! Rafael Nadal may have left Centre Court as the winner, but the true victor was the game of tennis.

2 - Lewis Hamilton wins F1 World Championship on last lap
As the Ferrari team began celebrating there was something bitterly British about Lewis Hamilton’s apparent final-lap demise…and then suddenly from nowhere redemption! Has there ever been such a dramatic finish to a Formula 1 season as that witnessed last month at Interlagos? Unlikely! Needing to finish in 5th place to secure his first ever World Championship the 23-year-old from Stevenage dropped to 6th after being passed by Sebastien Vettel with only laps remaining. As title-rival Felipe Massa crossed the line his Brazilian compatriots in the crowd went wild only to see their hopes dashed as Hamilton, on the penultimate bend, nipped past a struggling Timo Glock and stole the solitary point needed. With a Pussycat doll waiting for him in the paddock and an entire nation cheering him on at home, Hamilton was left to reflect on the best day of his life!

1 - Usain Bolt breaks 100 and 200 and 4 x 100 metre World records
It almost defies logic; how can a man who is so laid back be so awesomely fast when he slips on a pair of running spikes? Over the course of one exhilarating week in Beijing Usain ‘Lightning’ Bolt secured himself a place in Olympic history by becoming the first man to take triple glory in the 100, 200 and 4 x 100 metre sprint disciplines. The 22-year-old was so good in the 100 metres that despite running with his undone-laces flailing along the track he still had time to slow down and celebrate his victory fifteen metres from the finish line. The world watched and gawped as 9.69 seconds of footage was repeated, repeated in slow-mo and then repeated again in super slow-mo; it was nothing short of a sprinting master class from a guy, who at 6ft5”, was deemed too tall to dominate such a short distance. Four days later, Bolt added the 200m gold to his collection, breaking Michael Johnson’s ‘unbreakable’ 12-year-old world record with a time of 19.30 seconds, before adding a third with his Jamaican compatriots in the relay. It was an amazing achievement and one that will never be forgotten by those privileged enough to watch it live.

Tour de France 2008 (le tour....toujours)

It's time for the biggest cycling event in France, if not the most well known competition in the World. This grueling race which contains most of the best riders is from 5th to 27th July and will commence in Brest, with the finale in Paris. ..... LE TOUR TOUJOURS ! (The tour always...) Here is the official link to the website http://www.letour.fr/indexus.html Fascinating if you like cycling... Will it be as eventful as last year and who will win??

Superb Spain Claim Euro 2008 Crown

So there you have it Spain won the Euro 2008 Football Tournament beating Germany 1-0 in Vienna. Finally they have achieved to win a major competition which has been long coming! It was 44 years ago that they last triumphed.... Congratulations to a fabulous side who played consistently in this competition from the very first match when they demolished Russia 4-1. So were they surprising winners? No not really, because they entertained, were positive in their approach, they kept possession and were patient even when under pressure. They matured as they progressed in this competition and whoever they played against they kept to their game plan of being comfortable on the ball, passing moving and never resorting to long ball tactics. Strong throughout the squad as was demonstrated in their last group match where they almost had a reserve team out. Different players but playing the same way.

Always loaded with talented players, Spain has spent four decades falling short of expectations. Now they have proved the critics that they can win a major competition!

Well done Spain...!

Euro 2008...as at 13 June '08

So the Euro 2008 competition in Switzerland & Austria is off the ground .....

Who's in the "pecking" order to win and who's "packing" to go home?

Here a short take on the teams.... so far....

Austria
Lots of "huff & puff" in the team but at the end of the day no real quality within the squad. They have had lots of home support but will not progress to the latter stages.

Croatia
Excellent result against the pre tournament favourites Germany. Could go far and they play attractive football. Must keep the impetuous up.

Czech Rep
Need to up their recent performances to progress into the later stages. Will be fighting for second place with Turkey behind Portugal who should top their group.

France
Which team will turn up? Same old same old France, they can be brilliant or very bad. Need to up their work ethic to survive in the "Group of Death"! Must beat Italy to progress.

Germany
Seemingly cruising until their recent defeat to Croatia. Will progress. Never write off the Germans. I predict that they could be very close at the end.

Greece
Too negative for my liking. If they attempt to continue to win games just on set pieces they will be going home soon. I don't think they will retain their Euro trophy this time...

Italy
Current World Champions struggling with an aging squad. Difficult to beat but are they hungry enough to win the Euro 2008. Big match against the French. Winner could join Holland in the knock-out stages.

Netherlands
They must be careful not to become over confident. Done really well so far. Play very attractive football. Dangerous side. Few sides can boast that they have beaten the Current World Cup Champions and Runners up, scoring seven goals in the process.

Poland
Not strong enough to win again like Austria lots of effort but no match winner for me. Apparently they have the loudest supporters, but will that help?

Portugal
Looking good at this stage. No-one will want to be drawn against them in the knock out stages. Strong squad and mentally tough as well. Can Ronaldo and co add to their trophy collection this year?

Romania
They will struggle. Did well to qualify but don't expect them to do well. Need to beat Holland to qualify. Difficult!

Russia
Talented team but lack a cutting edge. Skillful but again like many other sides in this competition they lack real quality & belief.

Spain
Always the "bridesmaid". How many times do Spain fold in a major competition. Perhaps this is their year. They have quality and should do really well.... !!?

Sweden
Hard working side and very organised, difficult to play against but that's about it.

Switzerland
Gone home already. Well at least the live there! (Not too far to go!)

Turkey
Too negative. Like Greece attempt to steal a game rather than dominate.

What do you think?

Brief History of Bicycles

The Walking Machine
Baron von Drais invented a walking machine in 1817, that would help him get around the royal gardens faster: two same-size in-line wheels, the front one steerable, mounted in a frame which you straddled. The device was propelled by pushing your feet against the ground, thus rolling yourself and the device forward in a sort of gliding walk. The machine became known as the hobby horse or Draisienne. It was made entirely of wood. This enjoyed a short popularity as a fad, not being very practical for transportation in any other place than a well maintained pathway such as in a park or garden.

The Boneshaker (Velocipede)
In 1865 another two-wheeled riding machine was made, when pedals were applied directly to the front wheel. This machine was known as the velocipede ("fast foot"), but was popularly known as the bone shaker, since it was also made entirely of wood, then later with metal tires, and the combination of these with the cobblestone roads of the day made for an extremely uncomfortable ride. They also became a fad, and indoor riding academies, similar to roller rinks, could be found in large cities.

The High Wheel Bicycle
In 1870 the first all metal machine appeared. (Previous to this metallurgy was not advanced enough to provide metal which was strong enough to make small, light parts out of.) The pedals were still attached directly to the front wheel with no freewheeling mechanism. Solid rubber tires and the long spokes of the large front wheel provided a much smoother ride than its predecessor. The front wheels became larger and larger as makers realized that the larger the wheel, the farther you could travel with one rotation of the pedals. You would purchase a wheel as large as your leg length would allow. This machine was the first one to be called a bicycle ("two wheel"). These bicycles enjoyed a great popularity among young men of means (they cost an average worker six month's pay), with the hey-day being the decade of the 1880s. Because the rider sat so high above the center of gravity, if the front wheel was stopped by a stone or rut in the road, or the sudden emergence of a dog, the entire apparatus rotated forward on its front axle, and the rider, with his legs trapped under the handlebars, was dropped unceremoniously on his head. Thus the term "taking a header" came into being.

The High Wheel Tricycle
While the men were risking their necks on the high wheels, ladies, confined to their long skirts and corsets, could take a spin around the park on an adult tricycle. These machines also afforded more dignity to gentlemen such as clergymen and doctors. Many mechanical innovations now associated with the automobile were originally invented for tricycles. Rack and pinion steering, the differential, and band brakes, to name a few!

The High Wheel Safety
Improvements to the design began to be seen, many with the small wheel in the front to eliminate the tipping-forward problem. One model was promoted by its manufacturer by being ridden down the front steps of the capitol building in Washington, DC. These designs became known as high-wheel safety bicycles. Since the older high-wheel designs had been known simply as bicycles, they were now referred to as "ordinary bicycles" in comparison with the new-fangled designs, and then simply as "ordinaries."

The Hard-Tired Safety
The further improvement of metallurgy sparked the next innovation, or rather return to previous design. With metal that was now strong enough to make a fine chain and sprocket small and light enough for a human being to power, the next design was a return to the original configuration of two same-size wheels, only now, instead of just one wheel circumference for every pedal turn, you could, through the gear ratios, have a speed the same as the huge high-wheel. The bicycles still had the hard rubber tires, and in the absence of the long, shock-absorbing spokes, the ride they provided was much more uncomfortable than any of the high-wheel designs. Many of these bicycles of 100 years ago had front and/or rear suspensions. These designs competed with each other, your choice being the high-wheel's comfort or the safety's safety, but the next innovation tolled the death of the high-wheel design.

The Pnuematic-Tired Safety
The pneumatic tire was first applied to the bicycle by an Irish veterinarian who was trying to give his young son a more comfortable ride on his tricycle. This inventive young doctor's name was Dunlop. Sound familiar? Now that comfort and safety could be had in the same package, and that package was getting cheaper as manufacturing methods improved, everyone clamored to ride the bicycle. This 1898 Yale uses a shaft drive to dispense with the dirty chain.The bicycle was what made the Gay Nineties gay. It was a practical investment for the working man as transportation, and gave him a much greater flexibility for leisure. Ladies, heretofore consigned to riding the heavy adult size tricycles that were only practical for taking a turn around the park, now could ride a much more versatile machine and still keep their legs covered with long skirts. The bicycle craze killed the bustle and the corset, instituted "common-sense dressing" for women and increased their mobility considerably. In 1896 Susan B. Anthony said that "the bicycle has done more for the emancipation of women than anything else in the world."Bicycling was so popular in the 1880s and 1890s that cyclists formed the League of American Wheelman (still in existence and now called the League of American Bicyclists). The League lobbied for better roads, literally paving the road for the automobile.

The Kid's Bike
Introduced just after the First World War by several manufacturers, such as Mead, Sears Roebuck, and Montgomery Ward, to revitalize the bike industry (Schwinn made its big splash slightly later), these designs, now called "classic", featured automobile and motorcycle elements to appeal to kids who, presumably, would rather have a motor. If ever a bike needed a motor, this was it. These bikes evolved into the most glamorous, fabulous, ostentatious, heavy designs ever. It is unbelievable today that 14-year-old kids could do the tricks that we did on these 65 pound machines! They were built into the middle '50s, by which time they had taken on design elements of jet aircraft and even rockets. By the '60s, they were becoming leaner and simpler.

Now...
Pedaling History has on display even the recent history of the bicycle in America that we are more familiar with: the "English 3-speed" of the '50s through the '70s, the 10-speed derailleur bikes which were popular in the '70s (the derailleur had been invented before the turn of the century and had been in more-or-less common use in Europe since), and of course the mountain bike of right now. There are also many oddball designs that never quite made it, including the Ingo (you have to see it to believe it!)