Taylor Phinney's transition from the track to the road culminates with his RadioShack apprenticeship

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Stagiaire Season Begins

As the second half of the road racing season begins, a number of top teams have begun to unveil the young talents that will join the pro ranks. Stagiaires, as they're known, typically receive the invitation to race selected events in the hope of proving themselves and picking up a full pro contract for the coming season.

RadioShack Hires Three

The highest profile recruit to Team RadioShack is Taylor Phinney, who himself made his intentions known in recent months. Phinney has ridden for the Trek-Livestrong development team and with the upcoming Tour of Denmark will make his true debut in the pro ranks with RadioShack. Phinney is a two-time winner of the U23 Paris-Roubaix classic, as well as multiple world titles on the track and a variety of stage and other race wins.

Joining Phinney will be two young men from New Zealand: Clinton Avery and Jesse Sergent. All three will don the RadioShack colors for the first time in Denmark beginning August 4th.

"All three riders are classy young riders; they have a lot of potential," commented team manager Johan Bruyneel. "We believe in them and are hoping this works out and can lead to something permanent next year."

"So far none of the three riders has a guaranteed place in our 2011 team but this is already a step forward in their development as a pro-rider," Bruyneel noted.

Cole House to BMC

American Cole House will finish out the 2010 season with the BMC Racing Team, beginning with the Tour de l'Ain stage race in France (August 10-14). The Wisconsin native will be given a chance to adjust to the demands of the pro peloton and gain valuable racing experience.

"It's a good experience for him and for him to see where we is and what we can expect in the future," directeur sportif John Lelangue said. "The most important thing is for him to get experience on this level."

Intercontinental Flavor for Cervélo TestTeam

Alexander Wetterhall from Sweden and Daniel Teklehaymanot from Eritrea will join Cervélo TestTeam as stagiaires. The 24-year-old Wetterhall, from southern Sweden, started his career as a mountain biker before moving to road cycling in 2008. In his first year on the road he became Swedish national champion in the individual time trial. This year he earned overall victory in the Irish tour FDB Insurance Rás and a stage victory in the Ringerike Grand Prix. Wetterhall will join the team next week in the Tour of Denmark.

In addition to Wetterhall, Cervélo TestTeam will welcome another international rider into its ranks. Teklehaymanot, a 21-year-old athlete from Eritrea, is one of the most promising African riders. In 2008 he won his first national title in the road race and also claimed victory in the individual U23 time trial at the African Championships. A year later he took two stage victories at the Tour of Eritrea and finished 6th overall in the Tour de l’Avenir.

His first appearance in the Cervélo TestTeam colors is planned for the one-day race Chateauroux Classic de l’Indre Trophée Fenioux in France at the end of August. 

Can Carlos Barredo make it two in a row at the Clasica San Sebastian?

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Quick Step for San Sebastian: Barredo Defends, Chavanel Out

Carlos Barredo will lead the Quick Step team at this weekend's return to classics racing, hoping to defend his 2009 title at the Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian in Spain. Barredo showed good form in the Tour de France, missing out on stage wins but riding aggressively and figuring in a number of breakaways.

Meanwhile, Quick Step's Tour star Sylvain Chavanel has been forced to sit out San Sebastian on Saturday due to an infected toe.

"I had this problem in the last days of the Tour," said Chavanel, who won two stages on this year's Tour and wore the yellow jersey on two separate occasions. "The foot swelled up and I can't compete in a high level race like the Clasica."

"The team and I have agreed that I shouldn’t participate in the Spanish classic so I don’t risk compromising the season finals," Chavanel added.

Team manager Johan Bruyneel is still smarting over his Vuelta snub

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

RadioShack Adjusts Schedule After Vuelta Snub

After a surprising exclusion from the invitation list to the Vuelta a España, Team RadioShack has re-calibrated its racing schedule for August and September. The team will field riders in the Tour du Poitou-Charentes (August 24-27), Classic de l’Indre (August 29), Grand Prix Jef Scherens/Leuven (September 5), Memorial Van Steenbergen/Aartselaar (September 8), Paris-Brussels (September 11), Grand Prix Fourmies (September 11), Grand Prix de Wallonie (September 15), Koolskamp (September 17) and the Grand Prix Isbergues (September 19).

"All of these one-day races are part of the replacement program we had to put in place after we were told we’re not welcome in this year’s  Tour of Spain," Johan Bruyneel explained.

"I hope that our victory in the team classification in the Tour de France may be an answer to the organizers of the Vuelta," he added.

That detail may be of little consequence given that Tour de France organizer ASO is now a part owner of the Vuelta. With Lance Armstrong, Bruyneel, and other former US Postal Service riders facing federal doping investigation in the United Stats, speculation is strong that the lack of a Vuelta invitation was in effect the snub ASO couldn't easily apply to the Tour.

"It feels bitter. The best Team in the World’s hardest race not being invited to participate at the Vuelta," Bruyneel continued.

"'Other teams offered us better options on a sporting level,' they said to us.  We disagree."

Wiggins to Tour of Britain

Team Sky will line up for its home Tour with Bradley Wiggins leading the lineup for the Tour of Britain in September. The six-man roster will also include recent Tour de Wallonnie winner Russell Downing, Steve Cummings, and British national road race champion Geraint Thomas. Matthew Hayman and Greg Henderson round out the roster.

"We're delighted to have Team Sky riding The Tour of Britain this year, particularly with such a strong line-up that shows they mean business for The Tour," commented Technical Director Mick Bennett.

"I’m sure fans in Wales will be particularly excited to see Geraint Thomas riding Stage Three into Swansea, while I know from meetings and events in Newham just how excited residents and in particular local children are at the prospect of our three Olympians racing on their streets in September."

"I know Bradley can expect a lot of support during the final stage, in what is of course London’s Olympic and Paralympic Borough."