RBA LATEST NEWS RSS Feed

Landis Joins Bahati Foundation

3/9/2010

Floyd Landis joins Rahsaan Bahati after a lackluster stint with OUCH-Maxxis
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Landis Joins Bahati Foundation
The Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team announced the arrival of two new riders Tuesday, including the enigmatic Floyd Landis and Josh Berry. Landis most recently was linked to Rock Racing, which was denied a professional license by the UCI for 2010.

"Cycling has given me so many opportunities that I wouldn’t otherwise have had, and I look forward to helping provide the same opportunities for less fortunate kids," said Landis in a team statement.

Team General Manager, Steve Owens commented "we’re confident in Floyd’s commitment to being a powerful ambassador for the Bahati Foundation and supporting the team in winning marquee events like the Tour of California."

Josh Berry, a Portland, Oregon resident, comes to the program as a member of the US national cyclo-cross team.

Rahsaan Bahati and Floyd Landis will be at Helen’s Cycles at 2501 Broadway in Santa Monica, California on Thursday, March 11 from 5-7pm to present the one-of-a-kind Cannondale X Mike Giant graffiti bike that will be on auction at the Bahati Foundation Launch and discuss the Foundation outreach programs. The team launch is scheduled for March 12.

Sanchez Sprints to Green

While the race leader's yellow jersey is thus far eluding defending Paris-Nice champion Luis León Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne), he did put in a strong sprint to finish third and stay close to current leader Lars Boom (Rabobank). Sanchez took over the green points jersey in Tuesday's second road stage into Limoges.

"There was a strong headwind, which made things complicated," Sanchez commented after the race. "I had to settle for third place, unable to finish with success another day where my teammates did an incredible job."

"Thanks to the bonus seconds, I'm getting closer to first place in the general classification," he noted. "Now it's important to remain focused and continue to ride as well as we have been until now."

Lars Boom leads Paris-Nice with a five second gap over Saxo Bank's Jens Voigt and another five ahead of Sanchez. Wednesday's stage 3 will take the peloton from Saint-Junien to Aurillac in central France.

Sébastien Rosseler gave RadioShack its first victory in February

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Rosseler Ready to Think About Himself

Belgian Sébastien Rosseler is ready to emerge from the shadow of his former teammate and classics master, Tom Boonen. Rosseler moved this year from Quick Step to the newly formed Team RadioShack where he will play a supporting role but also take his own chances in the single day classics of spring. With Gert Steegmans out of action for up to two months following his crash in the Paris-Nice prologue, Rosseler may get those chances even sooner than he expected.

"With a Tom Boonen on your team, it's easier to work [for others] than to take on responsibility," Rosseler told La Dernière Heure. "It's true that I need to think more about myself. My problem has always been that I've put myself in the service of others without believing in my own abilities."

This year Rosseler is part of a star-studded RadioShack lineup that is built more for stage racing than the classics, affording names other than Armstrong, Kloden, and Leipheimer chances at team leadership in the one-day races.

"I'm very happy to have changed teams," Rosseler said, adding that he got along well with his Quick Step mates but was ready for a new challenge.

"I'm finally going to have an important role in the races that really excite me: the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, which I've only ridden once because of a number of problems."

Michael Rogers will hope to continue his good form at Tirreno-Adriatico

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Cavendish and Rogers lead HTC-Columbia in Italy

Super sprinter Mark Cavendish will line up for HTC-Columbia at Tirreno-Adriatico as he tries to hone his form for the defense of his 2009 Milano-Sanremo title. While Tirreno-Adriatico is not a sprinter's paradise, the tough field and parcours should sharpen the legs for Cavendish. He will be joined by Michael Rogers, who has already shown himself to be in better form than previous seasons after suffering thgouh a variety of illnesses and injuries.

"Michael's certainly in great shape, although it's a pity there's no time trial, which would have suited him even more", said directeur sportif Valerio Piva. "For the overall classification we've also got Michael Albasini, who's always up there with the other top guys on stages with uphill finishes. And Marco Pinotti's always got a good chance in these sorts of races, too."

As for Cavendish, Piva wouldn't mind seeing a few more chances for stage wins, even if the race is ultimately a tune-up.

"There's no way he'll be going in too deep," Piva said. "You don't want to burn yourself out in Tirreno-Adriatico and not have enough strength left to do well in Milano-Sanremo. But whenever there's a bunch sprint, that's always a good stage for Mark."

HTC-Columbia for Tirreno-Adriatico: Michael Albasini, Lars Bak, Mark Cavendish, Bernhard Eisel, Marco Pinotti, Bert Grabsch, Peter Velits, Michael Rogers

Milram Backs Gerdemann at Tirreno-Adriatico

Linus Gerdemann will lead Milram in Tirreno-Adriatico, which begins Wednesday. The Italian stage race will cover a total of 1,247 kilometers and for those not contesting Paris-Nice will be the first major test for the stage racers.

"Tirreno-Adriatico is the first highest-ranked stage race for us in Europe this year," said Milram directeur sportif Christian Henn. "It is a very important race to which we will send a strong team."

Gerdemann has the support of Markus Fothen, Johannes Fröhlinger, Servais Knaven, Christian Knees, Roy Sentjens, Niki Terpstra, and Fabian Wegmann. He returns to a race that will not have good associations following his serious crash in 2008 in which he broke his femur during a rainy individual time trial.

"To win a stage, you have to be able to sprint uphill in the finale in a leading group," Henn added. "We are well prepared for that and have various possiblities with our team."

Bonnet Wins Stage Two of Paris-Nice

3/9/2010

(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

William Bonnet (Bbox Bouygues Telecom) took victory in the second stage of Paris-Nice Lars Boom (Rabobank maintained his overall lead. With a kilometer to go there was a crash that involved Jimmy Casper (Saur-Sojasun) and Tony Martin (HTC-Columbia). No one was seriously hurt in the crash.

Click here for a full race report

Armstrong Downplays Tour de France Chances

3/8/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Seven-time Tour of France winner Lance Armstrong believes, at 38, he has little chance of beating arch-rival Alberto Contador of Spain to win an eighth title this year. "It would be very difficult. I'm 38, Alberto is 27 and he's improving every year. I know it, people know it, Alberto knows it," he told Spanish newspaper El Pais.

Armstrong and Contador were part of the same Astana team in 2009, but their relationship was tense with the American finishing third overall behind winner Contador. Armstrong later left for the US team RadioShack.

This weekend he finished seventh in Spain's Tour of Murcia, won by Czech Frantisek Rabon. But the Texan, whose main objective this year is the Tour de France in July, told El Pais he felt he was a "better cyclist" now than in 2009, when he returned to the sport after a four-year absence.

Contador was Tour de France champion in 2007 and 2009.

Steegmans exits a team car following his crash
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Update on Gert Steegmans
Gert Steegmans, who crashed yesterday in the prologue of Paris-Nice has been successfully operated on by the team of Dr. Lenaert of the OLV van Lourdes Hospital in Waregem, Belgium. Dr. Sioen, orthopedist, fixed the left collarbone fracture with a solid plate and nine screws. Most likely Gert Steegmans will be able to ride on the rollers within a week. Competition however is excluded for a longer period. If no complications occur, the doctors expect a full recovery after eight weeks.

The rider showed several deep road rashes on the left side of his body. These were cleaned and will probably heal over the next few weeks. A hospitalization of two days is expected.

1936 Berlin Games Double Champion Lapebie Dies
French cyclist Guy Lapebie, a double Olympic champion from the 1936 Berlin Olympics, died on Monday at the age of 93, his family confirmed. Lapebie had been ill since November and died in hospital at Saint-Gaudens in southwest France. Lapebie won gold in the team pursuit and the team road race in Berlin, but suffered bitter disappointment when he took individual silver in the road race behind team-mate Robert Charpentier, whom he had regularly beaten.

"It was a drama, I was inconsolable," he told AFP in 2006. "I always carried the disappointment with me."

Lapebie went on to finish third in the 1948 Tour de France. His brother Roger won the Tour de France in 1937.

UnitedHealthcare team members at a recent training camp
(Photo: UnitedHealthcare)

UnitedHealthcare Dials in Teamwork at MERCO
The UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis put the MERCO races in Merced this weekend to good use en route to 4th and 5th places in the criterium and road race respectively.

“It was a good chance for the new guys and the veterans to start working together under race conditions,” said team Directeur Sportif Mike Tamayo. “And while we go into every race with the intention of winning, we also wanted to treat this weekend’s races as sort of like a pre-season game in football.

“We wanted to push the younger guys who are new to the program a bit.” Tamayo continued. “The races here in Merced gave them a chance to race with team leaders like Rory (Sutherland) and Tim (Johnson), and to learn our system and style of racing. And in that respect, this was a very successful weekend.”

Tamayo added that not having race radios this year will also affect the dynamic of the racing. “It’s important for the guys to really learn how to race in different situations,” he said. “They’ll need to know how to read races and react accordingly. The MERCO races had strong fields, and it gave the guys good preparation ahead of the first NRC race in Redlands at the end of this month,” Tamayo added.

UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis will continue that preparation next weekend at the three-stage Tour de Murietta, and the San Dimas Stage Race the following weekend ahead of the NRC opener in Redlands, CA, which begins March 25.

Team TIBCO Starts Strong
Team TIBCO/To the Top’s six-rider squad used the MERCO race weekend as a good learning and practice experience against strong competition in Merced. Brooke Miller turned in a pair of 4th places, displaying some particularly strong, aggressive riding at the finish of Sunday’s road race.

“The weekend didn’t go as well as we hoped because we always go into races to win them,” said team Directeur Sportif Emma Rickards. “This was the first race together against top-notch national and even international competition and the team got much better as the weekend progressed.”

Not having race radios in the peloton this year will put an even greater emphasis on teamwork, she added. “We made a few mistakes during the crit on Saturday, but the riders worked together really well in Sunday’s road race,” she said. “This weekend was great because it gave us the chance to get a new group together and work out some of the kinks before the NRC season kicks off at Redlands later this month.”

Team TIBCO’s preparation will continue at the San Dimas Stage Race in two weekends, ahead of the Redlands Cycling Classic, which begins March 25.

The large crash that brought the women’s criterium to a standstill Saturday sent Team TIBCO’s Jerika Hutchinson to the hospital to get checked out. Luckily she survived the crash with only bruises and a headache.

2010 Tour of Utah Announces Stages and Sponsors
Steve Miller, president of the 2010 Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah cycling race, confirmed today that August 17-22 are the official dates of the USA Cycling sanctioned pro race. In addition, Zions Bank is returning as presenting sponsor of the Tour for the fourth year (2006, 2008, 2009, 2010). Dubbed as America's Toughest Stage Race, the tour will consist of a prologue and five stages covering some of this country's most breathtaking terrain throughout central and northern Utah.

"I am pleased to be able to confirm the August 2010 dates for this year's race," said Steve Miller. "We had such an enthusiastic response to the 2009 event that local communities along the course are excited to see the Tour return, and last year's participants have provided feedback on how to make the race even tougher. In addition, based on last year's success, all existing sponsors have chosen to return making increased commitments to the race through cash, trade, advertising and marketing."
'09 Tour of Utah

Once again, the Tour of Utah is on the official National Racing Calendar (NRC). The six-day stage race will begin with The Salt Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau Prologue on Tuesday, August 17 and end Sunday, August 22 with the legendary Park City to Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort "Queen" stage.

Additional sponsors include: Utah Toyota Dealers Association, KJZZ 14, 1320 KFAN, POWERADE, Glacéau vitaminwater, FFKR Architects, Bingham Cyclery, First Endurance, Canyon Bicycles, PROBAR, I.J. and Jeanne' Wagner Jewish Community Center, Sheraton Downtown Salt Lake City, Edge Composites, City of Ogden, and Shimano.

"The support we receive from Zions Bank, as well as the rest of our sponsors, is important to the success of the Tour of Utah," continued Miller. "Zions Bank has a long legacy of participation in our community and its name is synonymous with hard work, commitment and success, which are the same values Tour participants embody."

"Zions Bank is committed to the communities in which we do business," said Rob Brough, executive vice president, marketing/communications Zions Bank. "The Tour of Utah is one of our country's premier cycling events which showcases this great state, our culture and our people. Zions Bank is proud to take part in this spectacular event."

The Tour of Utah will also include a non-competitive ride for enthusiast cyclists the Saturday before called "The Ultimate Challenge." Detailed information for The Ultimate Challenge will be released soon.

Sky Strikes Again

3/8/2010

(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Greg Henderson (Sky) took victory in a hard fought stage that was marred by several crashes that caused many favorites lose time to the overall leader Lars Boom (Rabobank). Grega Bole (Lampre) finished second on the stage, while Jeremy Galland (Saur-Sojasun) crossed the line third.

Click here for a full race report.

RBA Newsflash: Steegmans Out of Classics

3/7/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Team RadioShack’s Gert Steegmans broke his left collarbone in the Prologue of Paris-Nice. Steegmans was blown off his bike by a strong gust of wind. The wind picked him up off the ground while he was going 75kph on a downhill section of the course. In addition to the fracture, Steegmans suffered from a big contusion of the shoulder muscle and has road rash all over his body.

Driving behind Steegmans was Director Dirk Demol, who said, “Gert crashed on the descent of the first of two climbs, just on the fastest part where everyone was riding more than 70kph. There was an opening of maybe 20 meters between a house and a hedge. I saw the wind coming. Leaves and tree branches flew in the air and a second later Gert was lifted in the air too. He was blown away from the road and tumbled over and over many times. It was a terrible crash. I’ve never seen such a thing in my life. It took 12 minutes for the ambulance to arrive while we waited and could do nothing. Gert was screaming all the time. He seemed to have broken more than one thing. This is very bad news for him. He would have been our leader in the Classics.”

The big contusion caused the extreme pain. Earlier this season in the 3rd stage of the Tour of Algarve Steegmans crashed on his head. He recovered soon but now will be out for at least three weeks. The doctors hope he can train again soon thanks to osteosynthesis (fixing his break with a plate and screws).

On Monday the Team Doctor will bring Steegmans to the Onze-Lieve-Vrouw-van-Lourdes Hospital in Waregem, Belgium, where Dr. Sioen will perform the shoulder operation.

Rujano Captures Langkawi

3/7/2010

(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Rujano Captures Langkawi
Venezuelan Jose Rujano Guillen captured the 15th Tour de Langkawi on Sunday after finishing 44th in the event's seventh and final stage. The 28-year-old ISD Neri rider finished on the same time with stage winner Stuart Shaw, who covered the 133.7-kilometer (83.14 miles) course from Kuala Kubu Baru to the capital Kuala Lumpur in 3:01:00.

"I am very happy to win this (yellow) jersey and this victory is very important for my new team. It also a great boost for my confidence," he said. Rujano said after a two-week rest his team would continue to race in Italy. Rujano sealed the overall victory in this year's race after he conquered the torturous slopes of Genting Highlands, regarded as one of the toughest in cycling, to win the sixth stage on Saturday. The Venezuelan's overall win time was 24:07:58.

Rujano said this year's competition was "tough although only one Pro Tour team participated (Footon-Sevetto) because Asian riders had improved a lot to compete with other riders."

By the end of the event, the 20 teams taking part covered 1,013.7 kilometers and six states.

Rabon claimed the stage five time trial and overall victory
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Rabon Wraps Up Murcia
Czech rider Frantisek Rabon held off a determined challenge from last year's winner Denis Menchov of Russia to take the overall title in the Tour of Murcia on Sunday. Rabon - who had set up overall victory in Saturday's time-trial when he won it - had Menchov back in second 38 seconds adrift with British hope Bradley Wiggins third overall 53 seconds behind.

America's seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong finished seventh overall, over seven minutes off the pace after a disappointing time-trial on Saturday where he had come in over a minute slower than Rabon.

Dutchman Theo Bos won Sunday’s fifth and final stage.

A Fly V rider in full flight at the 2009 Tour of California
(Photo: Ken Conley)

Fly V Australia Launched in Beverly Hills
Amidst Australian dignitaries, flight attendants and a packed ballroom of invitation-only guests, sponsors and media, the Fly V Australia professional cycling team was unveiled Friday night at the Montage hotel in Beverly Hills.

The Honorable Peter Beattie, Queensland's Trade Commissioner, was on hand to help introduce 10 of the team’s 15 riders, as well as Team Owner Chris White, Technical Director Ed Beamon and the team’s management and staff. Several of the Fly V Australia red, white and black De Rosa bicycles were on display as the backdrop for the ceremony.

White told the audience gathered at the hotel’s rooftop restaurant that the second-year, Australian-registered team was doing things “a bit differently” in its quest to one day become a ProTour team and compete in the sport’s greatest races, including the Tour de France.

“We’re haven’t gone straight to Europe. We’re going to Europe via America,” White said. ”We see America as the doorway to Europe and great events like the Amgen Tour of California as the entryway into the Grand Tours.”

Among the 15 riders on Fly V Australia are 10 Australians, two South Africans and one rider each from Canada, Italy and the United States. Ten of the 15 were on hand Friday and escorted through the crowd by female V Australia attendants: Alessandro Bazzana, Jonathan Cantwell, Jai Crawford, Ben Day, Charles Dionne, Aaron Kemps, Darren Lill, Bernard Sulzberger, David Tanner and Phil Zajicek. Missing were Hayden Brooks, Ben Kersten and Jay Thomson (who were racing) and Darren Rolfe and David Kemp (who were attending Rolfe’s wedding). Additionally, Director Sportif Henk Vogels was absent due to the recent birth of his fourth child.

Race In The Tour TransAlp With SIGMA SPORT
SIGMA USA has announced a contest for riders to win an all expense paid trip to Germany and entrance into the Tour TransAlp. The Tour TransAlp is one of the toughest and most grueling bike races for amateur riders. It features 7 stages and approximately 20,000 vertical meters of climbing. If you have what it takes to participate, let SIGMA know why you should be on team US SIGMA ROX.

SIGMA is asking riders to submit a photo that shows why you deserve the trip and spot on team US SIGMA ROX. Visit www.sigma-transalp.com to submit your photo. Entry deadline is March 15th, 2010.

The Tour TransAlp takes place from June 27th to July 3rd, 2010. Check out www.tourtransalp.de/englisch/ for additional race information.

Boom Blasts to Victory in Paris-Nice Prologue

3/7/2010

(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Lars Boom (Rabobank) charged to victory in the opening prologue of Paris-Nice with a time of 10:56 over the 8-kilometer course. Boom beat German Jens Voigt (Saxo Bank) by 3-seconds and American Levi Leipheimer (RadioShack) by 6-seconds. Pre-race favorite Alberto Contador finished fourth with the same time at Leipheimer.

Click here for a full race report

Iglinsky Conquers Montepaschi Strade Bianche

3/6/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Iglinsky Conquers Montepaschi Strade Bianche
Kazakh rider Maxim Iglinsky conquered the dirt roads around Tuscany to take victory in the Strade Bianche race. Iglinsky was part of a six-man break that emerged after 2009 winner Thomas Löfkvist (Team Sky) blew the race apart as the race entered the town of Siena. Löfkvist was followed by his former teammate Australian Michael Rogers, (HTC-Columbia) Canadian Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Transitions) and Iglinsky. Filippo Pozzato (Katusha) and Francesco Ginanni (Androni-Giocattoli) quickly joined the four riders. While Pozzato and Ginanni made the break it took too much energy and they were dropped in the final kilometers along with Hesjedal.

In the final kilometer, Iglinsky fought his way to the front before the final tight right-hand corner before the finishing straight. Although Iglinsky looked like he might crash into the barriers, he kept it upright and accelerated to the line. Löfkvist finished a few meters behind with Rogers in third. Pozzato finished fourth 18-seconds back ahead of Hesjedal and Ginanni.

Contador has learned from his bonk during the 2009 edition of Paris-Nice
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Contador Ready for Paris-Nice
Alberto Contador will start tomorrow in the time trial of Paris-Nice on a course that he rode today on his new bicycle. His Specialized Shiv has been modified according to the UCI rules and he hopes it will help him perform better than he did at the Volta ao Algarve, where he was forced to compete with a previous model. At today’s Paris-Nice press conference, Contador offered his latest impressions on the 'Race to the Sun.'

After your victory in 2007, and having shown you could win in 2009, what does Paris-Nice mean to you?
It's a race I really like and that is held in a time of year I usually am in good form. It is also a small test for the Tour de France, with high stress stages, very similar course, especially in the flat stages, and with a maximum level. Among the first races of the season, is probably the most important.

What lessons have you learned from last year’s bonk?
That was a very important stage and is one of those days where you learn many things because it is precisely when things go wrong and you can learn some lessons. That day there were many factors, but the findings were good, as I must have more coolness in the race, think about the other candidates for general and prioritize who is most dangerous, of course never to forget to eat and drink.

How will you ride this time trial and what do you expect with this new bike?
It's a hard course, and although it is only 8-kilometers, you can make some larger than usual gaps over some riders. With the bike, there is a big difference. This is the ‘Shiv’, with which I used to train and is completely different from that of the Algarve. I hope to do a good opening tomorrow.

What are the differences between the two bikes?
They are completely different because this one is more evolved. It is faster in the wind tunnel, lighter and more rigid. There are many factors they change and all for the better.

On the eve of Paris-Nice 2009 you said you would never be a great time trialist and then won the next day. During the year you confirmed your improvement. Are you already a TT specialist or is that you are fit early in the season?
It's a little of both. It is true that I have done well in time trial and I've improved thanks to the materials and taking care of things, but it is also true that I’m very quickly in form. Most importantly, however, is the very, very hard work. It may seem that I am going to the race and won thanks to my strengths, but what really caused it was lots of work.

The Astana team has changed a lot since last year; do you now have more peace?
Yes, this year I am much more calm and concentrated on my sporting goals and I am also very happy with the team because I am in contact with all the riders, and for example, there are many who wanted to come to this race and there was not room for everyone. This indicates the great motivation the team has.

At the beginning of the season there was much written of the weakness of Astana but after Algarve, people has begun to say the team is stronger than it seemed, do you agree?
Of course the team has a very good performance in the Algarve where it was incredible. I hope it stays that way all year, but it is also true that controlling the Tour de France is very different. In any case, I'm sure I will have a very strong and very competitive team.

Is tomorrow’s time trial a goal for you and who are the favorites?
It will be a good test for me. I'll go start to the maximum and hope to do well, but win or not will be within 2 or 3 seconds and there are other riders who are very strong. Tomorrow there is a large group of favorites, like Millar, Vande Velde, Samuel Sanchez, Luis Leon, Chavanel... and many others not mentioned. I hope to have a good day, but the differences will be minimal.

Rabon dominated the time trial to take the overall lead
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Rabon Takes Over In Murica
The Czech rider Frantisek Rabon (HTC- Columbia) has become the virtual winner of the 30th edition of the Tour of Murcia, after he imposed his authority in the 22-kilometer, fourth stage time trial. Rabon, who won the time trial in the last edition of the Tour of Murcia, dominated the stage in a time of 25:10:94, beating favorites Denis Menchov (Rabobank) and Bradley Wiggins (Sky), who were second and third respectively. Lance Armstrong, had a disappointing ride to finish eighth more than a minute down.

Although Armstrong announced that he wanted to test himself in this time trial, his times were very discreet and he finished the stage 1:18 down, which placed him seventh in the overall standings. Armstrong, who had struggled in yesterday’s "queen stage”, was expected to ride better today. The Seven-time Tour de France champion was the first of the favorites to reach the finish where he slotted into fourth, before being knocked down to 8th by Rabon, Menchov and Wiggins.

The cyclist from Prague finished 33-seconds ahead of Menchov, and 48-seconds ahead of Wiggins. Rabon’s victory makes him the virtual winner of the Tour of Murcia, barring a crash in tomorrow’s flat stage.

Rujano Wins Sixth Stage of Langkawi
Venezuelan Jose Rujano Guillen Saturday conquered the cruel slopes of the Genting Highlands to win the sixth stage of the Tour de Langkawi and capture the overall lead. Rujano won the 102.80-kilometer (about 64 miles) ride from Putrajaya to the resort of Genting Highlands in 3:04:21.

The ride up Genting Highlands with its steep hills is considered an extremely difficult grade of climb. South Korean Hyo Suk Gong of Seoul Cycling took second place. Saturday's results led to major changes in the race standings. Rujano dethroned German's Tobias Erler, who had led the overall standing on Friday.

The seven-stage race began in Kota Bharu, capital of the northern state of Kelantan on Monday. The final race will be from Kuala Kubu Baru to the capital Kuala Lumpur on Sunday. By the end of the event on March 7, the 20 teams taking part will have covered 1,013.7 kilometers and six states.

"For the UCI it's an accepted fact that the AFLD will not cooperate with us"

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

UCI Not Bothered by French Snub
Cycling boss Pat McQuaid said Saturday he was not surprised by the French anti-doping agency's (AFLD) announcement they would not be cooperating with the International Cycling Union (UCI) at next week's Paris-Nice race. "For the UCI it's an accepted fact that the AFLD will not cooperate with us," said UCI chief McQuaid. "It's more important for the AFLD to position themselves with regard to the media impact than to worry about the final result."

The AFLD said Friday they would not be cooperating with the UCI during the Paris-Nice and would turn over any doping-related information they might have to local judicial authorities, instead of the UCI. The row involves who is responsible for anti-doping controls with the UCI stating they are responsible for doping controls at the Paris-Nice because it is an international race.

"The AFLD questions the motivation of the UCI to control the Paris-Nice race which takes place in the heart of France and mobilizes large public resources," the AFLD statement read. McQuaid regretted the AFLD announcement was made "just before the start of the first big French race which reopens an argument which nobody needs."

Manan Wins Fifth Stage of Malaysia Tour

3/5/2010

(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Manan Wins Fifth Stage of Malaysia Tour
Malaysian cyclist Anuar Manan won the fifth stage of the Tour de Langkawi on Friday while German Tobias Erler maintained the overall lead. Anuar won the 111.50-kilometer (about 69 miles) ride from Muar in southern Johor state to Port Dickson, a seaside resort in Negeri Sembilan state, in 2:23.11. Spain's Vidal Celis of Team Footon-Servetto took second place.

The seven-stage race began in Kota Bharu, capital of the northern state of Kelantan on Monday. It will proceed from Putrajaya to the mountain resort of Genting Highlands, north of the capital Kuala Lumpur, for Saturday's race. By the end of the event on March 7, the 20 teams taking part will have covered 1,013.7 kilometers and six states.

Stage 5 Results:
1. Anuar Manan (MAS/ Geumsan Ginseng Asia) 2:23:11
2. Vidal Celis (ESP/Footon-Servetto) @ s.t.
3. René Haselbacher (AUT/Vorarlberg-Corratec)
4. Ruslan Tleubayev (KAZ/Kazakhstan National Team)
5. Alex Candelario (USA/Kelly Benefit Strategies)
6. Johann Rabie (RSA/South Africa National Team)
7. Christoff Van Heerden (RSA/South Africa National Team)
8. Michael Matthews (AUS/Team Jayco-Skins)
9. Ahmad Anuawar Haidar (MAS/MPC Marco Polo Cycling Team)
10. Dmytro Grabovskyy (UKR/ISD-Neri)

Top 10 places overall:
1. Tobias Erler (GER/Tabriz Petrochemical Cycling) 17:59:23
2. David Pell (AUS/Drapac Porsche Cycling) @ .06
3. Jay Thomson (RSA/South Africa National Team) @ .08
4. Michael Matthews (AUS/Team Jayco-Skins) @ 2.40
5. Anuar Manan (MAS/Geumsan Ginseng Asia) @ 2.50
6. Vidal Celis (ESP/Footon-Servetto) @ 3.00
7. Taiji Nishitani (JPN/Aisan Racing Team) @ 3.06
8. Ruslan Tleubayev (KAZ/Kazakhstan National Team) @ 3.10
9. Alex Candelario (USA/Kelly Benefit Strategies) @ s.t.
10. Dmytro Grabovskyy (UKR/ISD-Neri) @ 3.11

Robbie Hunter was leading the Tour of Murcia
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Roberts Takes Murcia Win — Hunter Quits
Luke Roberts (Milram) sprinted to victory and secured the biggest win of his career. Roberts outkicked Sergey Lagutin (Vacansoleil) and Josep Jufre (Astana), who took over the race lead.

South Africa's Robbie Hunter (Garmin-Transitions) pulled out of the race after having won the first two stages of the race because his wife went into labor, organizers said. The 32-year-old already has a daughter who was born just days before the 2008 Tour of France. He beat Australia's Graeme Brown and Spain's Vicente Reynes in a sprint finish to take Thursday's 169.8-kilometer second stage and retain the yellow jersey in the race in southeastern Spain. The three finished in the same order in Wednesday's first stage.

Schumacher descending the Alps at the Tour de France
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Schumacher Drops Appeal
Stefan Schumacher, who tested positive for EPO CERA at the 2008 Tour de France, has decided not to appeal his ban to Swiss courts. Previously, Schumacher, a German rider, had said he would appeal the ban imposed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which is based in Switzerland. Jurisdiction for such a case would have fallen to Swiss civil courts.

CAS reduced Schumacher’s ban imposed by French authorities (AFLD) and adopted by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) by roughly six months, from January 21, 2011 to August 31, 2010. The reduction in ban means he will be able to return to cycling more quickly than if he were to continue to fight it through the courts. Schumacher will be eligible to race the 2010 World Championships.

The German rider also tested positive for EPO CERA at the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing. He was banned from the Olympics for life, an action which he is currently appealing.

Schumacher has always maintained he is innocent of any doping.

Pellizotti takes a stage of the 2009 Giro d'Italia
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Basso and Pellizotti Recon Giro Stage
Liquigas riders Ivan Basso, Franco Pellizotti and Robert Kiserlovski have already begun their recon of Giro stages with rides in the Dolomites. Earlier this week the riders rode key portions of the 218km Mestre-Zoncolan stage, scheduled for May 23.

The Liquigas trio rode the four climbs of the stage. First was the 954m Saddle Chianzulan, followed by the Duron Pass, a 4.3km climb that ascends to 1076m at an average gradient of 10 percent, though it starts at a ferocious 18 percent. Next was the 958m Saddle Valcalda and then the final climb of the day, Monte Zoncolan, a 10km climb that averages 9 percent but includes pitches as steep as 22 percent. Snow prevented the riders from climbing the full length of Monte Zoncolan.

Gutiérrez racing for LPR in 2007
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Gutiérrez Retires
Jose Enriqué Gutiérrez has chosen to retire due to the uncertainty within Rock Racing. Gutiérrez is best known for his second place finish to Ivan Basso in the 2006 Giro d’Italia. A month later both riders would be linked to Operacion Puerto.

“After 12 years as a professional cyclist, I have arrived at the moment to retire,” the 35-year-old Gutiérrez announced. “After receiving the news that my team, Rock Racing, with whom I had extended my contract this season, is not continuing after not obtaining a license from the UCI, and considering the point of the season, it would be very difficult to find a new team that could offer me minimum conditions both in economic terms and a racing calendar to continue training like a professional like I always have throughout my career, I have decided to close my professional career.”

Gutiérrez turned professional in 1998 with Kelme where he spent six years. In 2004 he moved to Phonak, during which time he, like several of his teammates, was linked to the Spanish doping operation. Police revealed his nickname was “el Búfalo” and at the end of the 2006 season Phonak released him from his contract. He was investigated no further and was never sanctioned. He moved onto LPR Brakes in 2007 before joining Rock Racing for the 2009 season.

In racing for LPR Brakes and Rock Racing the lanky climber (he’s 6-feet 2-inches tall) never found the same form he enjoyed pre-Operacion Puerto. Among his palmares were a stage win at the Vuelta a Espana and two stage wins at the Tour de France tune-up race Dauphiné Liberé.

In his statement Gutiérrez also said, “Cycling has been everything to me and all I have achieved up to now I owe to cycling. In addition, I’ve had the chance to see a lot of the world and meet all kinds of people, and I will have some great memories and friends that will be with me forever.”

He plans to work somewhere in the bicycle industry.

Murcia Repeat for Hunter

3/4/2010

Robert Hunter once more got the better of Brown (r) and Reynes

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Murcia Sprint Repeat for Hunter

South Africa's Robert Hunter of the Garmin-Transitions team won his second consecutive stage of the Tour of Murcia in southeastern Spain on Thursday, beating Australia's Graeme Brown (Rabobank) and Spain's Vicente Reynes (HTC-Columbia) in a sprint finish. Hunter took the 169.8km second stage and retained the leader's yellow jersey in the process. The three finished in the same order in Wednesday's first stage.

Stage race favorites Lance Armstrong (RadioShack), Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky), and defending Murcia champion Denis Menchov (Rabobank) all finished in the main pack, five seconds off the pace after a split in the field.

"Muchas gracias to the people for the support here," Armstrong wrote on Twitter. "I must say though, I'm a little surprised by it."

Saxo Bank's Bellis Recovering Well

Johnny Bellis, who was seriously injured in a traffic accident in Italy last September. Bellis was placed in a medically-induced coma after several surgeries and his chances for recovery looked slim at the time. He was later transferred to a hospital in London, emaciated and suffering the effects of several post-surgery complications. In early December, Bellis was moved to the Wellington Hospital to begin intensive rehabilitation and progress was made almost immediately.

"Johnny has been working extremely hard with all disciplines of his rehabilitation program here at the Wellington Hospital," said Katie Davies, Senior Physiotherapist at the hospital. "His strength and endurance is improving out of sight on a weekly basis. He has been attending strength sessions in the gym, cooking in the kitchen, clocking miles on the exercise bike and going out in the community. The team treating him could not be happier with his progress at this stage of his recovery."

"I went to see Johnny on a personal level, as a young man that I care about, not as a cyclist," said team owner Bjarne Riis after a recent visit to Bellis. "We all went for a walk and stopped by a café to have a coffee. But you know, once we sat down, we ended up speaking about nutrition, weight gain and training all afternoon anyway. There was just no way around it. Johnny wants to come back and we are motivated to help him."

Riis insists that Bellis is facing no pressure from the team to hasten his return to the peloton. "Bradley McGee is working with him to get his training started and the team will be there for him with anything he needs," Riis said. "Everyone in and around the team are excited to see Johnny back on the road."

Roger Hammond will lead Cervélo on the Strade Bianchi in Italy on Saturday

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Cervélo Prepared on Two Fronts

Team Cervélo TestTeam will tackle stage racing on the French and Italian fronts over the next two weeks, sending experienced teams to both Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico, with the one-day Montepaschi Strade Bianchi thrown in the mix as a classics warm-up on Saturday. Held in the Tuscany region near Siena, the Montepaschi Strade Bianche is famous for the 70 kilometers of gravel roads that make up a substantial portion of the race route.

"I am confident we have a very strong team for this race," said Jens Zemke, TestTeam sports director, who once again will lead the team at this year's race. "The riders are very motivated."

"In Roger Hammond we have a specialist who is ideal for this kind of race," he added. "This kind of a race is also an ideal opportunity to test how our components perform in these extreme conditions so we can determine the best equipment setup."

Joaquín Novoa and Xavier Tondo will be in position to try their luck at the week-long Paris-Nice stage race, which begins Sunday southwest of Paris in Montfort-l'Amaury. Stage wins will be the primary focus as Cervélo looks ahead to bigger challenges on the calendar ahead.

"That doesn't mean we are using this race for training, because Paris-Nice is too important for that," Zemke explained. Heinrich Haussler, who has already showed form with a second place in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, will himself look for breakaways or sprints on the flatter stages.

Fellow classics specialist Thor Hushovd will use Tirreno-Adriatico as a fitness springboard with the hopes of a stage win as well.

Leipheimer will lead RadioShack at Paris-Nice

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Leipheimer and Horner to Paris-Nice

Team RadioShack, which has sent Lance Armstrong to the Vuelta a Murcia this week, will enter Paris-Nice on Sunday with a strong line-up headed by Americans Levi Leipheimer and Chris Horner. They will be supported by a solid roster including Jani Brajkovic, Geoffroy Lequatre, Tiago Machado, Yaroslav Popovych, Sébastien Rosseler and Gert Steegmans. Alain Gallopin and Dirk Demol will direct the team while Johan Bruyneel sticks with the Armstrong wing of RadioShack's spring campaign.

Chavanel in the leader's jersey at the 2009 edition of Paris-Nice

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Chavanel to Lead Quick Step in France

Frenchman Sylvain Chavanel will lead the Quick Step team at Paris-Nice, afforded the status of leader due in part to his excellent performance in last year's edition where he both took a stage win and third place overall. He will be joined by compatriot Jérôme Pineau, Spaniard Carlos Barredo, and Belgians Kevin De Weert, Nikolas Maes, Kevin Van Impe and Wouter Weylandt.

Nishitani takes victory in stage 4

(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Nishitani Scores in Langkawi

Japanese cyclist Taiji Nishitani Thursday won the fourth stage of the Tour de Langkawi while German Tobias Erler retained the overall lead. Nishitani won the 163.5-kilometer (about 102-mile) stage from the seaside resort of Mersing in southern Johor state to Parit Sulong, also in Johor, in 3:50:11. Australian Michael Matthews of Team Jayco-Skins took second place.

The seven-stage race began in Kota Bharu, capital of the northern state of Kelantan, on Monday and will proceed from Muar in Johor to the beach resort of Port Dickson, south of Kuala Lumpur, for Friday's race. By the end of the event on March 7, the 20 teams taking part will have covered 1,013.7 kilometers and six states.

Live from Lake Como: Roche's Patience is Paying Off

3/4/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Ireland's Nicolas Roche, son of Stephen, the last rider to win cycling's triple crown, waits patiently for the podium announcer to call his French AG2R La Mondiale team up to the GP Lugano presentation podium. It's 10:50 in the morning on the shores of Lake Lugano, one day after his third place in GP Insubria.

His patience is paying off, though. Over the past five years as a professional, he has built up a name for himself and is not simply known as the son of Stephen. He has steadily worked his way through the ranks, riding the Giro d'Italia in 2007, the Vuelta a España in 2008 and last year, the Tour de France. All the while, always riding for French teams: Cofidis, Crédit Agricole and since 2009, AG2R.

This year is different, though.

"The team had given me a lot of trust for this year," he explained. "I was able to ride [Etoile de] Bessèges without too much pressure as preparation for Paris-Nice. It was the first time in my career I was told to go to a race just to get preparation.

"They [the team] are not putting too much pressure on me, whereas I had to do each race at 100 percent last year to be able to go onto the next one. Now, it is more planned, but it also means I have more pressure for the actual day of the planned race."

Roche placed third at the GP Insubria in Pieve Vergonte, Italy, Saturday. He helped form the winning move over the last climb with World Champion Cadel Evans and arrived to battle for the win, just losing out to Frenchman Samuel Dumoulin (Cofidis) on the uphill finish.

The GP Lugano on day later in Switzerland turned out to be a mess for the organizers due to heavy rains and a car that had made its way onto the course. Roche was one of many who abandoned early. Still, it was mission accomplished with only seven days until Paris-Nice.

Roche has made the move to Varese, Italy

"These two races are so close to my home in Varese [Italy] that I want to go good in them just for the motivation, just to prove that my condition is there and have a little more self confidence before Paris-Nice. It will be such a hard race."

The only sour note for the weekend was losing teammate Rinaldo Nocentini, who had also been targeting Paris-Nice. Nocentini's crash and broken leg will put him out for at least half the year and shift more pressure on the shoulders of Roche.

"Nocentini was to be our leader for Paris-Nice; he wanted to be on the podium there. Now, we will have to change the strategy," said Roche.

"We also have Tadej Valjavec, who has shown his condition is coming on well. Tadej has a bit more experience than I do, and we can try to work together. Paris-Nice is one of the most difficult races of the year and if you are not 100 percent then it is a very difficult race to do. [Alberto] Contador and so many others will be racing there.

"Last year, I wanted to race for the overall, but I was just completely out of form. I was going well in the weeks before, at the Tour of Med and Down Under, but when I came back to Europe I was just going down, down, down hill until April. It turned out to be a poor start to the season and I was pretty disappointed."

He wasn't shivering, waiting for the podium call, but that is in no thanks to his body weight. He is leaner this year, by three to four kilograms. He'll start Paris-Nice in Montfort-l'Amaury on Sunday weighing just 69 kilograms. Maybe his weight is due to having an Italian girlfriend cooking for him for the last year and a half at home in Varese.

"Varese has been really good to me. I was moving around, in and out of France and Ireland, Cannes..., but then finally things turned out that I came to Italy, in Varese. It is really different, it is a quieter lifestyle for me and I am really enjoying it and being able to concentrate on the bike.

"I know the roads well. I am usually out there training with Simon Clarke [Team ISD-Neri]."

He smiles when it is suggested that it wasn't the roads, but love that brought him to Italy.

"It is one of those things you always say that you will never do, but when it happens you actually do it."

Hunter Takes Murcia Opener

3/3/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Hunter Takes Murcia Opener
South Africa's Robert Hunter won the first stage of the Tour of Murcia in southeastern Spain on Wednesday, a race in which America's seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong finished with the same time in a mass sprint finish. Hunter, who rides for the Garmin team, beat Australia's Graeme Brown and Spain's Vicente Reynes to take the 166.5-kilometre stage, which began and ended in San Pedro del Pinatar.

Armstrong finished in the leading pack in 46th place. "Small peloton though so much more relaxed. Congrats to Robbie Hunter on the win," Armstrong said on his Twitter site. The toughest test for the American, whose main aim this year is to win an eighth Tour de France title in July, will be Saturday's 13.7-kilometer time trial. Last year's Tour of Murcia winner Dennis Menchov of Russia finished 33rd on Wednesday.

"Contador is the favorite because he has shown that he is above everyone else"
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Bruyneel Admits Contador Stronger Than Armstrong
Johan Bruyneel, team director of RadioShack, believes Lance Armstrong is in better shape than last year, but said that Alberto Contador is still the international favorite for the Tour de France.
Armstrong, who made his European debut at the Tour of Murcia on Wednesday, is listed as one of the favorites for Murcia, along with Dennis Menchov (Rabobank) and Britain's Bradley Wiggins (Sky).

"Contador is the favorite because he has shown that he is above everyone else. Lance is better than last year, but we still do not know if it will be enough to beat Alberto" said Bruyneel, who has delegated the direction of the RadioShack team at Murcia to Viatcheslav Ekimov.

"This year is different for Armstrong for now he is a rider who begins with a season in his legs and last year he was again finding what it was to be a rider. His body was not accustomed to long, hard workouts, and had lost the benchmarks after being retired three years," said Bruyneel.

Questioned about the chances of the seven-time Tour de France champion in Murcia, Bruyneel said that he will fight in the time trial but is not optimistic for the final triumph. "He will wants to be tested in the time trial and get a good result, but winning is another matter because there are people who are very prepared."

Matthews repeats his stage one victory
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Matthews Gets Second Win In Langkawi
Australia's Michael Matthews Wednesday took the third stage of the Tour de Langkawi with American Alex Candelario of Kelly Benefit Strategies team taking second place. Matthews won the 145.6-kilometer (about 90-mile) stage from Pekan in the eastern state of Pahang to the seaside resort of Mersing in southern Johor state in 3:16:27.

German Tobias Erler comes in as overall race leader. The seven-stage race began in Kota Bharu, capital of the northern state of Kelantan, on Monday and will proceed from Mersing to another town in Johor, Parit Sulong, for Thursday's race. By the end of the event on March 7, the 20 teams taking part will have covered 1,013.7 kilometers and six states.

Dekker has been suspended for two years but vows to return
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Dekker Gets Two Years
Dutchman Thomas Dekker, the former Rabobank and Silence-Lotto rider has been handed a two-year ban by the cycling federation of Monaco. Dekker will be free to return to competition in July 2011. Dekker, 25 who lives in Monaco, admitted doping and has expressed his intention to continue in professional cycling after serving his suspension.

Dekker was informed last summer that the UCI retested a sample taken in December of 2007, after UCI officials found irregular values in the rider’s blood profiles from its biological passport program. At the time of the test, the Dutchman raced for the Rabobank team.

Thomas Dekker was time trial champion of the Netherlands in 2004 and 2005 and won the Tirreno-Adriatico in 2006. In 2008 he became a prominent force in the classics, finishing fifth in Amstel Gold and Fleche Wallonne.

Rockford Fosgate has joined forces with the UnitedHealthcare p/b Maxxis team
(Photo: Jonathan Devich)

Rockford Fosgate Announces Sponsorship of UnitedHealthcare
Rockford Corporation announced today that it will sponsor the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis for 2010.

"We’re excited to be a part of UnitedHealthcare Pro Team Presented by Maxxis,” said Rockford Fosgate Sr. Marketing Manager David Slepak. “This organization is first class and the perfect ambassadors to help Rockford engage and embrace the members of the rapidly growing cycling community. These professional athletes also give Rockford a solid platform to test and continue to develop our personal audio products, which are ideally suited to the outdoor enthusiast.”

Rockford Fosgate’s commitment to UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis includes a custom- built audio system that integrates into the team’s new RV and hospitality presentation. The multi-media system includes Rockford’s new RFDJ1 2-Way Loudspeaker system matched to twelve, 12-inch PUNCH subwoofers. No pedal power here, Rockford motivates the wall-of-bass with over 2,500 watts of power, and tops it off with a 32” flat screen monitor coupled to Apple TV.

“Adding energy and excitement to our presence this year was a huge priority,” said Thierry Attias, President and Director of Sponsorship for Momentum Sports Group, which owns and operates the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis. “The addition of Rockford Fosgate and their passion for high-performance audio adds a new dimension to the landscape not seen before at your typical cycling event. These guys get it, not to mention they’re also passionate about cycling. We’re pleased to have them as the official audio sponsor of our team.”

Austrian Lab Names Doping Ringleaders

3/2/2010

The Austrian lab Humanplasma faces a tough return to a clean reputation

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Austrian Lab Names Doping Ringleaders

Vienna laboratory Humanplasma hit back on Tuesday at claims that it stood at the centre of a massive doping network, naming instead several well-known coaches for the first time. Banned Austrian biathlon and cross-country coach Walter Mayer, Stefan Matschiner, the former manager of disgraced cyclist Bernhard Kohl (pictured above), and Martin Kessler, a rowing coach, were those at the heart of the doping network that used Humanplasma's facilities between 2003 and 2006, the laboratory said in a statement.

"Between late 2003 and early 2006, these three persons - and only these - arranged for about 30 athletes in total to have blood samples taken," lab representatives said.

Mayer, Matschiner and Kessler have long been linked to doping irregularities in Austria; Mayer was also banned from participating in future Olympics after a scandal at the 2006 Turin Games. But so far, Humansplasma had never named any of the key figures.

The laboratory said it was first approached in 2003 by Mayer and Kessler, who insisted that blood doping was "completely legal and a widespread practice for a long time." Matschiner then followed in 2005.

The organisation "set and coordinated appointments, escorted athletes to blood transfusions and picked up the concentrates which were later re-injected before races," according to Humanplasma.

Following comments by Austrian Olympic Committee chief Karl Stoss, it denied that any German athlete had been involved in the scheme. A spokeswoman, Michaela Eisler, also refused to comment on the nationality of other athletes involved. The laboratory only said that the blood doping did not only concern winter sports athletes.

Austrian weekly Sportwoche reported last year that athletes from seven countries and six disciplines - including 10 cyclists and four rowers - had been involved in the doping scheme. Prosecutors who are investigating Humanplasma over tax evasion say 150 blood samples were taken at the laboratory. Humanplasma insists it ended its involvement in blood doping after the 2006 Turin Olympics, which ended in scandal and life bans for several Austrian biathlon and cross-country athletes.

But the practices "continued long after 2006," it noted, adding that it was now trying to clear its name.

"We have assumed responsibility for our past. But in the end, all that people remember is the name Humanplasma," said Eisler.

Cadel Evans is already planning his assault on the 2010 Giro d'Italia

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Evans and BMC Thinking of Giro

World champion Cadel Evans and members of his BMC team are already thinking ahead to the first of the season's grand tours, the Giro d'Italia. While the Giro doesn't start until May, Evans is preparing for the upcoming Strade Bianche-Eroica classic in Italy, portions of which will figure again in a stage of the Giro this year. BMC will also send classics man Alesandro Ballan alongside Evans for additional reconnaissance and a mini training camp.

"We'll also be doing a reconnaissance of the Giro team time trial route on Thursday," BMC team director John Lelangue said. "On Sunday and Monday, we have two more days of training on the roads, including the first elite climb of the Giro, the Terminillo. It will be good preparation before Tirreno-Adriatico."

Velo Pasadena Hosts Ride With Fly V Australia

The Fly V Australia professional cycling team is giving fans the opportunity to ride along Saturday as it tackles the route of a stage of this year’s Amgen Tour of California. Saturday’s ride leaves from the Velo Pasadena bicycle shop at 2562 East Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena, California, at 10am. Velo Pasadena is owned by former professional and Armenian national champion Hrach Gevrikyan.

"It's great to have Fly V Australia out to do this kind of stuff that we do a lot of," Gevrikyan said. "We'll accommodate the guys who are here to hammer, as well as the Average Joes, too."

The Fly V Australia roster consists of 10 Australians, two South Africans and one rider each from the United States, Canada and Italy. The second-year continental team is holding its training camp in Agoura Hills this week. Saturday’s ride will serve as a reconnaissance of sorts for the team, which hopes to receive a berth in this year’s Tour of California.

"Cycling is about community and the professional cycling arena is the streets and neighborhoods of Main Street," Fly V Australia Team Owner Chris White said. "As athletes, we appreciate the support and enthusiasm of our followers and fellow enthusiasts, and enjoy the opportunity to share the fun and passion of riding with local riders in their community."

Saturday’s ride leaves Velo Pasadena at 10am and heads on Angeles Crest Highway toward Cloud Burst Summit, returning to Pasadena with a total distance of about 81 miles (130 km). Fans are welcome to join the team for all or part of the ride, or welcome to stop by the bicycle shop to meet the team before the ride begins.

Accused VDB Robbers Acquitted

Three Senegalese suspected of stealing from Belgian cyclist Frank Vandenbroucke, found dead in a hotel room in October, were acquitted Tuesday in a court in the west of the country. The regional court in Thies, 70 kilometres (about 45 miles) east of Dakar, "acquits Seynabou Diop, Alassane Gaye and Mbaye Seck of theft and complicity in theft," court president Malick Lamothe told the three, jailed since October.

The three, including one woman, were arrested after the death of the 34-year-old Belgian cyclist, whom they had accompanied on the night that he died in a hotel room in the south of the country where he had planned a holiday. They were not implicated in his death, but suspected of stealing two cellphones and money from him. According to a Senegalese forensic scientist who performed the autopsy, Vandenbroucke died from a pulmonary embolism.

This weekend, VDB was remembered in Belgium as Juan Antonio Flecha (Team Sky) dedicated his Omloop Het Nieuwsblad victory to his friend and former teammate.

Ferrari Takes GP Lugano

3/1/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Roberto Ferrari (De Rosa Stac Plastic) took the GP Lugano in Switzerland. He won from a small sprint group following a much-marred race. A car pulled out of a home on the racing circuit and drove toward the riders, unaware the race will still taking place. Simon Spilak of Lampre was hit and had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance.

The riders held a protest against the unsafe racing conditions and many riders quit the race and headed for the showers. Among them were World Champion Cadel Evans. The race eventually got underway again after it was shortened by a lap so that only a single circuit remained.

Slovenian Jure Kocjan (Carmiooro) and Giampaolo Cheula (Footon-Servetto) finished in second and third, respectively, and were so close that race referees had to consult the photo finish.

Bos at the Tour of Qatar
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Bos Takes Classica de Almeria
Theo Bos a newcomer to Cervelo Test Team gave his team its first win of the season at the Classica de Almeria in Spain. Bos took the win in a hotly contested sprint finish, handing defeat to none other than Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia). Third was ex-teammate Graeme Brown (Rabobank). Luis Lean Sanchez (Caisse d’Epargne) finished just ahead of Bos’ teammate David Apollonio.

The 178-mile race was held over a hilly course with several Category 3 climbs. Despite a split in the field that saw sprinter Bos contained in the rear group, a determined chase brought the field back together long before the sprint began. Bos went early, striking out from 300 meters and managed to hold off Cavendish and the rest.

Radio Shack presented at the Tour Down Under
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Armstrong to Murcia
Lance Armstrong will start his first race on the European continent for Team Radio Shack this week when he toes the start line at Spain’s Tour of Murcia. It will be Armstrong’s first race since the Tour Down Under in Australia. Armstrong has spent the time since his last race training. He’s been in France, the continental U.S. and Hawaii. It has been some time since Armstrong last raced the Tour of Murcia. Six years ago, he finished the 2004 edition 23rd overall.

Astana will have a contingent there, but there will be no Contador/Armstrong matchup. The Spanish champion will be elsewhere.

Radio Shack for the Tour of Murcia: Lance Armstrong, Daryl Impey, Andreas Klöden, Jason McCartney, Gregory Rast, Jose Luis Rubiera and Haimar Zubeldia.

Still No Italian Teams for Murcia
RBA reported in early February that the organizer of the Tour of Murcia has banned Italian teams. With only days to go until the start of the race, director Paco Guzman is steadfast in his commitment to bar any Italian team from racing in Murcia.

Guzman’s reason to ban Italian teams comes as a result of Alejandro Valverde’s racing ban in Italy. He previously told the Spanish paper AS, “There will be no Italian teams participating due to the fact that they aren’t letting Valverde race in that country. Alejandro is Murcia’s best rider and I don’ want them in our race.”

Guzman’s ban of Italian teams has done nothing to encourage Spanish teams to enter the race. Caisse d’Epargne, Euskaltel-Euskadi, Footon-Servetto and Xacobeo Galicia have all indicated they will be racing elsewhere.

VDB’s Mother: ‘I was so happy Flecha won’
Frank Vandenbroucke’s mother told Sportwereld, the sports newspaper of Het Nieuwsblad, sponsor of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, that Juan Antonio Flecha was a friend of Frank’s and she was happy when he won the race.

“I was so glad Flecha won. I was with Clotilde (Frank’s first girlfriend and mother of Cameron, Ed.) watching television. I was nervous when Juan Antonio placed his attack. I shouted him forward, prayed to Frank, and crossed my fingers. I cried out of happiness when Flecha looked to the sky and drew his bow and arrow. And then he said that he dedicated the win to Frank. That does something to a mother who goes through a very difficult period. Then you feel that your son is not forgotten.”

She went on to tell the paper how Flecha often visited Frank at his home and the two trained together when they rode for Fassa Bortolo. Frank had a guest quarters in his home complete with its own bathroom that he referred to as Flecha’s room.

Team TIBCO Takes Two
The 2010 season got off to a strong start for Team TIBCO. Ten riders went straight from its training camp near Santa Barbara to Merced, CA to open its season with the Snelling Road Race and Merced Criterium this weekend. They came away with two wins, as well as two more podiums.

Rebecca Much opened the weekend with a strong win in Snelling, leading a Team TIBCO charge that saw the team take four of the top five places, with Devon Haskell finishing 3rd. Kristen LaSasso and Amanda Miller to the 4th and 5th spots for Team TIBCO. Only Olivia Dillon (Specialized D4W) spoiled the sweep, taking 2nd place.

Samantha Schneider, Team TIBCO’s 19-year-old sprinting protégé, showed that she is a quick learner and finisher. The reigning U23 criterium champion took the win in the Merced Criterium after a textbook lead-out that saw Team TIBCO control the final lap of the race. Brooke Miller, who will be helping Schneider continue her development this season, finished right on her wheel to take 2nd.

“Our leadout was flawless,” Miller said, “which was really impressive considering this was our first time working together as a team in a race situation.”

While their 10 teammates took over the Merced area, three members of Team TIBCO put in strong rides in the Women’s Tour of New Zealand. Reigning Australian national champion Ruth Corset finished 4th overall in the race after posting a pair of second place stage finishes. She also took home the Queen of the Mountains jersey. Joanne Kiesanowski took 3rd in the final stage of the race, while posting 4th in the opening stage. She finished 14th overall.

Alison Starnes, riding for Team USA, helped teammate Shelly Evans to four stage wins and the overall title, as well as the team overall title. Team USA also took a fifth stage win by Amber Neben in the Stage 4 individual time trial

Bobbie Traksel Wins Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne

2/28/2010

Traksel in full flight at the wet and cold 2010 Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne.
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Less than 24-hours after Omloop Het Niewwslblad, K-B-K bookends the opening two days of racing in Belgium. Featuring a wet and stormy 194-kilometer course, K-B-K saw three hard-men off the front in the final 25-kilometers: Bobbie Traksel (Vacansoliel), Ian Stannard (Team Sky), Rick Flens (Rabobank) with Hayden Roulsten (HTC-Columbia) and Thor Hushovd (Cervelo) chasing at over a minute back. The final 3-kilometers set up a tired final sprint with Bobbie Trasksel taking the win over Rick Flens and Ian Stannard. Hayden Roulsten rolled in a distant fourth-place.

Past Winners of Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne
2009...Tom Boonen...Quick-Step
2008...Steven de Jongh...Quick-Step
2007...Tom Boonen...Quick-Step
2006...Nick Nuyens...Quick-Step
2005...George Hincapie...Discovery Channel

Click here for a complete race report.

Zirbel Retires After Receiving Two-Year Ban

2/27/2010

(Photo: Mitchell Clinton)

Zirbel Retires After Receiving Two-Year Ban.
American Tom Zirbel has decided to retire from cycling after receiving a two-year ban from the United States anti-doping Agency (USADA). Zirbel was informed in November about his non-negative test for DHEA at the 2009 USPRO TT championships, where he finished behind Dave Zabriskie. His non-negative was confirmed by the B sample last month. With the USADA handing down a two-year suspension, Zirbel announced his retirement on his blog.

“Done. I officially received a 2 year sanction notification from USADA today. No big surprise, right? I alluded to this weeks ago. But my reaction is a surprise. Call it the straw that broke the camel's back – I don't know. Whatever the trigger, I've decided to walk away from the sport. I haven't talked to the friends and family or anyone else about this. Call it a rash decision if you like, but I'll try to explain my reasoning so that you can understand where I'm coming from.

I've been watching the Olympics these last few days and it has been really inspiring for me. For the first time, I can see myself standing on the podium, bowing my head to receive my medal. This is a breakthrough for me. It helped me affirm to myself that I need to come back from this ordeal and rise to the top and accomplish greater things in the sport of cycling. Today, I started asking “Why?”. Why do I 'need' to come back? Well, because I've felt this burning in my gut these last two weeks, propelling me to work harder and become faster than I ever have before. Okay, but that doesn't answer the question, I can do that without racing. Maybe it's because I've grown accustomed to the cycling spotlight and people looking up to me. Maybe it's because I want to show all these doubters just how strong I am. Maybe it's because I want to continue to live the 'pro' lifestyle. I think we're getting to the crux of the reason for a comeback now. But what am I truly after in this life? Asking myself this question today the answer was “to be extraordinary”. I want nothing to do with mediocrity. But on top of that (and what I've lost sight of in the last few years), I want to improve the world. Yes, I am a naïve, 30-something dreamer, but I want to help save the world. And I always said that I would use cycling to amass influence and monies and then put myself to good use in helping my causes of choice (like a certain Texan who is a Saint in the cancer community). But the reality is, cycling and racing so consume me that I have little time or energy for anything beyond myself. My first year out of college, I made $28k working at a chemistry lab in Boulder. During that year, I managed to work 40 hrs/week, train between 70-100 miles/week running (which led to a 2:31:40 marathon), buy a new car for my mom, and give around $1000 to various charities. A few years later, when I decided to put everything I had into becoming a pro cyclist, I worked around 25 hrs/week delivering pizzas, trained around 20 hrs/week cycling, and volunteered at the homeless shelter twice a week because I was barely making ends meet and couldn't donate money. For comparison, last year I made more money than I ever have in my life, had no other job than racing my bike 70 or so times during the year, and still only gave maybe $300 to charities over the course of the year and sometimes went months between contacting the teenage boy whom I'm mentoring. What's extraordinary in that? What's more extraordinary – if Greg Mortenson would have made it to the summit of K2 or if Greg Mortenson failed to summit K2 and instead dedicated his life to building hundreds of schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan? I'd say the latter. What's more extraordinary – Eric Heiden the amazing skater and cyclist, or Eric Heiden the amazing surgeon? How about Davis Phinney the cyclist or Davis Phinney the Parkinson's crusader? I've come to the realization that I would rather be a David Benke than a Cancellara. I would rather help the boy I'm mentoring graduate from college and break the cycle of poverty in his family than win a Pro Tour TT. To me, the life I'm choosing from this day on is more challenging and potentially rewarding than the life of training to ride in a straight line really fast for 40 minutes. For whatever reason, I haven't been able to do both so it's time to step back and re-prioritize. And no, I would never have come to this decision without this positive doping test fiasco. So, maybe there's the good out of this situation. Am I giving up? In a way, I'd say I was giving up on my dream while being a pro cyclist. I was so self-absorbed that I did little good with life beyond my self. And so that's that. It's been fun. I'm taking so many wonderful memories and relationships from the last 6 years with me. And now that I'm done with all of this, I want you to hear the truth once and for all. Come in close so I can whisper.....I didn't dope.”

Today, I laid all my cards on the table for USADA. I told them everything that I know about the positive test, meaning every possible lead as to how it happened, and that I will cooperate in any way that I can. As great as my lawyer has been for me, I told him that I needed to do this on my own from now on. I have no intention of taking this case to a hearing. Now that I've made the determination that I really could and would walk away from the sport forever, it's liberating. USADA, WADA, and the UCI no longer have power over me. But I will continue to jump through a few hoops (if not too high nor on fire) in order to leave the option open for a return in years to come (though I sort of hope I have the courage to begin a completely new career and never look back). I will continue to try and figure out how this happened so that I know for my own sanity and so it won't happen to someone else, but that is a separate issue. I'm ready to turn the page and start living a better, more fulfilling life. Whether or not bicycle racing is in that future is too foggy to tell. I hope you all can understand why I've chosen this road. It feels so good to be out of the holding pattern."

Nocentini is out of action after suffering and fractured leg
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Nocentini Fractures Leg
Ag2r rider Rinaldo Nocentini, who spent eight days in the yellow jersey during the 2009 Tour de France, fractured his leg in a crash at the GP Insubria in Italy. The 32-year-old Italian broke the tibia and fibula bones. A spokesman for the Ag2r team said it remains uncertain as to how long the Italian will be out of action.

Nocentini won the opening stage of the Tour du Haut Var last week.

Kreuziger held off Horner by 2-seconds to take the overall victory
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Kreuziger Claims Giro di Sardegna
Alberto Loddo (Androni-Giocattoli) took his third win of the year with a victory in the fifth and final stage of the Giro di Sardegna. The Italian out kicked Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre-Farnese Vini) in the closing meters of the stage. Oscar Gatto (ISD-Neri) finished in third.

The stage controlled by Liquigas-Doimo, who were defending the overall lead of Roman Kreuziger. Kreuziger finished safely in the group to take the general classification by two seconds over American Chris Horner (RadioShack) and Thomas Voeckler (BBox Bouygues Telecom).

"We see no other reason other than a potential doping reason."
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Biological Passport Finds More Abnormal Profiles
The on going analysis of riders' blood values as part of the International Cycling Union’s (UCI) biological passport program has produced a number of athletes with abnormal values. Last year, the program exposed five riders with abnormal blood values: Spain's Igor Astarloa, Ricardo Serrano, Ruben Lobato and Italian’s Pietro Caucchioli and Francesco De Bonis.

UCI president Pat McQuaid announced that a group of riders had been asked to explain their blood values to an independent panel that examines the findings of the biological passport program. McQuaid said, "We see no other reason [for the abnormal values] other than a potential doping reason."

The athletes, who names were not released, have 30 days to explain their abnormal readings to the UCI before the organization can open disciplinary proceedings.
[next_page]

Ziliute (R) sprints to fifth place in the 2009 world championships
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Ziliute Retires
Lithuanian Diana Ziliute has chosen to retire a year ahead of schedule after contracting mononucleosis. Zillute had been dealing with a persistent fever, before doctors diagnosed her with mononucleosis, requiring weeks if not months of rest.

The 34-year-old turned professional in 1995, after winning the junior world title in 1994. She then claimed the U23 time trial in 1997 before winning two World Cups and the 1998 world road race title. In 1999 she won the Grand Boucle, before dominating the 2000 season. In 2000, she won the World Cup overall, Giro d'Italia Femminile and a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympic Games.

Zillute will remain with her Safi Pasta Zara Manhattan team as a directeur sportif.

Master’s Nationals To Bend
USA Cycling announced that Bend, Oregon, would host the next two Master’s National Championships. The event was awarded to Bend after the city successfully hosted the 2009 elite, and Cyclocross National Championships. The USA Cycling Masters Road National Championships will be held in Bend, August 30 through September 4, 2011 and August 27 through September 2, 2012.

The 2010 Master’s Nationals will be held in Louisville, Kentucky this year, where it’s been held since 2008.

Adageo Energy Pro Cycling prepares for a tough 2010 season
(Photo: Adageo Energy Pro Cycling Team)

Adageo Energy Goes Under
The Adageo Energy Pro Cycling Team wrapped up its training camp Wednesday in Nevada with a clinical hypnotic session to mentally prepare the team’s 12 riders for their season-opening race.

The first-year, UCI continental team spent four days in Lake Mead, putting its Leopard Cycles DC1 bikes to the test training in and around the largest reservoir in the United States while being briefed daily about sponsors and new equipment. During the entire camp, the squad’s riders and staff lived on Forever Resorts houseboats at the Callville Bay Resort & Marina.

Training camp culminated with a presentation by Adageo Energy Team Director Josh Horowitz, co-creator of “The Ultimate Cyclist” CD. Horowitz’s mental coaching has helped athletes win more than 40 national and world championship titles, including a podium finish at the Tour de France and three victories at the Amgen Tour of California.

Mental training is every bit as important as physical training, Horowitz said. “Most people focus on physical training and bike technology to make themselves a better rider, but you will never become stronger than your mind believes is possible,” he said. “The mind is more powerful than most of us can comprehend. So strengthening it is just as important as putting in time in the saddle.”

Clinical hypnotism was approved by the American Medical Association in 1958 and by the American Psychological Association in 1960. Horowitz’s session to the team’s riders and staff members utilized their subconscious minds to receive positive thoughts that included mental imagery and affirmations to instill focus and confidence in his riders for this weekend’s race and the entire season.

The Adageo Energy Pro Cycling Team will compete in this weekend’s Callville Bay Classic in Lake Mead. Only in its second year, the four-day stage race is rapidly becoming one of the premier early-season events on the west coast.

Team TIBCO/To the Top Kicks Off 2010 Season
Reigning U.S. national road champion Meredith Miller and 2008 U.S. national road and criterium champion Brooke Miller will lead a 10-rider Team TIBCO/To the Top as it begins its 2010 campaign in and around Merced, CA, this weekend.

The team comes straight out of its training camp, which ended Friday in Carpinteria, near Santa Barbara, and heads straight into the Snelling Road Race Saturday. Last year, Team TIBCO thoroughly dominated the 63-mile Snelling race, taking the top five places and six of the top seven. They’ll follow up Snelling with the “Original” Merced Criterium on Sunday in downtown Merced.

The team will use this weekend’s races to work on team tactics and get some good, hard racing miles together as a full squad.

“We had a fantastic week of training in Carpinteria,” said team Directeur Sportif Emma Rickards. “It gave the riders a chance to spend a lot of time together. Most of the riders know each other already through racing in the past couple years, but the camp is the first opportunity to ride and work together. This weekend’s races will give them a chance to work together for the first time in a race situation.”

The team will follow that up by sending a five-rider squad led by Brooke Miller into the MERCO Classic races in Merced, March 6-7. Miller finished second to Ina Tuetenberg (HTC-Columbia) in both the criterium and road race at MERCO in 2009, and she’s motivated to gain the top step of the podium this year against her rival.

“I always want to race and test myself against the best,” Miller said. “Ina is a legend. She raises the bar any time she races. She has a really strong team with her for MERCO and we have a strong team as well. It will be a good test to see where we’re at.”

On Saturday the 6th, the team will take on the technical, 0.8-mile loop in downtown Merced. The following day, the riders face a rolling, 24-mile loop notorious for offering up strong crosswinds.

Miller showed she has her race legs under her already with a convincing win at the Cherry Pie Criterium in Napa earlier this month.

Team TIBCO/To the Top for the Snelling Road Race and Merced Criterium, Feb. 27-28
Megan Guarnier, USA
Devon Haskell, USA
Jerika Hutchinson, USA
Kristen LaSasso, USA
Emma Mackie, AUS
Amanda Miller, USA
Brooke Miller, USA
Meredith Miller, USA
Rebecca Much, USA
Samantha Schneider, USA

Flecha Solos To Victory

2/27/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Juan Antonio Flecha (Sky) started the classics season off with a solo victory in the Belgian semi-classic, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. After the race, Flecha dedicated his win to his new Sky team and late Belgian classics star Frank Vandenbroucke.

Click here for a full race report.

Hondo Celebrates Win in Crash-Marred Sardinia Finale

2/26/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Hondo Celebrates Win in Crash-Marred Sardinia Finale
Danilo Hondo (Lampre-Farnese Vini) helped his team celebrate yet another win in the Giro di Sardegna, but the finish was marred by a mass pile-up. Team leader Alessandro Petacchi was among those who went down. Petacchi finished the stage to retain his lead, but was taken to the hospital to be checked out.

Giovanni Visconti (ISD-Neri) took second in the sprint ahead of Sacha Modolo (Colnago-CSF Inox). Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas-Doimo) leads RadioShack’s Chris Horner by four seconds. Thomas Voeckler (Bbox Bouygues Telecom) is at six seconds with one stage to go.

Angelo Zomegnan announces the 2010 Giro route
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

D.C. Sells City Fathers on Giro Start in 2012
Organizers of the Giro d’Italia have stated that Washington, D.C., is the frontrunner to get the start of the 2012 edition of the race. At a gala involving Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, Italian VIPs, the 2012 D.C. Giro Working Group (the team working to bring the Giro to U.S. soil) and the Washington Convention and Sports Authority met with city leaders and potential sponsors to educate them about the race, sponsorship opportunities and projections for potential economic impact.

While three cities are currently bidding to host the start of the 2012 Giro, Angelo Zomegnan has said that Washington, D.C., is the city most likely to get the start. A proposed prologue route through the nation’s capital would pass many of the great landmarks for a truly memorable visual presentation.

The biggest obstacle for organizers to overcome is the problem of how to address the needs of the riders who will suffer jetlag twice in traveling for the race. Organizers have frequently been criticized for long transfers and racing in D.C. would make for the mother of all transfers.

Gripper Leaves UCI
Anne Gripper, who headed the UCI’s anti-doping department and oversaw the creation of the biological passport program has left the organization. Her replacement will be Franceco Rossi, who will depart a position with the International Association of Athletic Federations.

Gripper is returning to her home in Australia for personal reasons. In 2009 she lost her partner in a tragic accident and Gripper decided she wanted to be closer to family and to set up a foundation to support sports, education and medicine in Africa, as laid out in her partner’s will.

Gripper will officially turn over her duties to Rossi on March 5.

UnitedHealthcare p/b Maxxis Start Season this Weekend
The UnitedHealthcare p/b Maxxis team will kick off its 2010 campaign in Merced, CA March 6-7 with the MERCO race weekend. The races in Merced, which for many years have served as the kick-off to the season, will provide a good test for the nine-rider squad from UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis.

“These races will be a good way for the Team to get the season started,” said team Directeur Sportif Gord Fraser, who knows both the criterium and road race well, having won them both multiple times. “The fields have traditionally been very strong, with a mix of national pro teams and the top regional NorCal elite teams. The criterium offers a good, technical course, and the crowds in downtown Merced are always great.”

The criterium will give the Team an opportunity to start working out tactics and dialing its lead-outs for sprinters Eric Barlevav and Johnny Clarke. The rolling, 26-mile loop the riders will tackle five times for the road race offers its own challenges, Fraser said.

“The course frequently offers up strong cross winds,” he said. “It’s a rare opportunity in the cross winds, if the conditions allow, because there aren’t many races in the U.S. that offer up these conditions.”

The Team brings a lot of horsepower, including the big engines of Team captain Tim Johnson, Roman Kilun and new addition Adrian Hegyvary. It’s also a course that suits Team leader Rory Sutherland. One other obstacle Fraser noted has more to do with the course’s surroundings than the course itself. “The almond orchards should be in full bloom,” he says. “That means lots of bees, and I’ve been stung out there on more than one occasion.”

The UnitedHealthcare p/b Maxxis team for the MERCO Cycling Classic, March 6-7 in Merced, CA:
Eric Barlevav
Johnny Clarke
Matt Crane
Adrian Hegyvary
Max Jenkins
Tim Johnson
Roman Kilun
Morgan Schmitt
Rory Sutherland

Leon Sanchez Tuning up for Paris-Nice

2/25/2010

Luis Leon Sanchez is steadily tuning his form for his favorite race, Paris-Nice

(Photo: Chris Henry)

Leon Sanchez Tuning up for Paris-Nice

Spain's Luis Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne) will contest this weekend's Clasica de Almeria after showing winning form already in the final time trial of the Tour of the Algarve. Sanchez has made no secret of his desire to repeat victory in Paris-Nice, and his form is continuing to rise.

"I hadn't planned on racing [in Almeria] but after my good ride in Algarve I think it's a good idea to do another race before Paris-Nice so as not to lose the rhythm of competition," he explained. "And since this race is close to my home and won't involve any tiring travel, it's a good opportunity. I will race without any pressure and I'll work to help my teammates win."

As for Paris-Nice, he sees several chances for success.

"The distance [of the opening 8km time trial] is fairly short, which doesn't necessarily favor me but since I'm the defending champion I will start last and wearing number 1 gives some additional motivation," he said. "Paris-Nice is really my favorite race. This year I hope to go for a stage win without sacrificing the fight for the overall."

Shared leadership with Alejandro Valverde should provide Caisse d'Epargne with a formidable chance for victory in Nice.

Rogers laid the foundation for victory in the stage four time trial

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Rogers Takes Overall in Andalusia

Australian Michael Rogers (HTC-Columbia) claimed the overall honors in the Ruta del Sol stage race in Spain. Rogers, whose last stage race win came in 2003, donned the race leader's jersey on the day that matters most, the last. He finished third on fifth and final stage but rose to the top step of the podium thanks to consistent riding and some good early season form.

A long break including overall threat Angel Vicioso of Spain was only caught 20 kilometers from the finish line. Despite three of his teammates going down in crashes, Rogers was able to stay in contact with the leaders.

"It was a pretty tough day but the team were super and we never panicked," he said after the race. "The crash made things more difficult, although in the end it all worked out and I got third on the stage as well so I'm very pleased."

Rogers hopes to continue to build his form and see 2010 as a better year after several seasons dragged down by injury and sickness, including bouts of the Epstein-Barr virus.

Can Hushovd repeat his Omloop Het Nieuwsblad success?

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Cervélo Hopes for Omloop Repeat

Thor Hushovd, defending champion of the Belgian season opener, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, will lead a strong Cervélo TestTeam roster on Saturday as he hopes to find repeat success on the cobbled roads of Flanders. He will be joined by Heinrich Haussler, Andreas Klier, Roger Hammond, all experienced classics riders. Rounding out Cervélo's lineup for the Omloop are Jeremy Hunt, Daniel Lloyd, Gabriel Rasch, and Martin Reimer.

"The season is finally here," said an enthusiastic Jean-Paul van Poppel, Cervélo TestTeam directeur sportif. "For us, this team is really built for these kind of classic races."

"We know we can perform well, we did it last year and were one of the favorite teams," he added. "Now they know us and they know we have the right riders, the right people around us so not much has changed there. This year we have some younger riders who will get good experience and make us stronger. We have a fantastic team, just let it begin."

Haussler, Hushovd, Hammond, and Hunt, the so-called 4-H team, will race again in Sunday's Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne.

Vogondy's Heart OK

Two-time French national champion Nicolas Vogondy has been cleared to resume racing. Vogondy was pulled from competition by doctors following an irregular heart rhythm related to an overactive heart valve. After a recent series of MRIs and a stress test, he was given the OK to resume training. This year Vogondy will race for Bbox Bouygues Telecom after two seasons with Agritubel.

"I'm going to wear the Bbox Bouygues Telecom kit for the first time and I hope to return to competition by mid-April," Vogondy told l'Equipe. "It's a big relief."

Ciolek Recovering

Gerald Ciolek, who crashed heavily in the Tour of Qatar, is facing a slow but steady recovery from his injuries. Ciolek went down in Qatar, breaking a bone in his hand and dislocating his shoulder. The 23-year old is continuing to train, gently.

"Fortunately my legs were not hurt, so I can work with them a lot, as long as I don't move my arms," he explained. "I think things will work out well so that the training loss won't be so bad. Plus, some altitude training is planned, because at altitude you get more benefit from the same amount of training."

Ciolek will undergo surgery in late March to remove a plate from his shoulder, which he hopes will allow him to regain full mobility. In the meantime, hours on the turbo trainer and strength training are the name of the game.

"I'm as good as can be under the circumstances," he said. "Things are healing just fine so far and I am on the road to getting well."

Live from Lake Como: Ginanni, the next Bettini?

2/25/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

By taking a second consecutive win at the Trofeo Laigueglia Saturday in Italy, Francesco Ginanni added his name to an exclusive group of riders that only includes himself, Filippo Pozzato and Eddy Merckx.

The sun had already gone past the Ligurian hills and a cool breeze was coming off the sea. Looking down the list of past winners there are Lance Armstrong and Michele Bartoli, but sure enough, Ginanni is only the third rider to have pulled off back-to-back wins.

Is Ginanni the new Eddy Merckx? "Ehhhhhhhhh..." thought a doubtful Ginanni. Pozzato? "OK, OK. I'm there. I would be very content to be able to do what 'Pippo' has done."

What Ginanni has done is become Italy's most promising rider since turning professional at the start of 2008. That year, he won a series of one-day classics – Giro del Veneto, Tre Valli Varesine and GP Carnaghese – that helped him earn a place on the Italian national team for the World Championships. He supported, albeit as a reserve rider, Italy to finish one-two, Alessandro Ballan - Damiano Cunego.

Ginanni had a bit of a sophomore slump last year, but still he managed to win Trofeo Laigueglia, GP Insubria and the GP Carnaghese. The Laigueglia win, and his ability to manage attacks to arrive for small group sprints, earned him the blessing of 'The New Paolo Bettini' by the Italian press.

"I never called him 'the new Bettini,'" said manager of Ginanni's Androni Giocattoli team, Gianni Savio. "I prefer not to put the pressure on him. He has a lot of class, but in his first two years he did not prove himself continuously. To be 'the new Bettini' he needs to be more consistent throughout the season."

Savio, who is in his 26th year directing teams, does have an expert eye after all. It is too early to start referring to Ginanni as the next Bettini, winner of two World Championships, the Olympic road race and many major one-day classics.

"Let's wait," continued Savio. "We don't want to destroy his head with all this 'champion' talk."

Ginanni is a simple, 24-year-old Tuscan boy. He started racing at six years old on a team directed by his uncle, Ugo.

He lives 50 kilometers from Florence, in Casalguidi, and supports the local Fiorentina soccer team with a purple Guerciotti bike and purple shoes. He does not limit styling to the bike. He likes to dress well and also makes sure his baby girl is cared for.

"I stopped racing when Rachele was born five years ago," said Ginanni. "In the amateur ranks you make very little, and I had to bring home money, so for of months I was a factory worker. I quickly discovered that the effort of racing, above all when you like it, is nothing compared to that of a factory worker. Racing fills you with excitement, but going to the factory doesn't."

Though, he was successful in his first year, Ginanni had to fight to make it happen.

"I turned professional, I relaxed, or maybe I just did not understand anything. I had to train double, put in three times the effort... When I finally gave myself full-time to cycling, the first results came."

Thanks to his three wins, Savio renewed Ginanni's contract at the end of 2008 for two years, through the end of this season.

"Now I would like to try to be like Bettini," continued Ginanni. "I don't want that Bettini is offended by this. I am fast, I can hold my own on the smaller climbs, but I still have a lot to learn.

"I have desire to do it and to win, but I will try to keep my feet on the ground."

"Maybe last year, after Laigueglia, I relaxed too much and lowered my sights too much. But, from these mistakes you learn. Sometimes there are a lot of errors. Maybe I don't realize it, only when I am on the bike I think about the training I've done, how I have lived my life outside of training, everything."

His attitude change has won him the trust of his team. Androni Giocattoli chased over the second half of Saturday's race to pull back the escape group and to set up Ginanni for the sprint. Ginanni, with the Ligurian Sea on his left and that breeze coming in, positioned himself on the wheels of team Lampre, who took over for the finale. His tactics and jump to the line were similar to, you guessed it, Paolo Bettini.

Ginanni, just like Bettini in 2003, now has his sights on the big Italian one-day classic, Milano-Sanremo.

"I still lack a lot to arrive to the top, when I arrive there I would be like 'Bettini the Great' and to be able to win a classic, like Sanremo. It is difficult to say and to do, but sooner or later I will take it. It's my dream.

"I don't feel the pressure of this, because there is only one Paolo Bettini. I have to continue on my road, not think about if I will be better or worse than Bettini. It will certainly be hard to better him, but I would like to try."

Rasmussen Takes TT as Rogers Leads Overall in Ruta del Sol

2/24/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Rasmussen Takes TT as Rogers Leads Overall in Ruta del Sol
The Danish rider Alex Rasmussen (Saxo Bank) took victory in the fourth stage of the Ruta del Sol in Spain. The 10.9-kilometer course was run on a completely flat route through the streets of Málaga.

Rasmussen put five seconds into Team Sky's Bradley Wiggins, coming in as the only rider to break 13 minutes (12.59) and, thus, got the victory on the day. Rogers, a three time world time trial champion could not get the win in Málaga, but his fourth place, twelve seconds back on Rasmussen, put the Australian in the lead and now looks to defend the leader’s red jersey in tomorrow’s final stage.

Rogers rakes over from Sergio Pardilla (Carmiooro NGC), who could not keep the lead after the victory achieved in Las Allan (Jaén), and is now third in the standings.

The final day will travel 166.3 kilometers and cover four mountain passes: Competa (second category), Salares (third), Colmenar (third) and El Torcal (first), the last coming 46-kilometers from the finish.

Steegmans is still a little sore, but ready to lead the Shack in Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Steegmans and Vaitkus In for Belgian Openers
Gert Steegmans and Tomas Vaitkus will race in the opening weekend’s races of the Belgian cycling season. Their participation was questionable after crashes in the third and first stages of last week’s Tour of Algarve.

Gert Steegmans suffered a concussion after landing on his head in stage three. After three days rest he did a 50-kilometer training ride on Tuesday, followed by a 6-hour training ride on Wednesday. He could finish both rides without experiencing a headache.

“Since Monday I have had no headaches. The nausea has disappeared too,” said Steegmans. “The doctors advised me to wait an extra day and to stay in the dark to take no risks. Though – as everyone joked – I could not have a concussion because of a lack of brains in my head! The two training rides have convinced me that I am able to play a role in both weekend races. My good condition cannot be completely gone. The only thing that worries me a bit is the stiffness in my neck and upper leg but that is not the end of the world. I can deal with it.”

Tomas Vaitkus, who crashed on his shoulder, kept his shoulder immobilized for a few days. Though his shoulder injury still causes some pain, Vaitkus will take the risk to start.

“In Russia there is a saying: ‘One who doesn’t take a risk, will not drink champagne’. So I will start,” Vaitkus commented. “In the past two-to-three days I have less pain, but it is still present. On the other hand, I was able to ride 180 kilometers today on the bike. I am confident of a better 2010 than 2009, certainly with less crashes anyway.”

In last year’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Vaitkus was on his way to a top-5 placing when he could not escape the crash of another rider in the final sprint and broke a bone in his right elbow.

Team RadioShack for Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne

Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
Riders: Fumiyuki Beppu, Sam Bewley, Daryl Impey, Gregory Rast, Sébastien Rosseler, Bjorn Selander, Gert Steegmans and Tomas Vaitkus
Director: Dirk Demol

Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne
Riders: Fumiyuki Beppu, Sam Bewley, Daryl Impey, Gregory Rast, Sébastien Rosseler, Bjorn Selander, Gert Steegmans and Tomas Vaitkus
Director: Dirk Demol

“He was a champion who had style both on a bike and in everyday life.”
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Tour of Poland to Honour Ballerini
The Tour de Pologne has decided to honour Franco Ballerini, the Italian national cycling team manager who died tragically last February 7th after an accident during a rally race, his greatest passion after cycling.

“Franco began his brilliant career when mine was just coming to an end” explained Czeslaw Lang, General Manager of the Tour de Pologne. “But we were lucky enough to meet and race together wearing the Del Tongo-Colnago jersey (1988) and the Malvor-Sidi-Colnago jersey (1989-1990). After that I became in 1991 his sports director on the Del Tongo-MG Maglificio. I understood right away that he had talent and I knew he could do great things. Franco was an exquisite person both form a human and professional standpoint, who you could compare notes with and talk to even outside of the cycling sphere. I’m proud to have known him and to have been able to race by his side.”

The third stage of the 67th Tour de Pologne, scheduled for Tuesday, August 3rd on the course from Sosnowiec to Katowice for a total of 130 km, will be dedicated to Franco Ballerini.

“He was a champion who had style both on a bike and in everyday life,” continues Lang. “The third stage with arrival at Katowice will be dedicated to him. As a national team manager he always honoured our race as a useful phase for determining the physical fitness of his athletes as he vetted the national team for the world championships at the end of September. Now sadly Franco isn’t with us any more, but his memory will stay with us as an example, especially to young cyclists who are just getting to know the bike world.”
[next_page]

Team Hotel San José signs Mellow Johnny's and Subaru-Gary Fisher
(Photo: Hotel San José)

Hotel San José Adds Sponsors
Team Hotel San José is now “Team Hotel San José/Mellow Johnny’s Presented by Subaru-Gary Fisher” for the 2010 season. The addition of Mellow Johnny’s bicycle shop, automobile manufacturer Subaru and bicycle maker Gary Fisher reflects a commitment by the team’s management company, Redbud Sports, LLC, to build on the momentum from 2009, when the team won 50 races.

“Having the support of companies that are so easily integrated into the cycling scene is both exciting and satisfying,” Team Hotel San José/Mellow Johnny’s Presented by Subaru-Gary Fisher Executive Director Todd Reed said.

Title sponsor Hotel San José is a “hotel with soul” in Austin, Texas, where the team is headquartered. Built in 1939 as an “ultramodern motor court,” the boutique hotel has become part of the fabric in the city’s hippest neighborhood.

Mellow Johnny’s bicycle shop has quickly become a fixture in the heart of downtown Austin. Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong and his friends aimed to make the shop a hub of cycling life, commuting, social activity, fitness, and a “temple of two-wheeled living.” Juan Pelota Cafe, a coffee shop inside Mellow Johnny’s, is an integral part of the bike shop – offering public showers at its convenient location a block from the city’s primary biking/hiking trail entrance.

Team Hotel San José/Mellow Johnny’s Presented by Subaru-Gary Fisher Team Owner and Manager Barry Lee said Mellow Johnny’s has played a significant role in the growth of the team and its member club.

“The shop has had a huge impact on nearly every aspect of cycling – riding, racing, commuting, the casual tourist and even the bike messenger community,” Lee said. “They sponsor many teams and have a wonderful staff of both old school and younger passionate enthusiast. It’s a nice balance that you don’t see in some bike shops.”

Hotel San José Owner Liz Lambert said her establishment couldn’t be more pleased to be on the same jersey as Mellow Johnny’s. “It’s a shop that really understands community and I feel like it’s a great fit with the Hotel San José,” she said.

Gary Fisher Bicycles is supplying the team with Gary Fisher Cronus custom carbon road bikes (featuring the squad’s green, orange and black color scheme) with SRAM red components and HED carbon wheels. Gary Fisher himself will be on hand Friday night at Mellow Johnny’s to showcase his support of the team in an event that is open to the public.

Lee said members of the Team Hotel San José club squad have the opportunity to purchase and ride Gary Fisher models, adding even more visibility to the sponsorship.

“Mellow Johnny’s sponsored all the product the first year with Gary Fisher stepping up now to increase and expand into the large clubs we have, as well as the UT Cycling Club,” he said. “So this guarantees there will be a huge amount of Gary Fisher bikes in the Austin and Texas region.”

Team Hotel San José/Mellow Johnny’s Presented by Subaru-Gary Fisher will field a 12-rider roster to compete in races throughout the United States, including National Racing Calendar (NRC) events, the USA CRIT Series and the Point Premium Root Beer International Cycling Classic (Superweek).

Bahati Foundation to Launch In LA

The Bahati Foundation will make its official debut on March 12th in downtown Los Angeles from 7pm to 10pm. The event will be held at LA Live’s flagship entertainment venue Club Nokia, and will support an entertaining media presentation that highlights each of the 3 pillars of the Bahati Foundation: Cycling, Education and Music. This star-studded event will include a comprehensive VIP Experience, Celebrity Red-Carpet, Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team Introduction, Video Presentation and Musical Performance.

Enter to win two free tickets at www.bahatifoundation.org.

Boonen to Work on TT Skills

2/23/2010

Boonen showed improved speed against the clock in last year's Vuelta a España

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Boonen to Work on TT Skills

Belgian Tom Boonen, arguably the reigning king of the classics, has other ambitions in the coming years despite his continued focus- and success- on one-day monuments such as the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. In an interview with L'Equipe on Tuesday, Boonen indicated that improving his time trial skills in the coming years is an important goal, with the ultimate aim of representing Belgium in the 2012 Olympics in London.

"In Belgium there's no single specialist [in the time trial] and I would like to be selected for the Olympics in London for the road race and time trial," Boonen explained.

"I'm at a point in my career where I've already won a lot, and when you win the whole world, both inside and outside of your team, thinks that's normal... to the point that nobody's satisfied," he said. Boonen has experienced great success on the road while suffering some personal setbacks and embarrassment as a result of multiple out-of-competition tests for recreational drug use.

"Enough is enough," he said about the pressures to win consistently. "I'm going to start fresh with a renewed focus."

"I hope to arrive for the classics in the same condition I had last year," Boonen said, fresh off a typically successful outing at the Tour of Qatar. "I saw a lot of good riders in Oman: Cancellara, Pozzato, Ballan... and the competition with Philippe Gilbert in Belgium gives me some extra motivation."

Boonen hopes to build on the steady improvement he has made in time trials to focus his efforts against the clock after the traditional spring classics season, where he will chase his fourth Paris-Roubaix title, the record held by Roger De Vlaeminck.

Jens Voigt is showing good form in the early part of the 2010 season

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

High Speed Scare for Voigt

Jens Voigt (Saxo Bank) emerged unscathed, if a little nervous, after the third stage of the Ruta del Sol in Spain. Voigt, who crashed heavily in the 2009 Tour de France, was not afraid to admit that a high speed puncture during Tuesday's race brought back some bad memories. Fortunately he went on to finish a strong sixth on the stage, won by Rabobank's Oscar Freire.

"Man, I am glad I stayed on my bike this time," he commented after the race. "I had a puncture at 60 km/h but managed to keep my balance."

Teammates André Steensen, Alex Rasmussen and Jakob Fuglsang were on hand to pace Voigt back to the leaders after a quick wheel change.

"I had a few kilometers to catch my breath before the slight uphill finish which actually suited me perfectly," Voigt explained. "Who knows what might have happened if I didn't have to close the gap?"

Looking forward to Wednesday's 10.9km individual time trial, Voigt added, "I'll keep my head down and go full power. I am feeling stronger every day."

Gilbert's Omloop Recon Foiled

Belgian classics man of the moment, Philippe Gilbert, won't get to do a pre-race reconnaissance of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad course with his Omega Pharma-Lotto teammates Wednesday. A French air traffic control strike kept Gilbert grounded in his Monaco home Tuesday. He will fly to Belgium (he hopes) on Thursday to ready himself for the opening classics of the Belgian spring season, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne.

Crit Nationals Leaving Downers Grove

The 2010 USA Cycling Professional Criterium National Championship will be held in the northern Chicago suburb of Glencoe, Illinois on Saturday, August 14, moving from its traditional location in Downers Grove, IL to a new location for the first time in the event’s 24-year history. The 24th annual criterium nationals will feature a new course and will be sponsored by AT&T. The day’s premier event, featuring the donning of the prestigious "Stars-and-Stripes" jersey to the top American finisher, will also be moved from its traditional Sunday slot to Saturday in Glencoe.

Glencoe, a village on Chicago's North Shore, is approximately 15 miles north of downtown Chicago and 26 miles from Downer’s Grove. The new location is accustomed to bike racing and has been home to the Glencoe Grand Prix for the past three years.

"We look forward to Glencoe and a new course for our fastest and most exciting road national championship," said Sean Petty, USA Cycling chief operating officer. "We also appreciate AT&T’s support of this great event and we’re confident [race promoter] Special Events Management will continue to organize a first-class event."

Four continents, four World Cups for the 2010-2011 track season

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Four Continents for 2010 Track World Cup

The UCI has confirmed its four-event World Cup calendar for the 2010-2011 track cycling season. The Track Cycling World Cup Classics series will span four continents, beginning in Australia and winding up in Great Britain.

Melbourne, Australia: December 2-4, 2010

Cali, Columbia: December 16-18, 2010

Beijing, China: January 21-23, 2011

Manchester, Great Britain: February 18-20, 2011

Freire Wins Stage Two at Ruta del Sol

2/22/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Spanish sprinter Oscar Freire (Rabobank) took victory in the second stage of the Ruta del Sol ahead of a field of strong sprinters, including HTC-Columbia’s Mark Cavendish. Taking second behind Freire was German speedster Robert Wagner (Skil-Shimano), while Alex Rasmussen (Saxo Bank) was third. Cavendish was, in fact, boxed into fourth.

Unfortunately, a crash that occurred in the final kilometer of the race resulted in several riders going to the hospital. Freire teammate Laurens Ten Dam and Jelle Vanendert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) left the race in an ambulance. Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Farnese Vini) and Linus Gerdemann (Milram) also went down, though their injuries were less severe.

Le Mevel was the only rider to pull back breakaway rider Fedrigo
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Le Mevel Wins Haut Var
Christophe Le Mevel of Francaise Des Jeux earned the team yet another victory by winning the early season Tour of the Haut Var. The two-stage race, which takes place in the south of France, saw Le Mevel secure his win by taking stage two in a three-man sprint.

Rinaldo Nocentini (Ag2r Mondiale), the leader following his victory in stage one, finished 3:05 down on Le Mevel, giving him the overall victory in addition to the stage.

Stage two finished in Montaroux at the end of a very steep climb. The ascent shattered the bunch, with Le Mevel just overtaking Pierrick Fedrigo (Bbox Bouygues Telecom) who had been on a solo breakaway. Bert de Waele (Landbouwkrediet) finished third on the stage and took second overall on the race thanks to consistent riding.

Tom Danielson of Garmin-Transitions was the best-placed American rider, finishing 12th overall thanks to his ride up the climb to Montaroux.

Test for HGH Gets Positive
A British rugby player has tested positive for human growth hormone (HGH). While it was known that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was working on a test to reveal the use of HGH, it had not announced it had a usable test.

Apparently, WADA put the test into use by late November, 2009, when it tested an out-of-competition sample taken from a British rugby player. Terry Newton has been handed a two-year ban following his positive test.

While no cyclists have tested positive yet, it is safe to assume that cyclists’ samples are being tested. Whether retrospective testing will be conducted on existing cyclists’ samples remains to be seen.

A train of Rock Racing riders at the 2009 Tour of California
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Rock Racing Has Yet to Race
According to the Union Cycliste International (UCI), Michael Ball’s Rock Racing formation has yet to receive a license for the 2010 season. The team has applied for a UCI Pro Continental license but that application has so far been rejected. The team’s top riders signed licenses that included a clause making the contract contingent upon the team securing a Pro Continental registration.

Without that license, most of the team’s riders are effectively unemployed. Riders currently looking for work with other teams include Victor Hugo Pena, Oscar Sevilla, Tony Cruz, Fred Rodriguez and Patrick McCarty.

Contador Claims Overall In Algarve

2/21/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Contador Claims Overall In Algarve
The Spanish cyclist Alberto Contador confirmed his victory in the Volta ao Algarve. Contador finished second in the final time trial to compatriot Luis Leon Sanchez in the fifth and final stage. Luis Leon Sanchez, leader of the Caisse D'Epargne won the 17.2-kilometer final time trial in a time of 21.32 minutes, with an average speed of 47.926 kilometers. It was the second straight victory in the Volta ao Algarve for Contador.

The thirty-sixth edition of the Volta ao Algarve, which was run from the 17th until today, had a peloton of 23 teams, 12 of them with ProTour status. Astana, RadioShack, Caisse D'Epargne and Euskaltel-Euskadi were among the ProTour teams that began the 2010 season in the southern region of Portugal.

Cancellara on the Shiv at the 2009 Vuelta a Espana
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Shiv Banned
Much to the dismay of Specialized and Alberto Contador, the UCI banned Specialized’s Shiv time trial bike before Sunday’s decisive final time trial in the Volta ao Algarve. According to the UCI, the problem is with the section of frame between the head tube and down tube. This part of the frame exceeds the 8-centimeter measurement that the UCI allows for the cross-section of the tube.

With the Shiv being ruled out, Contador competed on a 2009 Transition that was modified to meet UCI requirements. To meet regulations, team mechanics shaved off the two downtube fairings that extended forward to meet the fork.

Haedo, shown here in 2009, took victory in India
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Haedo Takes Tour de Mumbai
Argentina's Jose Juan Haedo on Sunday won the inaugural Tour de Mumbai, India's first professional cycling race sanctioned by the sport's governing body. The Team Saxo Bank sprinter took the 50,000-dollar first prize after shaking free of Germany's Dirk Mueller, from Team Nutrixxion-Sparkasse, on the final lap of the 100-kilometer (60-mile) course.

The pair had been part of a six-man breakaway for much of the race, which took place in searing temperatures in Mumbai's northern suburbs, but they struck out together with four of the 36 laps to go.

German rider Tobias Erler, from the Tabriz Petrochemical Cycling Team, was third. He also took the 5,000-dollar sprint prize.

The event boasted more than 100 riders, including Australian sprinter Baden Cooke, who was fourth, and fellow countryman Stuart O'Grady, who finished in the peloton.

The race was part of a wider mass participation "cyclothon" event for children and adults designed to raise the profile of cycling in cricket-obsessed India, as well as improve health and fitness.

Pardilla Grabs Ruta Opener
Sergio Pardilla (Carmiooro) won the first stage of the Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista del Sol on Sunday. Stage one of the five-day race was a 159.2-kilometer run from Jaen to Puerto de La Guardia.

Pardilla soloed to the win by nine seconds ahead of Jurgen Van de Broeck (Omega Pharma-Lotto) with Damiano Cunego (Lampre) third 13-seconds back. With the win he will wear the leader’s jersey in stage 2, a 182.2-kilometer route from Otura to Córdoba.

Rosseler Grabs Algarve’s Fourth Stage

2/20/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Rosseler Grabs Algarve’s Fourth Stage
Team RadioShack’s Sébastien Rosseler won the 4th stage in the Tour ao Algarve (Portugal) on Saturday. The Belgian was the strongest rider after a solo effort of 28-kilometer in a demanding stage. In Tavira he had 58-seconds advantage to 5 other riders who had been part of his original breakaway.

Rosseler was not present in an early breakaway, but jumped to the front riders after 40-kilometers of racing. With his companions Iljo Keisse, Preben Vanhecke, Egoi Martínez, Mickael Delage and Imanol Irviti he managed to stay in the front the entire day. The six got a maximum advantage of 5-minutes, 10-seconds. Team Astana and HTC-Columbia chased and drew closer but then Rosseler attacked. Nobody could follow the hard rider from Belgium. He took up to 54-seconds. Delage was the fastest rider of the former breakaway group. The peloton finished at 3-minutes.

“What a surprise!” said Rosseler after the stage. “Yesterday I felt so tired, but this morning I was motivated again. I intended to work for Tiago Machado and Levi Leipheimer, to keep them out of the wind but then I saw the opportunity to jump to the breakaway. This was maybe a chance to help the team to its first victory of the season. We all expected a mass sprint but as Gert Steegmans is not here any more, we knew we had to take other initiatives. I dedicate this victory to Gert anyway. I hope he will get ready for the first races in Belgium next weekend. I am so happy. Thanks to my Team Directors.”

“I told Séba to attack as the peloton was coming closer,” said Team Director José Azevedo. “It was better to attack when the gap was still 3 minutes than when it was 1-minute. It was hard for Séba, but he is so strong…”

“Never give Rosseler 100 meter advantage. You will not catch him,” added Team Director Dirk Demol. “We saw that he was the strongest rider uphill. With fast guys like Delage and Keisse, we could not take any risk. What a strong guy Rosseler is! The course was very hard, but he impressed us the whole day. I think we have not yet seen the best of him. Séba is one of our key riders for the classics. I think he will be ready for it.”

For Sébastien Rosseler this is his seventh victory as a professional rider. Last year he was the best in the time trials of the Four-Day-Race of Dunkerque and the Tour of Belgium.

McQuaid claims that Paris-Nice falls under the jurisdiction of the UCI
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

UCI Refuses to Cooperate with AFLD
The International Cycling Union (UCI) has rejected the proposal made by the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) for the two agencies to collaborate in the doping controls of the Paris-Nice, which starts on March 7. UCI president Pat McQuaid sent a letter to the French Agency rejecting the possible collaboration.

"I do not think the AFLD’s proposal has spawned improvements in the fight against doping. According to the code of WADA, international competitions are to be audited by the International Federations," McQuaid’s letter stated. McQuaid cited in his letter that Paris-Nice falls into this category and, therefore, must be run under the control of the UCI. "The UCI has planned to conduct 95 doping tests" during the race, said the letter obtained by Reuters.

The UCI and the AFLD have been at odds since the president of the French institution, Pierre Bordry, accused the UCI of giving preferential treatment to Alberto Contador and Astana at the Tour de France. McQuaid and the UCI have taken issue with the accusations.

Paris-Nice will take place between March 7 and 14 with the expected presence of Alberto Contador.

Ginanni celebrates his victory in the Trofeo Laigueglia
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Ginanni Repeats in Trofeo Laigueglia
Francesco Ginanni repeated his victory from last year in the 47th edition of the Trofeo Laigueglia on Saturday. In a mass sprint the Italian took victory ahead of Lampre riders Francesco Gavazzi and Daniele Pietropolli.

Ginanni's win in the 183-kilometer race followed his win in the same event last year. It was also his first win of the year. His last win came in the GP Industria e Commercio Artigianato Carnaghese in August of last year.

Afghanistan Riders to Tour de Pakistan
Riders from Afghanistan will be the star attraction in next month's Tour de Pakistan cycle race after Indian cyclists were left out in the cold by organizers, an official said on Saturday.

The 15th Tour de Pakistan, a race modeled on the Tour de France, will be staged from the northwest city of Peshawar to Karachi with 78 cyclists, including 30 from Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Iran and Nepal competing. The cyclists will cover 1,655 kilometers (1,028 miles) over 11 stages from March 1-13.

Pakistan Cyclist Federation secretary Khawaja Idrees said Afghanistan will send six cyclists for the event. "Afghanistan is sending a nine-member delegation with six cyclists and they will be star attraction," Khawaja said of the event, which carries a total prize money of 10,000 dollars.

Khawaja said India was not invited as a protest at the snubbing of Pakistani cricketers in the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction. None of the eleven Pakistani players put in last month's IPL auction were sold. "We decided not to send an invitation to India as a protest for IPL action which was very humiliating," said Khawaja.

The 14th Tour de Pakistan, held in November 2008 was won by Naimat Ali of Pakistan, with Haroon-ur-Rashid runner-up and Sri Lanka's Meemanaga Perera finishing third. The prize money is distributed among the top six finishers.

Jamis/Sutter Home Off to Strong Start
With support from a well-rounded squad, Alejandro Borrajo of Jamis/Sutter Home Men’s Cycling Team Presented by Colavita sprinted to a first place finish in stage two at the Rutas de America. The following day, Anibal Borrajo secured the podium with a second place finish in stage three, bringing his GC standing to third.

Celebrating the victories with the Borrajo brothers were teammates Andy Guptill, Frank Travieso, Demis Aleman and Guido Palma, who helped lead Alejandro and Anibal to their podium finishes. Frank also holds the Sprint Leader Jersey for all three stages.

Contador Wins Stage, Takes Over Lead at Algarve

2/19/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Alberto Contador (Astana) has given the cycling world a first glimpse of his fitness for the 2010 season with his win in the third stage of the Volta ao Algarve in Portugal. In the race’s first mountain top finish, Contador pulled away from the peloton with the help of new Astana mountain domestique David de la Fuente.

While the ascent was only 2.7 kilometers long, Contador finished 11-seconds clear of Radio Shack’s Tiago Machado finished 11 seconds back while teammate Levi Leipheimer finished another 11-seconds back.

Machado now sits in second place overall at 15 seconds and Leipheimer is third at 28-seconds.

Fabian Cancellara celebrates his first win of the season
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Tour of Oman: Cancellara Takes the Win
Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) took the overall victory at the Tour of Oman today after he finished second in the final stage, an individual time trial. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Sky) won the stage with a time of 25:58.

The TT was run over a hilly course with an exceedingly fast descent; some riders hit speeds approaching 60 mph.

Times were close; the top four riders on the stage all finished within a minute of each other. Cancellara finished 17 seconds down on Boasson Hagen. Garmin Transitions’ Cameron Meyer was third at 45 seconds and Marco Pinotti (Team HTC-Columbia) was fourth at 48 seconds.

In the overall, Boasson Hagen finished in second, 28 seconds behind Cancellara. Meyer’s TT performance elevated him to third overall, equal on time with Boasson Hagen. Pinotti finished fourth at 31 seconds and the previous race leader, Daniele Bennati (Liquigas Doimo) dropped to fifth overall at 47 seconds.

Stage Three of 2010 Giro Route Changed
Dutch official have had to change the route of the Giro d’Italia’s third stage. The course, running from Amsterdam to Middleberg will now bypass The Hague and Rijswijk and will feature a new finish in Middleberg.

The stage is now longer by 15 kilometers for a total length of 224km, making it the second longest of the 2010 race. Set in the lowlands of the Netherlands the stage will set a record as the flattest stage in the Giro’s history.

Armstrong in a breakaway at the 2010 TDU
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Armstrong Generated 27 Million Euro for Tour Down Under
Australian officials have announced that Lance Armstrong’s appearance at the 2010 Tour Down Under helped the race generate an impressive 27 million euro for local businesses. Viewership along the course grew by 10,000 from 760,000 in 2009 to 770,000 this year.

Much of the credit for the race’s success was attributed to the presence of Lance Armstrong as well as the Aussie world champion Cadel Evans.

RBA Exclusive: Mike Tamayo Interview

2/19/2010

(Photo: Jonathan Devich)

The UnitedHealthcare p/b Maxxis team has been a fixture on the domestic racing circuit in one form or another for a number of years. The 2009 season saw many changes within the team. Long time sponsor HeathNet was replaced by OUCH and the addition of disgraced 2006 Tour de France “champion” Floyd Landis changed the dynamic of the team.

Landis’s comeback floundered has he struggled to find the form of 2006. This led to some negative press and unanswered questions. At the end of the season Landis and the team parted ways. With Landis’s departure and UnitedHealthcare taking over as title sponsor, the team is moving forward with several new riders, an updated look and a renewed focus on winning.

Road Bike Action journeyed to Scottsdale, Arizona, to speak with Team Director Mike Tamayo, find out what life is like without Landis, and learn what the future holds for the UnitedHealthcare p/b Maxxis team.

Road Bike Action: How Did the new UnitedHealthcare sponsorship come about?
Mike Tamayo: The team has working with UnitedHealthcare for a couple of years, and they were actually a sponsor in 2009. They provided us with our health care and funded our anti-doping program. One thing led to another and they got excited about we could do and it grew into where we are right now.

Mike Tamayo discusses the new UnitedHealthcare p/b Maxxis team
(Photo: Brian Olson)

RBA: What is UnitedHealthcare’s objectives with their sponsorship of the team?
MT: UnitedHealthcare has four objectives for the team to accomplish. The first is branding, getting the name out there. The second is employee engagement – this is big for them. They want to raise morale for the employees in general. Another one is community outreach with us being able to reach out to hospitals. They are also want to promote a healthy lifestyle, show that it does exist.

RBA: What are the team’s objectives for the 2010 season?
MT: Win! We had a pretty good motivational speech given to us by one of the UnitedHealthcare executives yesterday. He pretty much just summed it up by saying we don’t support losers – you guys got to win. It was a pretty strong directive. So is it possible to win every single race – no of course not, there are a hundred and fifty guys in a race, but we are going to go in with the mentality to put someone in a position to win. That is what people can expect from us.

RBA: In 2009 the team saw a change in sponsorship with OUCH coming on board along with Floyd Landis. What effects did this have on the team?
MT: It was change all around in 2009. First of all, Brent Kay and OUCH Sports Medical and Floyd Landis were a god’s send to the team and the program. It kept the program running for another year, and kept it running well. We were happy that they were a sponsor of ours last year. The changes that we saw going into 2009 were all positive ones. We all learned a lot, however, we always knew that it was a stepping-stone into trying to grow the program into something larger and trying to get somewhere. Is it Europe? Where are we going next? And that is really where we are right now. UnitedHealthcare is one of the largest companies ever involved in cycling and its nice to be back with someone that has that sort reach.

Landis celebrates finishing his first race back from suspension
(Photo: Ken Conley)

RBA: Floyd Landis brought a lot of attention to the team, not all of it good. How did this effect the dynamics of the team?
MT: We learned a lot with Floyd in 2009. The truth is he has years of experience. He has ridden for US Postal and Phonak, along with some of the sports top directors. He has been at the best races in the world – so with his years of experience – we were able to learn a lot from him. The best thing that we could do as a organization is grab onto that experience and bring it in.

The media attention came with him. That helped us as well; we are always looking for more exposure. Did you feel like you were living in a fish bowl by the time the year was over… sure but that’s something we have to get use to. It makes you wonder how riders like him or other superstars deal with it and not go insane by the time the season’s over. It was a great year and we did learn a lot. No regrets from 2009.

RBA: Who are you looking to fill Landis’s role and lead the team in stage races?
MT: Halfway through the season last year we picked up Chris Baldwin. Now we have our hands on him from the beginning. He is doing our training camp and is fully embraced in the dynamics of the team. We are looking forward to seeing more out of him. We picked up Marc De Maar from Rabobank. He is our not so secret weapon. He is definitely a superstar. He has a lot of talent and we look forward to seeing riders like him and Rory Sutherland play off each other in bike races. It will be fun.

RBA: The team is also without sprinter John Murphy who moved to the BMC team. Who do you have to take his place?

MT: We were very happy to see John get the opportunity he got with BMC. We had been working with him for three years. He was a great kid when we first got our hands on him, and every year he was progressing – he just kept moving up. He won a stage race in Taiwan, we got the national title with him, so we were excited for him. Of course we want to retain our riders, but we are excited to see the progression of all of our athletes.

We could have gone out and hired a 34-year-old sprinter that has been around the block several times, instead we decided to go the other direction and find the next Tyler Farrar, or John Murphy. We want to find the next fast kid and develop him has a rider. We hired Eric Barlevav and Jake Keough who we think are pretty quick and maybe diamonds in the rough.

The OUCH team leads the charge for Murphy at the Tour of Utah
(Photo: Mitchell Clinton)

RBA: You mentioned Tyler Farrar and John Murphy, how strong is the domestic scene?
MT: A couple years back we might have had a couple more teams, but quantity isn’t always better than quality. Right know you have a good blend of domestic teams. The teams are more well rounded, better funded and more organized. Its good for everyone, we want competition. We want people to get better – it makes us better.

As far as races go the Tour of California, the Tour of Missouri are great races. The Tour of California moving to May is going to bring a lot more exposure. The Tour of Utah has taken big steps every year, and we hope that race can continue to grow and become the next great stage race. We really haven’t lost a marquee race and everything is growing or holding steady so I think we are in a really good place.

According to Tamayo, Fly V could challenge for dominance
(Photo: Ken Conley)

RBA: What Domestic teams do you guys have pinned as rivals rolling into 2010?
MT: Though not domestic, Fly V Australia seems like they are going to be spending quite a bit of time in the States, so we are looking at them like they are a domestic team. They definitely have a roster that makes us think about them. Bissell is always a team to contend with, while Team Type 1 is an unknown factor. They have replaced a number of riders so we are curious to see how all those guys come together. Can they gel and come together as a team? Hopefully it works out for them.

RBA: What about Rock Racing?
MT: That is the big X factor at the moment. I don’t think anyone can answer that question but those guys. Nobody knows what’s going on over there. We hear the same rumors has everyone else. Riders are in; riders are out. They are a team; they’re not a team. However, we are not focused on other teams; we are not going to let teams run the table for us. On the bike and off the bike we are going run our table and dictate the 2010 season for them. That’s our focus.

Greipel Wins Algarve’s Second Stage

2/18/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Greipel Wins Algarve’s Second Stage
German rider Andre Greipel (HTC-Team Columbia) won the second stage of the thirty-sixth edition of the Volta ao Algarve. He finished ahead of Jurgen Roelandts (Omega Pharma-Lotto) and the Spaniard Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi). With his win Greipel stands as the new overall leader.

The Volta ao Algarve will end Sunday, with a total route of 700-kilometers. Alberto Contador (Astana) won last year and went on to win the 2009 Tour de France.

Boonen throws his bike across the line for the win
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Boonen Scores In Oman’s Fifth Stage
Tom Boonen (Quick Step) took the fifth stage of the Tour of Oman, fought between Wattayat and Sultan Qaboos Stadium. After 148.5- kilometers, Italian Daniele Bennati of Liquigas retained the leader's jersey. Boonen, who scored his third win of 2010 after his two victories in the Tour of Qatar won the mass sprint ahead Argentina's Juan Jose Haedo (Saxo Bank) and Belgian Michael Van Stayer (Topsport).

The day was marked by a breakaway featuring Russian Nikita Eskov (Katusha), Italian Alessandro Ballan (BMC) and Dutchman Matthes Pronk (Vacansoliel). The trio built a 5-minute lead, but was absorbed by the peloton 13-kilometers from the finish.

Seeldraeyers during the 2009 Giro d'Italia
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Seeldraeyers Has Heart Scare
Kevin Seeldraeyers of the Quick Step team, and last year's best young rider at Paris-Nice and the Giro, two weeks ago feared he would have to quit racing. "When I walked into the hospital for a routine check, the doctor said that my heart had increased in size. It was feared to be a disease of the heart muscle, so they said I should stop riding. Further tests revealed an increase in heart size is common in sport. It is nothing to worry about. I feel no problems."

As a result of the initial diagnoses Seeldraeyers could not properly train for the past couple of weeks. "I could not get the diagnoses out of my mind. I usually did not exceed one to two hours, partly due to the weather in Belgium. I am now at the Tour ao Algarve, but the condition is still not right with the view to Paris-Nice.”

Eneco Tour to Start In Overijssel Steenwijk
The 2010 Eneco Tour will start in the Dutch province of Overijssel Steenwijk, the race organization announced on Thursday. Like last year’s edition the race will start on Dutch soil with the prologue taking place in the town of Steenwijk. The Eneco Tour is the only UCI ProTour multi-day race in the Netherlands and Belgium and will run August 17 - 24, 2010.

After the prologue, which will feature a route of about five kilometers in the streets of Steenwijk, the Eneco Tour’s second stage will work its way through Steenwijk before traveling the 50-kilometers to Overijssel. The last edition was won by Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen.

LIve from Lake Como: Pozzato is in it to win, another Ferrari can wait

2/18/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Filippo Pozzato may seem like the ultimate Italian playboy, but he is in cycling to win, and win big.

Since turning professional at the age of 18 with Mapei, he has scored some of cycling's big ones: Milano-Sanremo, Italian Championships and stages at the Tour de France. His wins have come in the face of criticism and what appears to be a carefree attitude towards the dedicated life of a cyclist. He likes collecting expensive watches, has a home in the French Rivera and, oh yes, a Ferrari.

"I was lucky because I had already bought myself a gift prior to the Milano-Sanremo win, a Ferrari F430," explained Pozzato. "I bought it about two months before the win because I had always liked them and it had been my dream to have one.

"It is not like that if I win a race I have to buy a car. For sure, I like cars a lot, but I want to think first about winning a race and then maybe I will think about a new car."

Pozzato at the 2010 Katusha team presentation
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Pozzato spoke at the presentation of his team, Russia's Katusha, on Lake Garda. He is in his second year with the team, but already in his 11th year as a professional. And back when he turned pro' with Mapei it was only a used Lancia Lybra station wagon that he drove to the team's presentation (with team-mates like Fabian Cancellara, Paolo Bettini and Oscar Freire).

"I bought it as soon as I got my driving license, at 18 or 19 years old."

He has come a long way since then, and built up an image to match, even if some years the image was growing faster than the results. A balance has been achieved, though, in recent years with Quick Step, Liquigas and then Katusha.

Giro della Liguria, Trofeo Laigueglia and a Tour stage in 2004, Hamburg Cyclassics and Giro del Lazio in 2005, then, just to balance out his image with results (not to mention a newly purchased Ferrari), the Milano-Sanremo in 2006.

His two years with Liquigas, 2007 to 2008, were a little bit dry, though he did win a stage at the 2007 Tour de France and confirmed his status as a Northern Classics rider, winning Het Volk and finishing sixth in Ronde van Vlaanderen. Last year, with Katusha, he won E3 Prijs and the Italian Championships, but also finished as second best in Paris-Roubaix and fifth in Ronde.

Pozzato in the tricolore jersey of Italian national champion
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

It is a long way since his early beginnings as a humble, curly-haired, nine-year-old boy in Sandrigo (Veneto).

"My uncle died and a race was held in his memory, but I had already started riding because I wanted to be ready for his race," Pozzato continued. "My dad rode bikes, but he was more of a football player. The passion did not come from my uncle or dad, it really came from within.

"I remember well the first rides I did around Sandrigo, when I lived at home with my parents. Even now, when I go back there to visit them, I make sure to do some of the same training loops. When I am riding it is as if I am taken back in time, to when I was preparing for my uncle's race."

In the last years, though, Pozzato spends most of his time traveling to races or at his second home in Monaco.

"It is suited better to me and to being a professional. You have your space there, not like here [in Italy] where sometimes it seems like everyone knows you.

"The weather is another factor, even today it is 0° here, but it was 13° in Monaco. It makes a big difference in training to have that extra bit of warmer weather."

Pozzato has yet to add Flanders or Roubaix to his palmarès
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Pozzato is hoping that warm weather will help him achieve the race wins he misses in his palmarès: Paris-Roubaix, Ronde and, this year, the World Championships.

"I am hoping for more wins, but not that much more. A good season would be seven wins. Last year I won five, and if I had won Paris-Roubaix then it would have been icing on the cake."

He has started his season off well, with a strong, and unexpected, fifth place in the San Luis time trial. Currently, he is racing in the Middle East, the Tour of Qatar and this week the Tour of Oman. The races will serve as his training and preparations for the Spring Classics.

"There is Milano-Sanremo, Ronde van Vlaanderen and, of course, Paris-Roubaix."

He paused, perhaps dreaming of replacing his tricolore Italian champ jersey with a rainbow one, or maybe another red Ferrari. He added, "The Worlds suits me and it is a goal that I want to achieve."

Howard Takes Oman Stage Four, Bennati Leads Overall

2/17/2010

(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Howard Takes Oman Stage Four, Bennati Leads Overall
The Australian Leigh Howard, a 20-year neo-professional on the HTC-Columbia team, was the winner of the fourth stage of the Tour of Oman, fought between Ibri and Nakhal. The 187-kilometer stage saw Italian Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) finish second and take the overall lead.

Howard, who comes from track racing, achieved his first victory as a professional, and did so with a tremendous turn of speed. The American Tyler Farrar finished third.

Vaugrenard takes the win ahead of a chasing Joan Horrach
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Vaugrenard Grabs Algarve Opener
Frenchman Benoit Vaugrenard (Francaise des Jeux) slipped into the leader's yellow jersey by winning the first stage of the thirty-sixth edition of the Volta ao Algarve. Spanish Tour de France Champion Alberto Contador finished in the main peloton.

Vaugrenard ran the 157.5 km journey between the town of Loule and Albufeira lsl in an average speed of 37.694 km / h. He took the overall lead from Spanish rider Joan Horrach (Katusha) by three seconds and German Andre Greipel (Columbia) by five.

The Volta ao Algarve, which ends next Sunday, has a total route of 700-kilometers and its main favorite is Contador (Astana). Tomorrow's stage will be 207.5 kilometers between the towns of Sagres and Lagos, whose course is characterized by plains and strong winds.

The Swiss have no jurisdiction to take action against Ullrich
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Swiss Drop Case Against Ullrich
The disciplinary committee of Swiss Olympic, the umbrella organization of Swiss sports, has ended the doping case against former German cyclist Jan Ullrich. The Swiss Olympic doping statute went into effect on January 1 to athletes who have retired. Therefore Swiss Olympic and the disciplinary committee have no jurisdiction to take disciplinary action against Ullrich. At the time he left the federation in 2006, there was no evidence of his involvement in doping, and there was no ongoing disciplinary investigations of him.

The International Cycling Union (UCI) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) are against the decision, and can still appeal to the International Sports Tribunal (CAS). If the case had moved forward and Ullrich had been suspended, he would not be able to work in a cycling team.

Ullrich was suspended in 2006 by his T-Mobile team just before the start of the Tour. He was allegedly involved in the doping scandal surrounding the Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes. Ullrich has always denied doping but in March 2008 paid 250,000 euros to stop a doping investigation in Germany.

Papp Pleads Guilty
Joe Papp pleaded guilty in federal court on two counts of conspiracy to distribute performance-enhancing drugs. He now faces up to five years in prison for each count to sell human growth hormones (HGH) and Erythropoietin (EPO) on the Internet, this according to a report from the Associated Press.

In the 2007 arbitration hearing in which Landis attempted to overturn his positive drug control from the 2006 Tour de France, Papp testified how testosterone helped the recovery of cyclists during stage races. This contradicted statements by Landis's attorneys that testosterone had no effect on riders competing in stage races.

Papp himself served a two-year suspension for a positive testosterone test taken at the Tour of Turkey in 2006. He has admitted to taking EPO HGH, and caffeine during his career. According to Assistant US Attorney Mary McKeen Papp earned more than $80,000 from September 2006 to September 2007 selling performance-enhancing drugs to athletes.

Contador: ‘I just want to check my form’

2/16/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Contador: ‘I just want to check my form’
After a long period of rest, Alberto Contador returns to competition to challenge the Volta ao Algarve on Wednesday. The Astana leader is looking forward to starting his season even though he claims not to have the form of previous years, when he won the overall

Although the Tour de France winner has not changed his training program and says that, "the sensations are good," he noted that "in 2009 I did a concentration of training in the U.S. where I worked very hard. However, this year there has been bad weather in Madrid and I could not train as I like. I had to do something more than long rides with the idea of losing a little more weight because right now I am 63.5 kilograms, two over my weight at the Tour.”

Once the Volta ao Algarve starts, Contador says he won’t compare himself to his rivals. "I just want to check my form and how I do, how I respond in the race," said Contador.

Boasson Hagen takes stage three of the Tour of Oman
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Boasson Hagen in Control at the Tour of Oman
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky) took victory in the 124km third stage of the Tour of Oman from Saifat Ash Shiekh to Qurayyat. The Norwegian out sprinted Danilo Napolitano (Katusha), and Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Transitions). Tom Boonen (Quick Step) missed the podium and finished fourth.

Boasson Hagen’s Sky team spent most of the day on the front in order to defend his overall lead and put him position to take the stage victory. With his win Boasson Hagen extended his lead in the overall.

Boasson Hagen won the 2009 edition
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Gent-Wevelgem Shortened
After consulting with the UCI and the organizers of the Tour of Flanders, the Ghent-Wevelgem organizers decided Tuesday to cut the original route of 257-kilometers down to 219-kilometers.

"For 2010, the ProTour race Gent-Wevelgem race will be run Sunday between Milan-Sanremo and the Tour of Flanders. Since 2010 is a transitional year and given the change in the calendar for 2010, we decided to shorten the race. It is in the interest of the riders, and pending a final solution in 2011," explained race organizers in a statement.

The racecourse is also undergoing some changes. "The finale of Gent-Wevelgem has been largely redrawn. There is a loop in France, with a double passage of Mont des Cats and Mont Noir. In total there are 16 climbs, making the second ascent of the Kemmelberg even more decisive and ensures a rigorous selection."

"I have not soiled the image of my sport."
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Vinokourov Won’t Apologize
Alexandre Vinokourov is not going to apologize to Tour de France organizers – unless they ask him to. Vinokourov who returned last year from a two-year doping suspension, is still unsure if himself or his Astana team will be welcome at the 2010 Tour de France. In and interview with 'Le Parisien' a French newspaper published by the Groupe Amaury, which also organizes the Tour de France, Vinokourov said "If they request an apology, if that is what they want, then I will say I’m sorry.”

Despite his willingness to apologize in order to race, Vinokourov made it clear that he believes he has done nothing wrong. "I have not soiled the image of my sport," said the teammate Tour favorite Alberto Contador. "I stopped for the two years I was suspended. I still believe sports can teach many beautiful things," said Vinokourov, who was thrown out of the 2007 Tour de France for a blood transfusion.

Bahati Foundation Adds Amateurs
The newly formed Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team announced today, the addition of 5 amateurs. The team will be made up of Category 1 and 2 level cyclist who will be competing in non-UCI events throughout the United States, while acting as ambassadors to the mission of the program.

Members of the 2010 Amateur Team Include:
Morgan Ryan: Formerly a member of the Major Motion cycling program, for which Rahsaan Bahati entered the sport of cycling through, and mentors to this day.

Devan Dunn: A 19 year old South African who’s strength surpasses his experience. He just recently finished 3rd overall in the category 2’s at Valley of the Sun stage

Yosvany Falcon: 31, is a veteran professional and will be contributing to support the powerful sprinting duo of Rahsaan Bahati and Hilton Clarke.

Jorge Alvarado: Originally from Mexico, Jorge will prove to the US professional cycling peloton that he is a top contender in the climbs and helps to diversify the team with his climbing strengths.

Neil Coleman: 29, resides in Durango, CO. and is a 3x U23 British National Time Trial

Exclusive RBA Video: Alberto Contador Interview Part 2

2/16/2010

(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Landis Denies Allegations

2/15/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Floyd Landis has responded to the arrest warrant that was issued for him in France. The arrest warrant accuses the US cyclist of being involved in the hacking of a French drug-testing laboratory's computer system. Pierre Bordry, head of the AFLD, told AFP Landis used documents "illegally hacked from the authority's laboratory computer system" in his defense after he was stripped of his 2006 Tour de France win following a positive drug test.

The warrant was issued by a French judge on January 28 in response to the failure of 34-year-old Landis to answer a summons issued in October, Bordry said. The judge intends to ask Pennsylvania-born Landis "to explain how he came to obtain certain information that was used in his defense," added Bordry.

Arnie Baker, a former American rider and cycling coach, for whom an arrest warrant was issued in November, is also being sought by the French authorities in connection with the affair.

In an e-mail to the Los Angles Times on Monday, Landis denied the hacking allegation. He told the newspaper no warrant had been served against him. "I can't speak for Arnie, but no attempt has been made to formally contact me," Landis said in an e-mail. "It appears to be another case of fabricated evidence by a French lab who is still upset a United States citizen believed he should have the right to face his accusers and defend himself."

RBA Newsflash: Arrest Warrant Issued for Landis

2/15/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

An international arrest warrant has been issued for US cyclist Floyd Landis, accused of hacking into a French drug-testing laboratory, France's anti-doping authority (AFLD) said on Monday. Pierre Bordry, head of the AFLD, told AFP Landis used documents "illegally hacked from the authority's laboratory computer system" in his defense after he was stripped of his 2006 Tour de France win following a positive drugs test.

The warrant was issued by a French judge on January 28 in response to the failure by 34-year-old Landis to answer a summons issued in October, Bordry said. The judge intends to ask Pennsylvania-born Landis "to explain how he came to obtain certain information that was used in his defense," added Bordry. Arnie Baker, a former American rider and cycling coach, for whom an arrest warrant was issued in November, is also being sought by the French authorities in connection with the affair.

Landis tested positive for testosterone during the 17th stage of the 2006 edition of the world's most famous cycling race. He had won that stage in spectacular fashion with a solo attack which virtually secured him the yellow jersey only 24 hours after a dramatic collapse on stage 16.

He was stripped of his Tour de France win in September 2007, more than a year after he crossed the finishing line on the Champs Elysee in Paris. He was banned from racing for two years, making his return in January 2009. During that time he carried on the legal fight to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), sports highest appeal authority, who threw out his case in June 2008.

As well as rejecting his appeal CAS ordered him to pay 100,000 dollars in judicial costs to the American anti-doping agency (USADA). Landis' attempts to clear his name have cost the rider an estimated two million dollars (1.6 million euros). CAS itself has spent almost the entire 1.8 million dollar budget set aside to ensure Landis' attempt to appeal his ban failed.

The accusation of hacking first arose when the Paris suburbs-based AFLD lodged legal proceedings on November 7, 2006 after becoming aware that documents belonging to them had been used in Landis' defense. According to sources close to the inquiry the electronic paper trail led them to Baker's computer address.

On his return to competition he joined the OUCH Pro Cycling Team. His first race back from suspension was in the 2009 Tour of California. Landis, who became a professional mountain biker aged 20 and who had a spell riding for the US Postal team alongside seven-time Tour champion Lance Armstrong, has since competed in the Tour of Southland in New Zealand.

Bennati Takes Stage 2 at Tour of Oman

2/15/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Bennati Takes Stage 2 at Tour of Oman
Daniele Bennati (Liquigas-Doimo) won the second stage of the Tour of Oman ahead of powerful sprinters Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Transitions) and Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky). Boasson Hagen, who was second in the opening stage now takes over the race lead from yesterday’s stage winner, Frenchman Jimmy Casper.

An early, four-man break made up of Ben Dowsett (Trek-Livestrong), Ben Gastauer (Ag2r), Jackson Stewart (BMC) and Kristof Vandewalle (Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator) built up a significant lead, but were inevitably pulled back in time for the sprinters’ teams to set up the final showdown between Bennati, Farrar and Boasson Hagen.

Contador will start his 2010 season on Wednesday
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Contador Returns to Racing at Algarve
Some of the sport’s best Grand Tour riders will made their 2010 racing debut at the Tour of the Algarve, which begins Wednesday. The Portuguese race will serve as the season opener for returning champion Alberto Contador (Astana).

Also making their return to racing are Radio Shack’s Andreas Klöden and Levi Leipheimer. Klöden will be RadioShack’s leader for the event; he finished fifth last year while riding for Astana.

Rasmussen in his new team kit at the Giro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Rasmussen Added to Biological Passport Program
Dane Michael Rasmussen has been added to the roster of riders included on the International Cycling Union’s (UCI) biological passport program. Rasmussen is hoping to make a return to top-tier racing. During his suspension he remained in the UCI’s testing group and was tested more than a dozen times in 2009.

However, the only European team willing to sign him to a contract was the Continental team Miche. Continental team riders are not subject to the biological passport program, and as a result, Rasmussen was dropped from its ranks. In a surprising twist, the UCI has reconsidered its decision, and acknowledged that Rasmussen is likely to return to the sport’s top ranks in the future. He has been re-added to the biological passport program and will be tested throughout the 2010 season.

Rasmussen hopes to return to a ProTour or Pro Continental team likely to contest the Grand Tours, but his team owner hopes to leverage Rasmussen’s presence on his team into a move to the Pro Continental ranks.

Mark Jamieson at the 2007 Track World Championships
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Jamieson Pleads Guilt
Australian Mark Jamieson, a former world champion on the track and an Olympian, has pleaded guilty to multiple child sex charges. The 25-year-old former member of Australia’s prestigious track cycling program pleaded guilty to four counts of unlawful sexual intercourse with a 15-year-old girl and one count of gross indecency with another girl who was less than 16 years old.

Jamieson pleaded not guilty to a sixth charge, for gross indecency. The acts took place between November 2008 and January 2009.

Valverde Claims Tour Méditerranéen

2/14/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Valverde Claims Tour Méditerranéen
The famed Mont Faron again decided the Tour Méditerranéen as Francesco Masciarelli (Acqua e Sapone) rode to the stage victory at the summit. Masciarelli held off Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) and Rinaldo Nocentini (AG2r-La Mondiale). With his second place Valverde overturned his 10-second deficit to Finland's Jussi Veikkanen (Française Des Jeux) and claimed the overall.

Masciarelli launched his bid for victory three kilometers from the line. The Italian charged through the remnants of an earlier breakaway to claim a solo win. This was by far the biggest win for Masciarelli, who has ridden for Aqua a Sapone since the start of his professional career in 2005.

Casper gets his first win of 2010
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Casper Takes Oman Opener
Jimmy Casper (Saur-Sojasun) won the opening stage of the 2010 Tour of Oman on Sunday. The Frenchman won a mass sprint at the end of the 61-kilometer circuit race to claim the leader’s jersey.

The Tour of Oman’s second stage is a 148.5-kilometer run from Nizwa to Samail.

Samuel Sanchez will lead the Euskaltel-Euskadi at the Tour de France
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Sanchez Targets Tour
The general manager of Euskaltel Euskadi, Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano, has already outlined the Euskaltel-Euskadi team for the Tour de France 2010 in which Samuel Sanchez will lead the men in orange. Besides Sanchez, Egoi Martínez, Rubén Pérez, Gorka Verdugo and Amets Txurruka, are slated to ride the Tour. Aitor Hernandez, Inaki Isasi, Juanjo Oroz, Alan Pérez and Iban Velasco are five other riders who are likely to be at the start line in Rotterdam come July. As reserves, Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano named Koldo Fernandez de Larrea, Beñat Intxausti and Romain Sicard.

Stybar finishes a dominating season with the Superprestige title
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Stybar Takes Superprestige Series
Recently crowned world champion Zdenek Stybar (Telenet-Fidea) won the 2009-2010 Superprestige cyclocross series after a hard fought battle with rival Niels Albert (BKCP-Powerplus) in the final round at Vorselaar.

Sven Vanthourenhout (Sunweb) took an early lead with Stybar, Christian Heule (Rendementhypo) and Klaas Vantornout (Sunweb) chasing with Sven Nys (Landbouwkrediet-Colnago) in a second chase group with American Jonathan Page (Planet Bike).

Heule and Vantornout were dropped from the front, when Heule crashed. This left Vanthourenhout with a 6-second lead on Albert and BKCP-Powerplus teammate Radomir Simunek. Simunek made a move from the chase group and took the lead from Vanthourenhout. Behind SImunek the chase group consolidated with Albert and Stybar moving forward and Page losing contact.

With two laps remaining, Simunek, Albert, Heule, Vantornout, Nys and Stybar were all within five seconds of each other at the front of the race. SImunek then crashed, taking down Heule, Vantornout and Nys. This gave Albert a gap on Stybar with just over a lap remaining.

On the final lap Stybar reeled in Albert and the two riders took turns attacking each other. It was Stybar that finally was able to get a small gap on Albert and crossed the line 6-seconds clear to take the win and the overall series.

Route Details Announced for Amgen Tour of California

2/13/2010

(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Route Details Announced for Amgen Tour of California
The Amgen Tour of California has announced the route details for the 2010 edition of the race. With its move to a May date, the Tour of California will see its most challenging route yet, and hopefully feature better weather for racers and spectators alike.

Organizers have gradually released details of this year’s race over the course of the week and now the whole route is known.

Stage One from Nevada City to Sacramento to will be a hilly stage starting in the mountain enclave and travelling 104 miles to the state capitol. There will be one significant climb about 43 miles into the stage before a fast finish in the capitol, suited perfectly for the sprinters.

Stage Two will run 109 miles from Davis to Santa Rosa. This challenging stage will contain a number of short, but difficult climbs. The climb up Howell Mountain road before dropping into Napa Valley will provide a great spot for viewing the race as will the two-part climb up the Oakville grade before the peloton drops into the finish in Santa Rosa.

Stage Three takes the riders south from one of the world’s great cities—San Francisco—to surf city—Santa Cruz. The 113 mile stage will include the highest climbs thus far in the race, over the 2000+ foot Tunitas Creek Road, La Honda Road (1500 feet) and Bonny Doon Road at 2200 feet. A fast descent will take racers into Santa Cruz for a flat finish.

Stage Four will be a very challenging 121.5-mile race from San Jose to Modesto. Immediately upon leaving San Jose, racers will face Sierra Road, a very steep and nearly 2000-foot-high climb. It could blow the race apart. After passing through Livermore, the race will climb Mines Road, a narrow and twisting road that will take riders over the 3000-foot mark. The final 20 miles of the stage are sheetrock flat, giving riders a chance to bring the race back together.

Stage Five is another 121.5-mile stage, this time from Visalia to Bakersfield. Riders will tackle the race’s highest climb to this point, up to the town of Woody, more than 3000 feet above the finish city of Bakersfield. Following another less daunting climb, the race will roll into Bakersfield for three ascents of China Grade as the race closes with finishing circuits in town.

Stage Six is the stage everyone has been talking about: 132.8 miles from Pasadena to Big Bear Lake, culminating in the race’s first-ever mountain top finish. With more than 12,000 feet of climbing and the only flat coming in the final 10 miles to the finish, the peloton will surely be shredded. The opening climb will take riders up Angeles Crest Highway, to more than 8000 feet of elevation before dropping down to the Cajon pass before tackling the climb up to Lake Arrowhead, which will see riders pass above 7000 feet. This will be one for the ages.

Stage Seven replaces the Solvang time trial with one in downtown Los Angeles. Raced over a 10.5-mile circuit, racers will execute two laps of this course that includes four ascents of downtown’s short, but steep, Bunker Hill. Expect wall-to-wall people for this exciting stage.

Stage Eight takes racers into the Santa Monica Mountains and the headquarters of Amgen in Thousand Oaks. This 84-mile circuit race will see the riders race a 21-mile loop through Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village and Agoura Hills. The day’s big challenge will come on the 1000-foot climb up Mulholland Highway. Affectionately referred to as the “Rock Store Climb” in reference to Jay Leno’s nearby hangout, this windy climb could see an escape quickly race out of sight to gain time.

Pantani solos to the stage win at Les Deux Alpes
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Pantani Remembered With Mass
A special mass will be said today in honor of Marco Pantani, on this, the sixth anniversary of his death. The gathering of family and friends will take place Sunday morning at the church of San Giacomo in Cesenatico, his hometown, on the Adriatic Coast. San Giacomo was the site of his funeral.

Pantani died February 14, 2004 in a hotel room in Rimini. He was found to have cocaine in his system.

Pantani was one of the sport’s greatest climbers and though doping accusation tarnished his career, he is remembered for an audacious attack in the rain on the Col du Galibier in 1998. He pulled on the yellow jersey at the finish and went on to win the 1998 Tour de France.

Ratti Positive for EPO
Italian rider Eddy Ratti (De Rosa-Stac Plastic) has tested positive for EPO following an out-of-competition test submitted on January 21. The sample was analyzed at a lab approved by the World Anti-Doping Agency in Lausanne, Switzerland. He has been provisionally suspended by the Union Cycliste Internationale.

The UCI announced that the 32-year-old Ratti was targeted for testing because his blood profile in his biological passport was suspicious.

The official statement read, "This sample was collected as part of the UCI’s focused testing program to ensure that all new riders in the biological passport programme were adequately tested before the start of the new season."

Ratti’s still has the option to request counter-analysis of his B-sample.

In an odd coincidence, Ratti joined De Rosa-Stac Plastic (formerly LPR Brakes) precisely because he previous team, Amica Chips-Knauf, folded following a series of doping scandals.

Ratti’s last wins came in 2008 at the GP Industria & Artigianato as well as a stage of the Brixia Tour.

Ricco during stage 10 of the 2008 Tour de France
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Ricco Dumps Girlfriend
Convicted doper Riccardo Ricco has split with his girlfriend Vania Rossi following her positive test for EPO-CERA at the Italian Cyclocross Championships. EPO-CERA is the same drug for which Ricco tested positive at the 2008 Tour de France.

Immediately after the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) announced Rossi had tested positive she was suspended. She has requested a counter-analysis of her B-sample and is waiting for the result of that test. She has maintained her innocence.

Ricco and Rossi have an infant son together, yet Ricco has indicated the future of their relationship depends on the results of the counter-analysis.

He told the Italian web site Tuttobiciweb, “I am disappointed with my girlfriend and there can be no reconciliation until Vania is shown to be innocent of the allegations that were raised.”

Ricco has denied any involvement in Rossi’s activities that could have resulted in her positive test. He will return to competition with the Ceramica Flaminia team after his suspension ends on March 18.

Hutarovich Takes Second Stage at the Tour Mediterranean

2/12/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Hutarovich Takes Second Stage at the Tour Mediterranean
Yauheni Hutarovich of Francaise des Jeux took his second stage at the Tour Mediterranean today. The stage was a 115km affair that ended with another bunch sprint. The Belorussian raised his arms in victory ahead of Fabien Bacquet (BigMat) and Mathieu Drujon (Caisse d’Epargne).

Earlier in the stage Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d’Epargne) and Alexander Vinokourov (Astana) broke away but we reeled in shortly before the finish.

The general classification is led Finnish rider Jussi Veikkanen (Francaise des Jeux).

Tour Director Christian Prudhomme speaks to the press
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Tour Organizer Announces Initial Roster of Teams
The Amaury Sport Organization has announced that a total of 22 teams each consisting of nine men will contest the 2010 Tour de France. The identities of 16 of those teams is already known. Thanks to an agreement with the UCI, ASO has agreed to allow all the teams that held a ProTour license on September 25, 2008 an automatic place among starters.

Those teams are: AG2R-La Mondiale, Astana, BBox Bouygues Telecom, Caisse d'Epargne, Cofidis, Euskaltel, Footon-Servetto, Française des Jeux, HTC-Columbia, Lampre-NGC, Liquigas-Doimo, Milram, Omega-Pharma Lotto, Quick Step, Rabobank and Saxo Bank.

Another six team have yet to be selected. ASO director Christian Prudhomme stated that another nine teams were under consideration. He pointed to Lance Armstrong’s Radio Shack team as “logical” choice. Because their requirement for a minimum number of French riders to participate had already been met, they were free to choose teams based on the abilities of their lead rider.

Of those teams not already selected that possess a general classification rider likely to turn in a good performance, the other likely candidates are: BMC (Cadel Evans), Cervélo (Carlos Sastre), Garmin-Transitions (Christian Vande Velde), Katusha (Kim Kirchen) and Team Sky (Bradley Wiggins).

UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships: Audience Records Pulverized
The UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships, which took place in Tabor, the Czech Republic, on January 30th and 31st, attracted a record number of television spectators in the host country. Nearly 1 million viewers tuned into the Czech national sports channel CT4 during the championships. This represents a record number of viewers for the digital channel since its inception in February 2006. In Belgium, more than 1.1 million viewers watched the Men Elite race on the main Flanders public television channel VRT. This represented an impressive 72-percent of the market share.

The UCI is currently in negotiations for territories including Belgium, Czech Republic and the Netherlands to ensure broad coverage for the 2010-2011 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup, which will start in October 2010. For France, the French private television channel Canal + and its subsidiary Sport + will be new broadcasting partners.

The calendar for the 2010-2011 UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup is now available on the UCI website. It will consist of eight legs, beginning in Aigle, Switzerland on October 17th 2010, and finishing in Hoogerheide, the Netherlands, on January 23rd 2011.

The UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships will take place in St Wendel, Germany, on January 29th and 30th 2011.

Duenas at the 2008 Tour de France
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Dueñas to Return to Pro Ranks
Moises Dueñas was riding for the Barloworld team when he tested positive for EPO during the 2008 Tour de France. The Spanish rider was banned for two years as a result of his doping. But in what is turning out to be a more and more common occurence, Dueñas cooperated with authorities.

Here’s the surprising part of the deal: Not only did the Spanish Superior Council for Sports (CSD) cut Dueñas’ suspension to one year, they agreed to help find the rider a new team when his suspension expired. The CSD has been good for its word and a contract for the rider with the team Xacobeo-Galicia, a Pro Continental formation, looks imminent.

Dueñas actually returned to racing mid way through the 2009 season. He rejoined the racing ranks with the amateur team Super Froiz and established himself as one of the leading amateurs in Spain.

CSD director Albert Soler (no relation to rider Mauricio Soler) spoke to José Ramón Lete, the director of sport for the Galician regional government, and asked if it was possible for the government-sponsored Xacobeo-Galicia to take on the rider. Lete and team manager Pedro Alfaro considered the proposal, allegedly in secret, and while no contract has been signed, Dueñas seems likely to return to the pro ranks this month.

Tour of Qatar Stage 6: Chicchi Gets His Second Stage, Mol the Overall

2/12/2010

(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Dutchman Wouter Mol won the Tour of Qatar cycling race on Friday after the sixth and final stage was claimed by Italian Francesco Chicchi. Winning a second stage following his victory on Wednesday, Chicchi beat American Tyler Farrar into second place over the 123.5 kilometre stage with Argentina's Juan Jose Haedo third.

A quartet made up of Dutch rider Niki Terpstra, American Ben King and Germans Patrick Gretsch and Martin Kohler opened up a lead of three minutes and 50 seconds from the rest of the field. They were in the lead with just 45 kilometres of the stage remaining. But the chasing pack caught up to force a sprint finish over the final six kilometers with Chicchi crossing the line first.

Overall winner Mol, 27, said he owed his victory to the hard work put in by his fellow Vacansoleil riders. "When I took the leader's jersey (on Monday), I didn't think about the final standings. I preferred to take the race day by day. I started to believe (in winning) when I saw how hard my teammates were working."

Mol had led the event since taking victory in the second stage on Monday. The Tour of Qatar is the Dutchman's first major title and will boost Vacansoleil's chances of receiving an invitation to race in this summer's Tour de France. TSV's Belgian rider Geert Steurs finished in second place ahead of last year's winner and compatriot Tom Boonen. Quick Step cyclist Boonen finished 1:45 behind Mol.

Most of the riders are set to compete in Tour of Oman, which begins on Sunday.

Tour of Qatar: Stage 6, Al Wakra - Doha Corniche 123.5km
1. Francesco Chicchi (Ita/Liquigas-Doimo) 2:42:49
2. Tyler Farrar (USA/Garmin-Transitions) @ s.t.
3. Juan Jose Haedo (Arg/Saxo Bank)
4. Matthew Harley Goss (Aus/HTC-Columbia)
5. Jimmy Casper (Fra/Saur-Sojasun)
6. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor/Sky)
7. Tom Boonen (Bel/Quick Step)
8. Roger Kluge (Ger/Milram)
9. Heinrich Haussler (Ger/Cervélo)
10.John Murphy (USA/BMC)

Overall
1. Wouter Mol (Ned/Vacansoleil) @15:55:17
2. Geert Steurs (Bel/Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator) @ .35
3. Tom Boonen (Bel/Quick Step) @ 1:45
4. Roger Kluge (Ger/Milram) @ 1:59
5. Marcus Burghardt (Ger/BMC) @ 2:05
6. Danilo Napolitano (Ita/Katusha) @ 2:09
7. Philippe Gilbert (Bel/Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 2:17
9. Francesco Chicchi (Ita/Liquigas-Doimo) @ 2:28
9. Heinrich Haussler (Ger/Cervélo) @ 2:37
10. Stuart O’Grady (Aus/Saxo Bank) @ 2:40

Pozzato Thinks of the Cobbles

2/11/2010

Filippo Pozzato (l) believes he can beat Tom Boonen on the cobbles

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Pozzato Thinks of the Cobbles

Italian Filippo Pozzato (Katusha) is building his base in Qatar for the cobbled classics of Belgium and northern France to come. Runner up to Tom Boonen in the 2009 edition of Paris-Roubaix, Pozzato is dreaming of the top step of the podium at Roubaix as well as the Tour of Flanders. He has proven himself a steady contender in the spring classics, claiming victory in last year's Grand Prix E3 in Belgium.

"That race comes first and always lets me go to [Paris-Roubaix] a bit more relaxed," Pozzato told La Dernière Heure.

This year he will once again face off against a number of rivals, notably former teammate and classics specialist Tom Boonen, who got the better of Pozzato in Roubaix last season. Pozzato and Boonen have a good relationship, but the Italian doesn't consider Boonen unbeatable despite his string of spring successes.

"Tom will always be a big rival and he's the best specialist right now in this type of race," Pozzato said of Boonen's classics prowess. "We have a lot of mutual respect."

"Last year he was stronger than me," he admitted. "Tom, on the cobbles, that's something else! But you always have to keep in mind that he is not unbeatable."

Team Sky has developed an instant rivalry with HTC-Columbia

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Yates on Sky vs. Columbia

Team Sky directeur sportif Sean Yates shed some light on the instant rivalry created between the new British ProTour powerhouse and HTC-Columbia, a team which has racked up an impressive tally of wins in recent seasons, thanks in large part to the sprinting power of Mark Cavendish and Andre Greipel. While Sky came up short of overall victory in the Tour Down Under, won for a second time by HTC-Columbia's Greipel, Yates noted his pleasure in seeing his new recruits put in a strong challenge.

"In the last year or so it has been Columbia having it all their own way and everyone else sitting back and swinging on the wheels," Yates said, effectively echoing a complaint voiced on occasion by the Columbia men themselves. "But our guys took them on and played them at their own game and came out on top twice."

Sky took a stage win Chris Sutton after opening its racing season with Greg Henderson's sprint victory in the Cancer Council Helpline Classic.

"Working with these guys in training was great," Yates said of the Sky riders. "I've never really worked with a sprinting team before; it's always been Grand Tours-type style. So for these guys to come out training and practice their lead-outs and discuss who's going to swing off where and so on was really quite exciting for me."

On HTC-Columbia, Yates wasn't afraid to point out some potential weaknesses.

"In a sense Columbia was also lucky that Greipel was so strong," he said of the dominant Tour Down Under performance, "as that allowed him to win despite the fact that sometimes their train came apart. In fairness that was down to the amount of work they had to do during the stage to preserve the jersey but if Greipel hadn't been that strong they wouldn't have won as many stages."

Team Sky arrived to great fanfare, including big-budget signings and great expectations of its own dominance from day one. Team staff have tried to downplay the excitement somewhat but several early wins have helped solidify Sky's position as a top team.

"There had been plenty of what you could call hype surrounding our team," Yates said, "but at the end of the day it's how much the riders want it."

Andre Greipel claims his fifth win of the season in Mallorca

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Greipel Keeps Winning

After establishing himself as the top sprinter in the season-opening Tour Down Under in Australia, Germany's Andre Greipel (HTC-Columbia) has held onto his winning form back in Europe. Greipel took the fifth stage of the Challenge de Mallorca, beating out Koldo Fernandez de Larrea and Manuel Cardoso in the 158km final stage Thursday.

"I wasn't expecting this win," Greipel said after his victory. "Before the stage I thought I'd just try to hang on for as long as I could in the hillier parts, but I got over the climbs in a lot better shape than I'd thought possible."

"In the last 40 kilometers my teammates did a lot of chasing of the riders who'd broken away and that way we had everything under control in the last part of the stage," he explained. "There were three roundabouts in the last five kilometres where things got a bit more complicated again."

Greipel followed teammate Vicente Reynes through the tricky turns and emerged in fifth wheel before the final corner. With 200 meters to go he launched his sprint and found the speed still there after his dominant Australian warmup in January.

"It's always good to get a win, but I'm particularly pleased with how well I got over the climbs on a tough day, too," he said. "My teammates worked hard for this, too, and we deserved to get a win."

Greipel will next tackle the Tour of the Algarve in Portugal, followed by Paris-Nice.

Valley Preferred Cycling Center Marks 35 Years

The Valley Preferred Cycling Center (VPCC) in Trexlertown, Pennsylvania is preparing to celebrate its 35th anniversary this summer with nine Friday nights of professional, international Olympic-caliber racing highlighted by the return of the U.S. Junior National Championships. Executive Director Marty Nothstein, a former Olympic gold and silver medalist in the sprint competition and a three-time world champion on the track, announced Thursday the line-up of events that will cap a year of celebrating one of this country's top track facilities.

In addition to the World Series of Bicycling professional schedule and four days with the best young riders in the country, there will be 17 nights of the 24-7 Fitness Clubs Super Tuesday Pro-Am race nights and 16 Masters and Rookies events for a total of 46 race days on the 2010 calendar.

"It's important that our fans know that, once professional racing begins, it will occur every Friday night for nine weeks, with the exception of our traditional Independence Day break," Nothstein said.

"But we also want people to know that racing doesn't begin and end on Friday nights. Tuesday nights offer a terrific competitive schedule as the best rising stars in the sport try to earn the right to move up to Elite competition, and our Masters and Rookies series is some of the best entertainment in the sport."

Nothstein said the 35th Anniversary year will renew the VPCC focus on the community programs that have made Trexlertown a powerhouse on international track cycling for more than three decades. A product of the Air Products Cycling Program and Bicycle Racing League, Nothstein said he knows how important these programs are for the development of young talent and the continued strength of track cycling on a national and international scale.

"We have trained dozens and dozens and dozens of national champions and Olympic competitors right here on my home track and we want to build on that record," he said.

For more information on the Valley Preferred Cycling Center, visit www.thevelodrome.com.

Tour of Qatar Stage 5: Boonen Makes it Two

2/11/2010

(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Belgian Tom Boonen won the fifth stage of the Tour of Qatar on Thursday, while Dutchman Wouter Mol held on to the leader's yellow jersey. It was the second stage success so far for Boonen, who edged out Italian Danilo Napolitano and Norwegian Edvald Boasson in the final sprint at the close of the 142 kilometers run from Lusail to Madinat Al Shamal.

Friday is the final stage riden over 123.5 kilometers from Al Wakra to Doha Corniche.

Tour of Qatar: Stage 5, Lusail - Madinat Al Shamal 142km
1. Tom Boonen (Bel/Quick Step) 3:13:00
2. Danilo Napolitano (Ita/Katusha)
3. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor/Sky)
4. Theo Bos (Ned/Cervélo)
5. Juan Jose Haedo (Arg/Saxo Bank)
6. Peter Wrolich (Aut/Milram)
7. Francesco Chicchi (Ita/Liquigas-Doimo)
8. Heinrich Haussler (Ger/Cervélo)
9. Bernhard Eisel (Aut/HTC-Columbia)
10. Tyler Farrar (USA/Garmin-Transitions)

Overall
1. Wouter Mol (Ned/Vacansoleil) @ 13:12:28
2. Geert Steurs (Bel/Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator) @ .09
3. Tom Boonen (Bel/Quick Step) @ 1:45
4. Roger Kluge (Ger/Milram) @ 1:59
5. Marcus Burghardt (Ger/BMC) @ 2:05
6. Danilo Napolitano (Ita/Katusha) @ 2:09
7. Philippe Gilbert (Bel/Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 2:17
8. Heinrich Haussler (Ger/Cervélo) @ 2:37
9. Francesco Chicchi (Ita/Liquigas-Doimo) @ 2:38
10. Stuart O’Grady (Aus/Saxo Bank) @ 2:40

Live from Lake Como: Matteo Algeri, Waiting for His Comeback

2/11/2010

Riccardo Riccò will make his return this March following his suspension – 20 months for doping. He introduced cycling, and other sports, to a new doping substance, CERA, and took down a team along the way.

His old sports director, Italian Matteo Algeri, is still waiting to make his own comeback and believes Riccò is deserving of a lifetime ban.

Riccò, or 'The Cobra' as he liked to call himself, turned professional in 2006 with Mauro Gianetti's Saunier Duval. Gianetti had cleared the way for Riccò to become professional, working with the International Cycling Union (UCI) to receive a certificate for Riccò's naturally high hematocrit.

He immediately repaid his new boss in his debut season, winning a stage of Coppi & Bartali and the Japan Cup. Riccò went even better the next year, 2007, with two stages at Tirreno-Adriatico, one at Coppi & Bartali and the Giro d'Italia's mythical stage to Tre Cime di Lavaredo. Amazing stuff, but 'The Cobra' had even bigger plans for 2008.

The Cobra, Riccardo Riccò
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

The snake was let loose. First at the Giro d'Italia, where he won two stages, the younger riders' classification and finished second to none other than Alberto Contador. Then at the Tour de France, where he won the stage to Super Besse and Bagnères-de-Bigorre, and held mountain and young rider jerseys before testing positive for a new version of Erythropoietin (EPO) – CERA. It seemed his hematocrit was no longer naturally high.

Riccò, who had become the first sportsman to test positive for CERA, left the Tour de France with the French police, and team Saunier Duval went home and left the sport soon after.

Gianetti managed to scrape together some sponsors, Fuji-Servetto, and continued in cycling's top tier in 2009. This year, he continues, but with a new sponsor, his insole company, Footon.

Algeri, behind the wheel at a Saunier Duval
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

"We said we could no longer work with him [Gianetti] in September [of 2008] because we had different positions on key issues," said Matteo Algeri, then a director sportif along with his dad, Pietro. "We've been involved, despite having responsibility, and we've paid for it."

Matteo Algeri raced professional with Lampre, riding Paris-Roubaix with Franco Ballerini, before retiring to become one of cycling's youngest sports directors. As a director, he had worked with Riccò since Gianetti signed him, though the two never became close.

"Even my father did not have a good relationship with him, and he was his closest director," continued Algeri. "That was Riccò's biggest problem, it was hard to make him understand and listen to directions, he always acted on his own. Maybe this attributed to his greatness, but also his major fault."

Pietro Algeri did not have a good relationship with Riccò

Algeri directed Riccò at the 2008 Giro d'Italia, but the wins don't mean much to him. When mentioned that Riccò won the white jersey of best young rider, Algeri said that he uses the jersey he received as a gift to clean house. It wasn't clear if he was joking.

"I agree with Mark Cavendish [who said called Riccò a 'parasite'] and Marco Pinotti, it makes me want to vomit that he is coming back."

Algeri, and his dad, have found it hard to return to cycling, though their love for the sport still exists. They directed a small Continental team, Team Piemonte, for the first three months of 2009, but it quickly ended when the team's sponsors refused to pay their staff.

They have plans to return at the Professional Continental level, or second division, next year, but they need to find the sponsors to make it happen.

"It is hard to make [a potential sponsor] understand it was just the case of the rider, and not the whole team," Algeri said of Riccò's lasting effect. "We need the right sponsor and we have to offer them new ideas: a team that respects all the rules, anti-doping rules down to using recyclable bottles and efficient cars.

"We want to own the team and be involved in all the decisions. If you want to make a team with your way of thinking then you have to own the team, otherwise you have no power. With the way cycling is now, you can't allow such a situation."

Algeri wants to create a small team, 16 to 18 riders, where he and his dad, though owners, can also act as sports directors.

"Keeping a small team so that you can have control of all of them," he said. "Like a football team, all the sources are from within the team, doctors and trainers."

To make his dream happen and make his return to cycling, Algeri is looking not only in Italy, but he is searching globally. He estimates he needs at least 1.5 million euros.

"The sponsors are more receptive outside of Europe, where cycling is a new sport. However, the main problems facing us are now are economic crisis and cycling's bad publicity."

Surely, if 'The Cobra' was able to suffer the bad publicity and find a team, then two talented directors, like Algeri and his dad, can have their comeback.

Ciolek Out For Two Months

2/10/2010

(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Ciolek Out For Two Months
Gerald Ciolek (Milram), who crashed out of Tuesday’s third stage in the Tour of Qatar, will be out of action for two months. The German sprinter broke his collarbone and suffered a fractured wrist. Ciolek will undergo surgery in Germany on Thursday where he will receive a metal plate in his right shoulder. If everything goes well, the 23-year-old Ciolek can start riding again in three weeks. It is likely that Ciolek will miss Milan-Sanremo and the cobbled classics, which he wanted to be in top form for.

Hutarovich repeats his 2009 stage 1 victory in the Tour Méditerranéen
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Hutarovich Repeats In Stage 1 of Tour Méditerranéen
For the second year in a row, Yauheni Hutarovich (Française des Jeux) claimed the opening stage of the Tour Méditerranéen. Hutarovich took the stage in a mass sprint into the southern French town of Sauvain. He finished ahead of French rider William Bonnet (Bbox Bouygues Telecom) and Maxim Iglinskiy (Astana). Hutarovich also assumes the overall race lead due to his stage 1 victory.

Costa takes victory in the 2009 Rui Costa vince in Messico
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Costa Scores Mallorca Victory
Rui Costa (Caisse d'Epargne) out-sprinted breakaway companion Joan Horrach (Katusha) to win the Trofeo Deià, the fourth race in the Challenge de Mallorca. The two riders had escaped earlier in the race and barely held off a charging 33-rider chase group led home by Costa's teammate José Iván Gutiérrez. The Trofeo Deià's four categorized climbs and cold weather destroyed the peloton with 87 riders finishing outside the time limit and 26 abandoning.

Like yesterday’s race, the category two Puig Major proved decisive in the race's outcome. Linus Gerdemann (Team Milram) and Rafael Valls (Footon-Servetto), first and second yesterday, led over the top in cold and snowy conditions. The duo was followed by Rein Taaramae, Alexandre Botcharov (Katusha), Markus Eibegger (Footon-Servetto) (Cofidis) and Costa. On the tight and twisty descent Horrach, Costa and Taaramae went clear with 25 kilometers remaining.

The three leaders extended their lead to 30-seconds with 10-kilometers to go. On the third category Coll de'n Bleda, five kilometers, from the line Costa, Horrach and Taaramae’s lead was down to 12-seconds advantage. With two kilometers remaining their lead had fallen to under 10-seconds and Taaramae was dropped. Costa and Horrach held their lead with 1-kilometer to go and in the sprint for the line Costa outkicked Horrach and held off the chase group by seven seconds at the finish.

The 2010 Challenge de Mallorca ends tomorrow with the 158.5km Trofeo Magaluf–Palmanova, another mountainous race that includes five categorized climbs.

Armstrong is leader of an international Radioshack team
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

RadioShack International
The RadioShack team of Lance Armstrong is the most diverse team in the peloton. The team has no fewer than 26 riders of 16 different nationalities. This is double of Quick Step, and eight times that of Euskaltel-Euskadi that has 23 Spaniards and Frenchman Romain Sicard who claims to be Basque.

"Only two riders have been attracted for their commercial value," said RadioShack spokesman Philippe Maertens. "Those are Fumiyuki Beppu in Japan and Fuyu Li from China. A sponsor in the Asian market is very attractive. The rest is pure athletic ability.”

Ritchey Sponsors Webcor
Ritchey Design has announced the addition of the Webcor Builders woman's pro cycling team to its roster of sponsored teams, along with renewed sponsorship agreements with professional teams Colavita/Baci presented by Cooking Light, Jamis-Sutter Home presented by Colavita and United Healthcare presented by Maxxis.

Hailed as the longest-established women's professional cycling team in North America, Webcor Builders riders will be Ritchey's first pro team wheel sponsorship. Team members, including Olympians Katheryn Curi Mattis, Gina Grain, Erinne Willock and Alex Wrubleski, will train and race on a combination of WCS Zeta, SuperLogic Clincher and SuperLogic Tublar wheels.

In addition to riding Ritchey wheels, the San Francisco Bay area based team will also hit its 2010-11 season with Ritchey WCS 4-Axis Stems, WCS Alloy 1-Bolt Posts and WCS Carbon Hammerhead Time Trial bars.

Tour of Qatar Stage 4: Chicchi Takes Victory

2/10/2010

(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Francesco Chicchi of Italy won the fourth stage of the Tour of Qatar on Wednesday while Dutchman Wouter Mol retained the overall lead. Chicchi won a sprint finish ahead of Heinrich Haussler of Germany and Juan Jose Haedo of Argentina. The stage was a 146.5 kilometer run from The Pearl to the Al Khor corniche.

Three riders attempted to break the sprinters stranglehold on the race. Swiss Martin Kohler (BMC), Australia's Jesse Sergent (Trek Livestrong) and the Belgian Sepp Vanmarcke (Vlaanderen) made up the day's break. The trio reached a lead of 3:20, but the team of yellow jersey wearer Mol and the other sprinters' teams reeled them in during the final kilometers. This allowed Chicchi to take his first victory in Qatar.

Mol increased his overall lead from 9 to 15 seconds on Steurs, who was a victim of a mechanical problem in the stages finale. The defending champion, Tom Boonen (Quick Step) retained third place at 1:55.

Thursday is the fifth and final stage between Lusail and Madinat Al Shamal, of 142-kilometers.

Tour of Qatar: Stage 4, The Pearl to Al Khor corniche 146.5km
1. Francesco Chicchi (Ita/Liquigas) 3:16:58
2. Heinrich Haussler (Ger/Cervélo) @ s.t.
3. Juan Jose Haedo (Arg/Saxo Bank)
4. Theo Bos (Ned/Cervélo)
5. Kenny De Haes (Bel/Omega Pharma-Lotto)
6. Roger Kluge (Ger/Milram)
7. Kristof Goddaert (Bel/Ag2R-La Mondiale)
8. Taylor Phinney (USA/Trek Livestrong)
9. Danilo Napolitano (Ita/Katusha)
10. Baden Cooke (Aus/Saxo Bank)

Overall
1. Wouter Mol (Ned/Vacansoleil) @ 6:42:30
2. Geert Steurs (Bel/Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator) @ .15
3. Tom Boonen (Bel/Quick Step) @ 1:55
4. Roger Kluge (Ger/Milram) @ 1:59
5. Marcus Burghardt (Ger/BMC) @ 2:05
6. Danilo Napolitano (Ita/Katusha) @ 2:15
7. Philippe Gilbert (Bel/Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 2:17
8. Heinrich Haussler (Ger/Cervélo) @ 2:37
9. Francesco Chicchi (Ita/Liquigas-Doimo) @ 2:38
10. Stuart O’Grady (Aus/Saxo Bank) @ 2:40

Armstrong to Ride Milano-Sanremo

2/9/2010

Armstrong to Ride Milano-Sanremo
America's seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong will race in the cycling's first one-day classic of the season the Milan-Sanremo on March 20 announced the race organizers on Tuesday.

Armstrong - whose main aim this year is to win an eighth Tour de France thereby preventing bitter rival Alberto Contador of back to back successes - finished 125th in last year's edition, the first time he had competed in the Italian race since 2002.

His RadioShack team, however, will not take part in the stage race the Tirreno-Adriatico.

Gerdemann gets his first win of the year
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Gerdemann Gets Mallorca Win
German Linus Gerdemann (Milram) snatched glory in the Inca Trophy, the third race in the Challenge de Mallorca. The early pace was fast, covering the first hour of the race at nearly 50 km/h. The continuing attempts to escape were futile with the speed of the peloton absorbing one after another.

It wasn’t until the ascent up the Coll de Soller that a five-man group went clear. The group contained Milram’s Gerdemann, Johannes Fröhlinger and Thomas Rohregger. The break, which also contained Rafael Valls (Footon-Servetto-Fuji) and Manuel Vázquez (Andalucia-CajaSur), quickly got away from the field and crossed the Col de Soller, a second-category climb, with a 1:30 lead.

On the climb of the category-one Puig Major, Valls attacked hard and built up a 30-second lead on the descent. Behind him, Fröhlinger led Gerdemann and Rohregger to the top. Gerdemann then took over and began closing the gap to Valls with Vázquez in tow. Gerdemann and Vázquez joined Valls with less than 3-kilometers to the finish. In the final run for the line, Gerdemann outkicked Valls with Vázquez coming through third.

The fourth race of the Challenge de Mallorca starts in the village of Deia, and features a route of 143-kilometers that is punctuated with four climbs, the last coming only 6-kilometers from the finish.

Ciolek is the latest collarbone victim in Qatar
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Tour of Qatar Claims Four Collarbones
In just three days the Tour of Qatar has seen three riders break their collarbones and first year professional Kirk Carlsen (Garmin-Transitions) his right scapula. Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Sky) broke his collarbone just one kilometer into stage 2, then Steven Cozza (Garmin-Transitions) did the same later in the stage. In Tuesday’s third stage, German sprinter Gerald Ciolek (Milram) became the latest to crash and break his collarbone.

Ciolek is already on his way back to Germany to consult with doctors to see if surgery is required, while Cozza flew to Belgium for surgery.

Leipheimer will be back looking for another TOC title
(Photo: Ken Conley)

Tour of California Releases Stage Details
The race organizers of the Tour of California have released details for the first two stages of the 2010 edition.

Stage 1: Nevada City to Sacramento
The 2010 Amgen Tour of California will begin with the first-ever visit to the picturesque town of Nevada City, Calif., which will also be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Nevada City Classic, in which many notable riders got their start. From there the race will head south en route to Sacramento, and will travel through Grass Valley and Old Town in Auburn. Heading out of Auburn, the cyclists will cross over the Auburn-Foresthill Bridge – the tallest bridge in California and the third highest in the U.S. A mostly downhill stage, which will certainly favor the sprinters, will be abruptly interrupted by a grueling climb from the American River to the town of Cool. Sacramento streets will once again see the teams finish with three blistering fast circuits around the State's Capitol building.

Stage 2: Davis to Santa Rosa
The route from Davis to Santa Rosa will provide plenty of scenic settings for both the cyclists and spectators. Beginning in the city of Davis, the route includes evenly spaced climbs throughout the stage and spectacular views. After 20 miles of flat roads, the riders will meet their first climb up a short, but steep section leading up to the Monticello Dam. This short climb is followed quickly by the difficult “Cardiac Hill”. Another long, flat section along Lake Berryessa will take the riders to their third climb up Howell Mountain Rd., followed by a fast descent into Napa Valley. The race will pass some of the most well known vineyards in Napa Valley along the famous Silverado Trail. After one final climb up the Oakville Grade and a steep descent down Trinity Grade, the cyclists will finish the race in the hometown of “Charlie Brown” and the rest of the beloved “Peanuts” characters – Santa Rosa. In previous years, Santa Rosa fans have set the mark for one of the largest and most enthusiastic crowds of the entire race.

Will there be a Rock Racing team in 2010?
(Photo: Mitchell Clinton)

Sevilla Skeptical of Rock Racing
Whether Oscar Sevilla of Spain and Victor Hugo Pena of Colombia remain with the Rock Racing team for the 2010 season will depend on the U.S. squad receiving a Continental license from the International Cycling Union (UCI).

Both Sevilla and Peña have acknowledged that their contracts with Rock Racing include a clause that would cancel their commitments if the team fails to enter the continental level, the newspaper El Tiempo reported.

"This does not mean we are not signing with Rock Racing. If the team gets the Continental license we will stay otherwise, we agreed that we are allowed to seek other options," said Sevilla.

Despite rumors that a solution is at hand with the fusion of Rock Racing and another team, Sevilla is not optimistic. "I am a little skeptical of everything that has happened. I train every day waiting for news. There is talk of something in Mexico and Murcia, but we have nothing confirmed," he said.

Exclusive RBA Video: Alberto Contador Interview Part 1

2/9/2010

Alberto Contador: Man and Machine Part 1 from Benjamin L Edwards on Vimeo.

Tour of Qatar Stage 3: Boonen is Back

2/9/2010

Defending champion Tom Boonen of Belgium sprinted to victory in the third stage of the Tour of Qatar on Tuesday, while Dutchman Wouter Mol held on to the leader's yellow jersey. Boonen edged out Heinrich Haussler of Germany and Australian Baden Cooke at the finish of the 136.5 kilometers stage from Dukhan in the west to Mesaieed south of Doha. A three-time winner of the event, Boonen's stage win was his 16th in the Tour of Qatar since 2004.

The finish of the stage was marred by a large pile up that saw Gerald Ciolek (Milram) go down and fracture his collarbone. The 23-year-old German will now return to Germany to undergo tests so determine if surgery is required. Ciolek's teammate Roger Kluge was also involved in the crash, but the 24-year-old German got back on the bike and retained his lead in the best young rider competition.

Tour of Qatar: Stage 3, Dukhan - Mesaieed 136.5km
1. Tom Boonen (Bel/Quick Step) 3:01:39
2. Heinrich Haussler (Ger/Cervélo) @ s.t.
3. Baden Cooke (Aus/Saxo Bank)
4. Kenny De Haes (Bel/Omega Pharma-Lotto)
5. Daniele Bennati (Ita/Liquigas-Doimo)
6. Peter Wrolich (Aut/Milram)
7. Taylor Phinney (USA/Trek Livestrong)
8. Bobbie Traksel (Ned/Vacansoleil)
9. Tyler Farrar (USA/Garmin-Transitions)
10. Philippe Gilbert (Bel/Omega Pharma-Lotto)

Overall
1. Wouter Mol (Ned/Vacansoleil) @ 6:42:30
2. Geert Steurs (Bel/Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator) @ .09
3. Tom Boonen (Bel/Quick Step) @ 1:55
4. Roger Kluge (Ger/Milram) @ 1:59
5. Marcus Burghardt (Ger/BMC) @ 2:05
6. Danilo Napolitano (Ita/Katusha) @ 2:15
7. Philippe Gilbert (Bel/Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 2:17
8. Stuart O’Grady (Aus/Saxo Bank) @ 2:40
9. Tyler Farrar (USA/Garmin-Transitions) @ 2:41
10. Heinrich Haussler (Ger/Cervélo) @ 2:43

Freire Takes Mallorca Victory

2/8/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Freire Takes Mallorca Victory
Oscar Freire was reunited with victory after 280 days in the second race of the Challenge de Mallorca. The win is especially sweet for the three-time world champion who struggled with injuries last season. His last win was in the Tour de Romandie’s fifth stage, on May 3. This was Freire’s eighth career victory in the Challenge de Mallorca.

The Trofeo Cala Millor race was perfectly suited to the characteristics of the Rabobank rider: 172-kilometers with three category four climbs in the last 20-kilometers. The stage was marked by an early five-man breakaway that opened up a gap of five minutes before HTC- Columbia, Rabobank, Footon and Katusha went to work.

At the finish Freire nipped Tour Down Under champion Andre Greipel for the win, with Portuguese champ Manuel Cardoso giving Footon-Servetto another solid placing in third.

“Almost every year that I’ve raced at Mallorca, I have won a race, and now it’s been two years since I’ve come,” said Freire. “To begin the season with a victory always gives you motivation.”

Bettini and Ballerini discuss strategy during the 2008 world championships
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Bettini Remembers Ballerini
Former Italian world champion Paolo Bettini spoke out about the death of Italian national coach Franco Ballerini, who was killed while acting as a co-driver in an amateur rally race in Italy. Ballerini played a large role in uniting the Italian team and helped lead Bettini to his two world titles (2006 and 2007).

"I lost a great friend, almost a brother. Ballerini risked his life a thousand times racing and never had a problem," lamented Bettini, in comments reported by 'gazzetta.it'.

For its part, the president of the Italian cycling federation, Renato Di Rocco, underlined "the huge loss" to Italian cycling. "It would not be enough to only think of him as coach, he was an integral part of our system. For me he was one of the family and even in his hobby of the rally he was always cautious," said Di Rocco.

Andy Schleck will start his season at the Ruta Del Sol
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Schleck Delays Start to Season
Saxo Bank's Andy Schleck will delay the start of his season after failing to start the Challenge de Mallorca with an injured knee. Schleck returned to Luxembourg on Sunday for medicial tests and some added rest.

Andy’s older brother Frank’s 2009 season came to an early end due to a knee injury, which required surgery. Although the nature of Andy’s injury was not given, it does not appear to be serious. Andy will return to competition, at the Ruta Del Sol, which starts on February 21.

Ullrich claims gold in Sydney
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Ullrich to Keep Gold
Jan Ullrich will keep his gold medal from the 2000 Olympic games in Sydney. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Vancouver, Canada concluded that there was not enough evidence to take action against the discredited German.

"The matter is frozen," said Denis Oswald, Chairman of the Disciplinary Commission of the IOC. "We don’t want the affair to rest quite yet, but evidence of Ullrich doping in 2000, is simply not there."

In Sydney, Ullrich beat Kazakh rider Alexander Vinokourov and his countryman Andreas Klöden to take gold. Ullrich also claimed silver in the time trial, behind Russian Viatcheslav Ekimov. Lance Armstrong finished third. In February 2007 Ullrich retired from the sport under allegations of blood doping.

Tour of Qatar Stage 2: Steurs Steals the Day

2/8/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Belgian rider Geert Steurs (Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator) won the second stage of the Tour of Qatar on Monday after edging Dutchman Wouter Mol (Vacansoleil), who assumed the overall lead. Steurs and Mol launched a breakaway after barely two kilometers of the 147-km course between the Camel Race Track and the Qatar Foundation, which is the longest of the race. The peloton crossed the line just under two minutes behind the lead pair.

Norwegian champion Kurt-Asle Arvesen, however, will play no further part as he hardly got the early birthday present he wanted - he will be 35 on Tuesday - crashing at the beginning of the stage and breaking his collarbone for the second time inside a year. The unfortunate Arvesen had also broken his collarbone in last year's Tour de France.

Tour of Qatar: Stage 2, Camel Race Track 147km
1. Geert Steurs (Bel/Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator) 3:31:00
2. Wouter Mol (Ned/Vacansoleil) @ s.t.
3. Roger Kluge (Ger/Team Milram) @ 1:51
4. Heinrich Haussler (Ger/Cervélo) @ 1:54
5. Philippe Gilbert (Bel/Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 1:55
6. Roger Hammond (GBr/Cervélo) @ s.t.
7. Tom Boonen (Bel/Quick Step)
8. Jérémy Hunt (GBr/Cervélo)
9. Danilo Napolitano (Ita/Katusha)

Overall:
1. Wouter Mol (Ned/Vacansoleil) 3:40:51
2. Geert Steurs (Bel/Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator) @ .09
3. Roger Kluge (Ger/Milram) @ 2:02
4. Tom Boonen (Bel/Quick Step) @ 2:05
5. Marcus Burghardt (Ger/BMC) @ 2:06
6. Philippe Gilbert (Bel/Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ 2:18
7. Danilo Napolitano (Ita/Katusha) @ s.t.
8. Stuart O’Grady (Aus/Saxo Bank) @ 2:40
9. Tyler Farrar (USA/Garmin-Transitions) @ 2:41
10. Marco Velo (Ita/Quick Step) @ 2:47

Ballerini Dies In Rally Accident

2/7/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Ballerini Dies In Rally Accident
Former Italian cyclist Franco Ballerini died on Sunday morning after an accident in a rally race in Larciano, Tuscany. Ballerini was acting as the co-driver for Alessandro Ciardi when the accident happened. Ciardi is in a coma and suffered a broken pelvis, according to Ansa. The 45-year-old Ballerini was a former two-time Paris-Roubaix winner and also claimed the Paris-Brussels race in 1990.

A native of Florence, Ballerini first turned professional with the Magniflex team in 1986. His first professional win came at the Tre Valli Varesine in 1987. His breakthrough performance came in the 1990 Gent-Wevelgem where he finished third. Later that year he would win Paris-Brussels and in 1991 he finished third in the Giro di Lombardia.

In 1993 Ballerini lost Paris-Roubaix to Frenchman Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle in a photo finish. He returned a year later to finish third before having the season of his career in 1995, winning Het Volk then Paris-Roubaix. In 1998 he took his second Paris-Roubaix victory.

After his Paris-Roubaix success of 1998 Ballerini moved from the powerful Mapei team to Lampre-Daikin for two years before returning to Mapei-Quickstep in 2001 for four months and symbolically finished his career in velodrome at Roubaix.

He became Italian team coach in 2001 and led the team to one Olympic gold and four world titles, including Mario Cipollini’s world title in 2002, Paolo Bettini’s back to back wins in 2006 and 2007 and Alessandro Ballan’s in 2008.

He is survived by his wife and two children.

McEwen takes his first win in Europe since his crash at last year's Tour of Belgium
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

McEwen Takes Mallorca Opener
The first stage of the Challenge de Mallorca followed the expected script, which predicted a sprint finish. However, the expected winner, Andre Greipel was upstaged by a resurgent Robbie McEwen (Katusha). The veteran sprinter finished ahead of Koldo Fernandez de Larrea (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Oscar Freire (Rabobank).

Greipel (HTC-Columbia) was unable to continue his excellent winning streak that started in Australia where he won three stages and the overall at the Tour Down Under. This was McEwen’s first European victory since last season after he suffered a serious injury to his left knee in the Tour of Belgium.

Tomorrow’s second stage is practically flat, except for three small fourth category climbs in the final 20-kilometers.

Valverde is happy to back home in Spain
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Valverde Kicks Off European Season
Alejandro Valverde, who participated Sunday in the opening stage of the Challenge de Mallorca, made it clear that his happy to be back in Spain. "This year my season started earlier than usual and I already have the Tour Down Under in the legs. But the first Spanish race always has a special flavor and I'm glad to have had the opportunity to be on the start line in Palma today," Valverde said.

Valverde said he felt good during the whole stage, which was won my Robbie McEwen. "I felt good in a stage that has been very rapid with an average that exceeded 49 km/h. Tomorrow the stage will present a different profile but the end will favor the sprinters again. I'll Try to catch breaks and encourage our sprinter, José Joaquín Rojas."

Valverde will participate Monday in the second stage of the Challenge de Mallorca, before heading to the south of France where he will start the Tour of the Mediterranean.

Dumoulin capped an up and down week with overall victory
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Dumoulin Comes Back to Win Etoile de Bessèges
Samuel Dumoulin (Cofidis) came back to win the overall title at the Etoile de Bessèges on Sunday as Niko Eeckhout (Sean Kelly) won the fifth and final stage. Eeckhout won the 145-kilometer stage in a mass sprint ahead of Valentin Iglinsky (Astana) and Hans Dekkers (Landbouwkrediet-Colnago).

Dumoulin was relegated in Stage 4 for going the wrong way around a traffic circle in the final kilometer of the race. Despite this setback, Dumoulin ended up taking the overall victory three seconds ahead of Matthieu Ladagnous (Française des Jeux) and Pieter Ghyllebert (Sean Kelly).

Petacchi is racking up the early season wins
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Petacchi Gets Another Win
Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre) on Saturday won his sixth consecutive Grand Prix of the Etruscan Coast. The 36-year-old Italian took the 193-kilometer race from San Vincenzo to Donoratico in a mass sprint. Petacchi finished ahead of Alberto Loddo and Fabio Sabatini.

Tour of Qatar Stage 1: Sky Storms to Victory

2/7/2010

(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Britain's Team Sky won the first stage of the Tour of Qatar on Sunday with Norwegian rider Edvald Boasson Hagen taking the leader's yellow jersey after finishing first in a 8.2-kilometer (5-mile) time trial. Sky are 8-seconds ahead of last year's winners Garmin-Transitions with Danish team Saxo Bank back in third place.

Switzerland's Cervelo were given a one-minute penalty and demoted to last place for an illegal changeover. Belgian rider and defending champion Tom Boonen was 20 seconds off the lead as his Quick Step team finished in fifth place. The 147-kilometer second stage takes place on Monday.

Tour of Qatar: Stage 1, Doha 8.2km
1. Sky 9:41
2. Garmin @ 8
3. Saxo Bank @ 13
4. Columbia @ 18
5. Quick Step @ 20
6. Saur-Sojasun @21
7. Liquigas @ 21
8. BMC @ 21
9. Vacansoleil @ 22
10. Milram @ 25
11. Katusha @ 33
12. Omega Pharma @ 33
13. Topsport @ 33
14. AG2R @ 37
15. Trek @ 39
16. Cervelo @ 1:08

Overall:
1. Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR/Team Sky) 9:41
2. Juan Antonio Flecha (ESP/Team Sky) @ s.t.
3. Bradley Wiggins (GBR/Team Sky)
4. Geraint Thomas (GBR/Team Sky)
5. Lars-Peter Nordhaug (NOR/Team Sky)
6. Russel Downing (GBR/Team Sky) @ .02
7. Tyler Farrar (USA/Garmin) @ .08
8. Martijn Maaskant (NED/Garmin) @ s.t.
9. Murilo Fischer (BRA/Garmin)
10. Svein Tuft (CAN/Garmin)

Selected:
27. Tom Boonen (BEL/Quick Step) @ .20

Merckx: ‘I've Never Had Cancer’

2/6/2010

(Photo Yuzuru Sunada)

Merckx: ‘I've Never Had Cancer’
In an interview with Het Nieuwsblad, Eddy Merckx disputed reports that he had cancer. "I've never had cancer," said Merckx. Yesterday, reports in the French press stated that four years ago Merckx battled with intestinal cancer. The reports supposedly even quoted Merckx as saying "Since my cancer of the intestine I have to be careful of what I drink or eat. No more champagne or white wine,"

“Where do they get it? I've never had cancer”, "Merckx told Het Nieuwsblad. "This to me is too far. People who write such things may sometimes think about what they do."

Four years ago, Eddy Merckx had health problems that did effect his weight. This led to speculation, including the cancer rumor. "I had to also read and hear that I have had a gastric ring to lose weight – more nonsense. Fact is, I had an overactive thyroid and I needed medication."

Sastre looks to improve his time trialing for the 2010 season
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Sastre Training Hard, Focused on TT
Carlos Sastre (Cervélo) continues his preparation for the 2010 season, and is now focusing on improving his performance in time trials – his weakest area. Sastre will not start his season until the Volta a Catalunya on March 22-28 but is testing "new material" and doing "intense sessions with the time trial bike. We have to work the position for best performance to effort," said Sastre in a statement provided by his press office.

Sastre’s biggest obstacle this season has been training in the low temperature, saying that it has been "a particularly harsh winter. "I hope that my legs come good," said the winner of the Tour de France 2008.

"I'm doing outputs of four hours and riding six days a week, with temperatures sometimes dropping below zero degrees. And every time I have less fat to protect me from the cold. Fortunately, the clothing that we use protects and conserves body heat"

Sanchez is looking for early season success and a run at the Classics
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Luis Leon Sanchez Gears Up for Season
The Spanish rider Luis Leon Sanchez (Caisse d'Epargne) is excited before starting the Ciclista a Mallorca Challenge. "I am delighted to return to Mallorca. Through the work this week and Mallorca, I hope to be up to race pace,” said Sanchez.

The rider from Murcia, who returned to Spain after a second place in the overall standings at Santos Tour Down Under (Australia) and after winning the fifth stage, fought between Willunga and Snapper Point, confirmed he is in good form. "The truth is I did not feel so well earlier this season. Luck and support of my colleagues joined me in Australia to achieve this important first victory. It is clear that winning so early gave me motivation to keep working and achieve other successes," said Sanchez.

"After Mallorca, my next destination is Portugal and the Tour of the Algarve. Then to Italy for Tirreno-Adriatico and Milan-Sanremo. After a long break I will start the Tour of the Basque Country, then I'll be in the three classics; Amstel Gold Race, Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege," said Sanchez.

Molmy Takes Stage Four of Etoile de Bessèges
The 21-year-old Frenchman Arnaud Molmy (Roubaix-Lille-Métropole) won the fourth stage of the 40th edition of the Etoile de Bessèges on Saturday. After 140.5 kilometers, Molmy was second at the finish, after his compatriot Samuel Dumoulin. Dumoulin, winner of Friday’s third stage, was disqualified in the final kilometer after it was determined he had cut the course.

With Dumoulin’s disqualification, Molmy became the winner ahead of his countryman Anthony Geslin. Pieter Ghyllebert sprinted to third. Molmy is now the overall leader. He takes over from the Slovenian Borut Bozic, who had won the first two stages.

Wild Card Teams Announced
The International Cycling Union (UCI) granted "wild card" status to 16 Professional Continental teams on Friday. The “wild card” status is required for Professional Continental teams before they can be invited to ProTour events.

2010 Wild Card teams:
Acqua & Sapone
Andalucia Cajasur
Androni Giocattoli
Bbox Bouygues Telecom
BMC
Carmiooro - NGC
Ceramica Flaminia
Cervélo Test Team
Cofidis, le crédit en ligne
Colnago - CSF Inox
ISD - Neri
Landbouwkrediet
Saur - Sojasun
Skil - Shimano
Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator
Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team
Xacobeo Galicia Team

Tour of Murcia: No Italian Teams

2/5/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

The Tour of Murcia’s race director, Paco Guzman, has barred all Italian teams from competing in the 2010 edition of the race. The action is retribution on behalf of Alejandro Valverde who is banned by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) from competing in Italy.

Guzman told he Spanish paper AS, “There will be no Italian teams participating due to the fact that they aren’t letting Valverde race in that country. Alejandro is Murcia’s best rider and I don’ want them in our race.”

CONI took the most stringent action it could, banning Valverde from racing in Italy, following a hearing it held regarding his involvement in Operacion Puerto, based on DNA evidence. While several agencies have questioned whether CONI had legitimate jurisdiction to make such a decision, it has had the power to enforce that decision. A court in Madrid has even ruled that CONI did not have jurisdiction.

Even one of Valverde’s most ardent supporters, Juan Carlos Castano, called Guzman’s decision “rather illogical” and pointed out that Valverde has an appeal pending before CAS. “The Italian teams have nothing to do with this,” he said.

The one thing Guzman’s decision has guaranteed is that the 2010 Tour of Murcia will have a weak field. Even before the decision was announced, Caisse d’Epargne, Euskaltel-Euskadi, Footon-Servetto and Xacobeo Galicia all indicated they would not be competing.

Dumoulin winning at the 2009 Tour de France
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Dumoulin Takes Stage Three at Besseges
Frenchman Samuel Dumoulin denied Borut Bozic, overall leader of the Etoile de Besseges, a third straight victory when the race rolled into Ceze-Languedoc on Friday. The 29-year-old Dumoulin, racing for Cofidis, led home the bunch sprint just ahead of Slovenian Bozic, who finished second, with Dutch rider Tom Veelers of Skil-Shimano rounding out the podium.

Bozic retains a 16-second lead over Nico Eeckhout of An Post-Sean Kelly. Dumoulin lies third on overall classification, with the same time as Eeckhout.

Frank Schleck leads Alberto Contador over the Pic du St. Bernard
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Frank Wants to Stick With Andy
Frank Schleck said he wanted to continue to race in the same team as his brother Andy, the 2009 Tour de France runner-up, whether or not their Saxo Bank team continues. "I'd be happy if it continued like that," the elder Schleck brother, who finished fifth at last year's Tour de France, said in an interview with Le Quotidien newspaper. "What's sure is that Andy and me, we'll always stay together. We'll talk about it again after the Tour."

Saxo Bank decided last month to end their sponsorship deal of the cycling team a year earlier than planned. The bank has sponsored the team since 2008, when it competed under the name CSC-Saxo Bank. It took over as the main sponsor in January 2009 and changed the name to Team Saxo Bank.

Focusing on season targets, Schleck said he was aiming to mirror the achievements of his younger sibling on the Tour. "I feel capable of doing better than last year," he said. "For 2010, I'm saying to myself: why not the podium? And if I'm aiming for the podium, why not to win it?

"I would love to do another season like I did last year. Since 2005, I haven't stopped having good results. But this time I would so much like to manage to win the Liege-Bastogne-Liege. And then obviously it would be great to win the Tour or at least finish on the podium."

Schleck is set to resume competition at the Tour of Mallorca on Sunday before moving on to the March 7-14 Paris-Nice race.

Hovelijnck Returns to Racing
Kurt Hovelijnck will race again for the first time in nearly a year when he toes the line at the Mallorca Challenge. Hovelijnck was on a training ride with friends last March when he crashed. In the crash, he hit his head and fractured his skull. Doctors placed him in a medically induced coma for three weeks.

He had just joined the ranks of Team Quick Step at the time of the crash. He told the Belgian sports paper Sportwereld, “I had just been given a great opportunity: a ProTour contract with Quick Step. I was a teammate of Tom Boonen, Stijn Devolder. I was eager to ride for these men. At the Tour Down Under I even had a chat with Lance Armstrong. Or rather, he had one with me. And then, suddenly, everything was over!”

Hovelijnck says he has worked hard and believes he has returned to his old form. ““To be honest, I am confident.” He says he is keeping up with “guys like Boonen, Devolder and Chavanel. I could easily follow them. Hence my confidence. It's weird, but I'm just more explosive that before.”

While he says he wants to ride the season-opening Belgian races, for now the team is proceeding cautiously; he is listed as a reserve rider.

Miller, TIBCO Start Season in Napa
Brooke Miller will lead a four-rider Team TIBCO/To the Top into the first major NorCal race of the year Sunday, the Cherry Pie Criterium in Napa. The 45-minute race run on a closed, one-mile loop in the Napa Valley Corporate Park, starts at 2:10 p.m. PT.

Miller will be joined by Devon Haskell, Alison Starnes, who finished 3rd there last year, and Megan Guarnier, who won the 2009 edition. "I’ve been doing some intensity work and I’m itching to race,” Miller said. “I’ve been counting down the days until Cherry Pie.

Along with prize money, the top three finishers in the race also get a cherry pie. For race information, visit www.eagleracingteam.org/CherryPie.html.

Stage Swap for Critérium International

2/4/2010

Day 1 of the Critérium International won't see a bunch finish this year

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Stage Swap for Critérium International

The Critérium International, the two-day, three-stage "mini Tour de France" held annually at the end of March will undergo a number of changes this year for its 79th edition. Held since 2001 in the Ardennes region of France, centered on Charleville-Mézières, the race this year will chart new territory as it takes the peloton to the island of Corsica. The Critérium International typically features an opening flat, sprinter's stage on Saturday, followed by a tough double-feature with a mid-length climber's stage on Sunday morning before wrapping up with an afternoon time trial.

This year, in addition to the change of location, race organizers ASO (organizers of the "real" Tour de France) have decided to mix things up by stacking the climbs up front. Saturday's opening road stage will leave the southern city of Porto-Vecchio and finish atop the Col de l'Oespedal 175 kilometers later. A flat stage around Porto-Vecchio will follow on Sunday morning, along with the traditional time trial, also centered on Porto-Vecchio.

The move may spark more aggressive racing on the second stage, whereas race favorites have traditionally taken a back seat to sprinters and waited for Sunday to make their moves.

Team RadioShack is expected to send Lance Armstrong to the Critérium this year, where he will meet world champion and BMC's star recruit, Cadel Evans for an early season test of Tour de France potential.

Critérium International 2010:

March 27 - Stage 1: Porto-Vecchio to Col de l’Ospedal, 175.5 km

March 28 - Stage 2: Porto-Vecchio to Porto-Vecchio, 75 km

March 28 - Stage 3: Porto Vechhio ITT, 7.7km

End of an era for Jens Voigt at the Critérium International?

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Voigt Won't Defend C.I. Title

Team Saxo Bank's Jens Voigt, defending champion and five-time winner of the Critérium International, is unlikely to seek his sixth victory this spring when the race changes venues to Corsica. Voigt has openly d that overall victory in the Tour of California is his primary goal of the season, but that race's calendar change from February to May, along with Gent-Wevelgem's move from April to late March, has forced Saxo Bank to make some tough scheduling choices.

Voigt has shown himself to be the master of the 'mini Tour de France', as the Critérium is known, capable of winning both climbing and time trial stages. He claimed overall victory in 1999, 2004, 2007, 2008, and 2009.

This year, having fully recovered from his horrific crash in the 2009 Tour de France, Voigt will channel his energies to take on the field in California. The popular German noted that with the race now taking place in May, the competition may be more evenly matched. California native Levi Leipheimer has made the race his own in recent editions, building for an early season peak in fitness that few could match.

Philippe Gilbert is not lacking in confidence for the spring classics

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Gilbert Ready for the Classics

Few riders have closed out a racing season in as fine a fashion as Belgium's Philippe Gilbert, who reached his true potential as a man for the one-day classics with four consecutive race victories last Fall, including the prestigious Paris-Tours and Giro di Lombardia. This year, Gilbert is back in his role as star rider for the Omega Pharma team (formerly Silence-Lotto) and hungry to pick up where he left off.

"Every single-day race suits me and represents an objective," Gilbert commented recently in La Dernière Heure. Winner of numerous sporting awards during the off-season, Gilbert is ready to put himself solidly alongside his compatriot and rival, Tom Boonen, as one of cycling-mad Belgium's biggest stars. His objectives make it clear that he believes this will happen.

"I have four primary objectives: Milano-Sanremo, the Tour of Flanders, Amstel Gold Race, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège," he said. "I hope to win one of the four," he added.

"I proved last year that I'm capable," he said of Milano-San Remo.

Like a real classics man, Gilbert is not concerned with participation in the Tour de France. His objectives lie in the months ahead, after which he will decide on his stage racing program for the second half of the season.

Bozic Takes Two at Bessèges

Borut Bozic (Vacansoleil) picked up where he left off in the Etoile de Bessèges, taking his second bunch sprint in two days. Thursday's second stage, a 141 kilometer run from Nîmes to St. Ambroix, saw Bozic get the best of his competition once more in a mass sprint finish. He held onto his leader's jersey by beating Arnaud Molmy (Roubaix-Lille Métropole) and Niko Eeckhout (An Post-Sean Kelly) to the line. Time bonuses put him 10 seconds ahead of Molmy overall. Friday's third stage will cover 148km from Ceze to Languedoc.

Ciolek Targets Qatar

While German sprinter Andre Greipel showed the world who was fastest at the recent Tour Down Under, compatriot and former teammate Gerald Ciolek will be looking for sprint glory of his own as the Tour of Qatar kicks off Sunday in Doha. Ciolek will lead Milram's bid for stage wins in the flat and highly competitive six-day race organized by ASO.

"We have prepared well and are looking forward to our first race," Ciolek said Thursday.

"I have trained a lot with this group over the winter," he said of his Milram team, which will include veteran Servais Knaven, Roy Sentjens, Wim de Vocht, Roger Kluge, Niki Terpstra, and Peter Wrolich. "The three newcomers (Kluge, Sentjens, de Vocht) were quickly integrated and we clicked quickly both on and off the bike."

"Now we have to see how it works out in a race, to start successfully in the season."

Live from Lake Como: Sagan Lets His Legs Do the Talking

2/4/2010

(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Team Liquigas-Doimo' Peter Sagan does not talk much.

When asked about this, team director sportif Stefano Zanatta explained, "He is very humble and is always respectful." As he should be, he is a first-year professional, only 20 years old, far from his home in Žilina, Slovakia, and racing in a ProTour-level team alongside Ivan Basso and Daniele Bennati.

Sagan, though, has already made a name for himself. In his first professional race last month in Australia he rubbed shoulders with Lance Armstrong and fought for victory with World Champion Cadel Evans.

Liquigas-Doimo fielded Sagan as part of its team for the Tour Down Under, a five-day race kicked off with a criterium two days earlier in Adelaide. At that criterium, he joined an escape group with seven-time Tour de France winner Armstrong. It lasted only 20 minutes, but it left its impression on him.

"It was really cool to be in the escape with Armstrong," said Sagan, then 19 years old. He would know "cool", he passes his time at his apartment in San Donà di Piave, Italy, playing Call of Duty 2 on his PlayStation and talking to his girlfriend Radka in Slovakia.

But the criterium was only the beginning.

Sagan sprinted on the uphill finish of a sizzling-hot stage three to Stirling. He battled with Evans and Vuelta a España winner Alejandro Valverde, finishing just behind them in fourth. This was despite the fact that he was racing with 17 stitches down his left arm, a reminder from the previous day's crash. Pretty "cool" and tough.

Sagan shows off his 17 stitches
(Photo: Kei Tsuji)

The race wasn't over for Sagan, though. In the Tour Down Under's queen stage to Willunga he joined an attack over the last climb with Evans, Valverde and Luis León Sánchez – all Tour de France stage winners. The four fought to hold off the sprinters' group over the next 20 kilometers, with Sánchez nipping ahead for the win as the others were caught in the last kilometer. But Sagan left an impression.

"I tell you," said Armstrong afterwards, "this young Slovenian is showing a lot of talent." Armstrong was mistaken on Sagan's nationality, but that was all.

Sagan had let his legs do the talking.

He has been at the top before. He won the cross-country junior title two years ago at the mountain bike World Championships in Trento, Italy.

"My brother, Juraj, got me into racing," said Peter on a freezing-cold day from his Italian base. "He started cycling first, won some small races and then I started about a year later, when I was nine years old.

"I was first into mountain bikes and then a year later I got started riding on the road. I miss racing mountain bikes a little, but there is not time for it now that I am racing at the ProTour level."

It was at the World Championships in Trento when Liquigas-Doimo' Zanatta started to follow Sagan. After watching Sagan's progress through the end of the 2008-year the team offered him a three-year contract (2010 to 2012).

"We reached an agreement with him to race with Cannondale for mountain bike races and on the road for our development team in 2009. He went well right away."

Zanatta and Team Manager Roberto Amadio plan to develop Sagan slowly and without pressure. Friday, he will travel to the team's training camp in Tuscany and support Bennati at the GP Etruschi Saturday. Liquigas-Doimo has filled the rest of his spring race schedule with mostly one-day races: Trofeo Laigueglia, Omloop Het Volk and Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne, Giro del Friuli and Eroica.

The team is unsure how Sagan will develop, but they compare him to Damiano Cunego, short, with rather large, muscular legs. And certainly, fighting for the win with Valverde and Evans at the Tour Down Under makes Sagan a favorite for the Ardennes Classics and stage races.

"Peter can go well in the one-day races, he's explosive and has a build like Cunego or Oscar Freire," said Zanatta. "For the long climbs, he has to improve a lot, but it is possible over the next years."

And the Northern Classics, like Paris-Roubaix? Two months before Sagan won his World title in Trento, he fought to win the junior's "Hell of the North", Paris-Roubaix.

"I remember it well," said Sagan. "I was solo for 80 kilometers and it was only in the last kilometer that I was passed by the Brit [Andrew Fenn]."

Sagan wants to return to Paris-Roubaix and he wants to confirm his show of strength at the Tour Down Under throughout this season.

"He is physically strong," said Zanatta, "this is only the start."

Beppu Free to Join RadioShack

2/3/2010

(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Beppu Free to Join RadioShack
Skil-Shimano cycling team have finally agreed to annul Fumiyuki Beppu's contract after the Japanese rider ignored rules and reached a verbal agreement to join Lance Armstrong's Radio Shack team. Beppu had a year left on his contract with Skil-Shimano, which debuted at the Tour de France last year, but apparently ignored this on his way to agreeing to join RadioShack without informing his team.

Skil said Wednesday they had "agreed to annul" Beppu's contract, but only after establishing his misdemeanor and forcing him to pay compensation. A statement added: "Beppu recently reached a verbal agreement with Team RadioShack, without permission and without notifying Skil Shimano.

The 26-year-old has now acknowledged that he has a valid contract with Skil-Shimano and is unable to leave the team and sign a contract elsewhere without Skil-Shimano's permission. "This acknowledgment was a point of principle for Skil-Shimano, because an alternative reading would have undermined relations between teams and riders under contract, and existing contracts would no longer have been binding. After this principle decision.... Beppu was offered the option of getting out of his contract through payment of non-negotiable compensation to his employer, bearing in mind the team is no longer confident of a continued successful relationship due to the rider's actions a few months ago."

Skil said they had no plans to replace Beppu, who despite racing with Armstrong's former team, Discovery Channel, from 2005-2006 did not take part in any major races. Beppu has yet to claim a major victory in Europe. Skil meanwhile hope the other Asian riders on their team don't get similar ideas to Beppu's. "The team will continue to focus on the current roster of riders and prepare thoroughly for the coming season," added the statement. "The team is also confident its four remaining Asian riders will be able to make an undiminished contribution to the development and promotion of cycling in China and Japan, which is one of the goals of Skil-Shimano."

Indurain looks for Contador to repeat his "success" at the Tour de France
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Indurain Backs Contador
Five-times Tour de France Miguel Indurain has put his support behind Alberto Contador to repeat his success in the next edition of the Tour de France. Despite his support of Contador Indurain warned that the seven-time champion will be ready for a fight, saying that Armstrong "will fight to be on top”.

Indurain, speaking after the presentation of the Andalucia CajaSur team in the Spanish town of Seville said that, "there have been changes in equipment, brokers and new team and therefore presents interesting season.”

Regarding Contador’s duel with Armstrong, Indurain stressed that "other rivals also are prepared" and that Armstrong is “a fighter and has always been a fighter and, while he has the handicap of age, will continue fighting."

Indurain also referred to the prologue of the next Veulta a España, a team trial at night in Seville, saying that the stage will be "nice" and will be something that people "all over the city will enjoy.

Bozic, shown here winning a stage of the Vuelta, started his season off with a win
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Bozic Takes Stage One of Etoile de Besseges
The Slovenian sprinter Borut Bozic (Vacansoleil) has won the first stage of the early season stage race of Etoile de Besseges. Bozic took victory in a mass sprint ahead of Belgian Niko Eeckhout. (An Post-Sean Kelly) and Frenchman Arnaud Molmy. (Roubaix-Lille Métropole)

Nature Valley Increases Sponsorship of Bike Festival
Organizers of the Minnesota Bicycle Festival have announced that Nature Valley is increasing its commitment. After sponsoring the Nature Valley Grand Prix pro stage race for ten years, they will expand their involvement to sponsor the overall festival in 2010. The event, which still includes the Nature Valley Grand Prix, has been renamed the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival and will take place June 11-20, 2010.

“Nature Valley’s growing commitment to cycling stands in sharp contrast to many other sponsors in the sport who are reducing or eliminating their cycling programs,” said Festival Executive Director David LaPorte. “Nature Valley is looking towards the future and recognizes that cycling is one of the most popular activities in the country. While we’re thrilled that their commitment to our event is growing, we’re even more pleased that they are supporting the sport as a whole, which is our mission as well.”

The Nature Valley Bicycle Festival will take place June 11-20, 2010 and will include the Minnesota Fixed Gear Classic and the renowned Nature Valley Grand Prix pro stage race, considered the prime event on the USA Cycling National Racing Calendar.

The Nature Valley Grand Prix professional stage race opens June 16 in Saint Paul with a morning time trial and evening criterium held in Downtown Saint Paul adjacent to Rice Park. The Nature Valley Grand Prix continues with a road race in Cannon Falls on June 17. Stage 4 takes place in Minneapolis on Friday evening June 18 in the city’s dynamic Uptown neighborhood.

On Saturday, June 19, the racers travel east to Menomonie, WI for the Menomonie Road Race, marking the first time that the Nature Valley Grand Prix includes a stage outside of Minnesota. Racers will contest Stage 6, the Stillwater Criterium, on Sunday, June 20, with both men and women cyclists completing the short circuit race, which includes riding up Chilikoot Hill 20 times, a grueling 24-percent-grade hill climb, considered the most difficult in North American cycling.

In addition to professional racing, other activities, including the Fan Zone, stunt riders, musical entertainment and bike and fitness expos will be offered at all stages of the five-day race with the exception of the time trial. The Tour de Kids fun races at each site are free and are open to children age 12 and under.

The Minnesota Fixed Gear Classic will take place at the National Sports Center Velodrome in Blaine the weekend of June 11-13, prior to the Nature Valley Grand Prix. Velodrome track racing is an Olympic sport which features world class cyclists racing at speeds of up to 40 mph. Bikes used in fixed-gear track races have only one gear and do not have brakes, making the races fast and exciting for both spectators and riders.

Now in its 12th year, the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival is a five-day celebration of cycling that includes amateur and professional racing and community events. The Nature Valley Grand Prix has become the premier professional bike race in the U.S., attracting top American racing teams and riders from around the world. Proceeds from the Nature Valley Grand Prix are donated to Children’s Hospital and its Pediatric Hospice program.

The Nature Valley Grand Prix is free and open to the public. It is the only professional sporting event in Minnesota for which no admission ticket is required. The festival is a natural fit for Minnesota and Wisconsin as both states are populated with cycling enthusiasts. Several urban bike trails have opened in the past few years and the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area boasts the most commuter bike trips per capita, an honor it shares with Portland, Oregon. For more information and a detailed schedule of events visit www.naturevalleybicyclefestival.com.

Bikes and Art Mix in Amsterdam
Bikes, technology and culture intersect at The Felix Meritis European Centre for Arts and Sciences, Sunday, February 21, 2010, when FITC Amsterdam and Bike Hugger team-up to present FITC Mobile Social, a group ride that combines community and conversation with artistry on two wheels.

Led by DL Byron on a bike designed by interactive artists Anita Fontaine and Geoff Lillemon of Amsterdam-based Champagne Valentine, FITC Mobile Social will begin at the Felix Meritis at 14:00 hours and end at WorkCycles Jordaan around 17:00 hours. “Amsterdam is the back drop for the first Mobile Social of 2010 and the kickoff of our meet-ups on bikes,” says Bike Hugger’s DL Byron. “We’re excited about being at FITC and riding the Champagne Valentine bikes.”

“We wanted to make the most psychedelic bike in Amsterdam but we couldn’t decide on one color so we decided to use them all,” says Geoff Lillemon, Creative Director, Champagne Valentine.

FITC commissioned two bicycles from Champagne Valentine based on artwork developed by the duo for this year’s event graphics. Technical execution of the concept bike was done by Fietskoning. The bikes will be on display at Felix Meritis during the two-day run of FITC Amsterdam, an annual conference for interactive designers and developers.

Champagne Valentine is Anita Fontaine and Geoff Lillemon, interactive directors originally hailing from Australia and the US respectively. They specialize in expanding the digital terrain by combining facets of interactive, new media, motion and gaming to create compelling and technologically advanced works.

They have created bespoke interactive work for clients such as Comedy Central, Diesel, vh1, T-mobile, Scion XB, and (RED). As internationally recognized new media artists they also exhibit their works, developing custom installations and applications for galleries like the Museo Tamayo in Mexico City and the Gallery of Modern Art in Australia. They live and work in Amsterdam.

FITC Amsterdam takes place Monday, February 22 and Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at the Felix Meritis European Centre for Arts and Sciences and The Dylan Hotel. Tickets range from 129 euros (student) to 599 euros (“The Works”) and can be purchased from the FITC Website at www.fitc.ca/events/tickets/?event=101

For more information or to sign-up for FITC Mobile Social, go to www.bikehugger.com/mobile-socials/fitcamsterdam/

Exclusive RBA Video: Can Lance Armstrong Win the 2010 Tour de France?

2/2/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Come July, we all know Lance thinks he can get an eighth Tour de France victory. But what do the press corps think? At the Tour Down Under, Road Bike Action polled some of the leading journalists and photographers in the press center and asked them the question: “Can Lance Armstrong win the 2010 Tour de France, and why or why not?” The results were revealing, to say the least.

Hushovd Out of Etoile de Besseges

2/1/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Hushovd Out of Etoile de Besseges
Norwegian Thor Hushovd has pulled out of the Etoile de Besseges stage race because of a severe chill, his Cervélo team said Tuesday. Hushovd, the green jersey champion from the 2009 Tour de France, will now get his early season campaign up and running at the Tour of the Algarve in Portugal, beginning February 17.

The Etoile de Besseges is held in southern France from February 3-7 and suits riders of all capabilities. France's Thomas Voeckler is the defending champion.

Di Luca has been fined 280,000 euros
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

UCI Makes Doping Fines Public
According to new rules of the UCI in the fight against doping, which went into effect on January 1, 2009. The fines of those riders suspended for doping offences will now be made public. Under Article 326 of this new regulation, the fine imposed on all riders will correspond to their annual income. The fine will be given to anyone who has been suspended for a period of two years or more.

All money collected by the UCI from these sanctions will go to aid in the anti-doping efforts. However, it remains to be seen what powers the UCI has to collect, especially when a rider chooses to retire and not return to professional racing.

LeMond on his way to victory in the 1990 Tour de France
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Trek and LeMond Settle Lawsuit
Trek Bicycles has settled a lawsuit it filed almost 2 years ago against 3-time Tour de France champion Greg LeMond. The terms of the out of court settlement were not released, however Trek attorney Robert Burns said that Trek will make two $100,000 donations to a charity called oneinsix.org. LeMond is involved with the charity, which helps men who are victims of sexual abuse.

Trek ended a 15-year-old licensing deal last week, so LeMond again owns the rights to the LeMond bike brand. Trek filed suit against LeMond in April of 2008, and stopped production of LeMond bicycles. Trek also claimed that the company was damaged when LeMond questioned whether or not Lance Armstrong used performance-enhancing drugs. LeMond countered, saying that Trek was not promoting the LeMond line of bicycles.
`

20-year-old Jack Bobridge now has the fastest pursuit time.
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Bobridge Blitzes Pursuit
Australian cycling sensation Jack Bobridge claimed his second individual pursuit title in emphatic style Tuesday, setting the third fastest time ever for the 4km event, Cycling Australia announced. Bobridge, who will race this season for the Garmin-Transitions road team, posted a stunning time of 4:14:427 on his way to qualifying for the gold medal ride-off.

The world record for the 16-lap event is held by Britain's Chris Boardman, who clocked 4:11.114 on his way to the world title in Manchester in 1996 after setting a qualifying time of 4:13.353. However both of Boardman's times were set using an aerodynamic stretched position that has since been banned by the International Cycling Union (UCI). Now the fastest man in the world under current rules, Bobridge's ride knocked 0.6sec off the time set by Welsh cyclist Geraint Thomas at the Manchester round of the World Cup last year.

His time was also faster than the Olympic record set by Britain's reigning Olympic Champion Bradley Wiggins in Beijing. Bobridge went on to win the final against the equally impressive Rohan Dennis, 19; an achievement the 20-year-old said was down to his decision not to go full gas at the Tour Down Under road race last week.

"This year at the Tour Down Under, I held myself back a lot and came out here a lot fresher as I have shown that with my times I have produced here," said Bobridge. "Honestly I don't think I am 100 fit yet, still a little bit off, which is a good feeling for myself knowing I have 6-7 weeks until the world championships in Copenhagen."

This year's world track cycling championships will be held on the Ballerup track, just outside Copenhagen. Bobridge will likely face stiff competition from the Danish hosts, Britain and the American who beat him to the world gold last year, Taylor Phinney. However Bobridge hinted there is plenty more to come.

"Considering I have only done three sessions on the track leading into these Championships, I have come out today and surprised myself."

Cardoso is aiming high after his Tour Down Under stage win
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Cardoso Aims To Be ‘The Best’
The Portuguese rider Manuel Cardoso of the Footon-Servetto-Fuji team expressed confidence in being able to be "the best" after starting the season with a victory in the third stage of the Tour Down Under last month. "This win has increased my confidence. I have proven I can be on top, with the best, but we cannot live clinging to the past. The important thing is to look ahead, be successful and strive everyday to continue providing the team wins," said Cardoso.

In his final days of training in Portugal before leaving Friday to the Challenge de Mallorca (February 7-11), Cardoso said that the coming months will be key and has set his sites on the World Championships in Melbourne.

"The goal, beyond doing well in the Challenge de Mallorca or in the Volta ao Algarve, which are my next races is to win the largest possible number of stages. We will fight to stay ahead of the many positive events of the first part of the season, then will work hard for the second half, with the option of being in a grand tour," said the Portuguese rider. "I have many options but I will not be easy, as there are many young riders in the team who will fight for my place," he added.

Cardoso is considered a sprinter within the Footon-Servetto-Fuji squad and said in the team presentation that he wanted to beat Britain's Mark Cavendish, "I was not expressing more than a dream. I continue to improve, overcome difficulties and beat the best,” he said.

About the Team Footon-Servetto-Fuji, the Portuguese claimed that the secret is that the team is very young. "I am only 26 years old, and I am almost the oldest rider of the group. We have a responsibility to complete in races of the UCI ProTour and strive to the utmost.”

José Antonio Lopez Gil Retires
José Antonio Lopez Gil decided on Tuesday to hang up the bike and put an end to his career as a professional cyclist after seven years in the peloton. The cyclist, 33, was always a very combative rider and that is what he is most remembered for in the bunch. He began his career wearing the jersey of ibanesto.com in 2003, staying with the team in 2004 when it changed to Illes Balears-Banesto.

In 2005 and 2006 he rode in Kaiku team colors and from 2007 was part of the Andalucia-Caja Sur team. Last year Gil managed to finish second in a stage of the Tour of Portugal and another of the Tour of Madrid, in addition to competing in the Vuelta a España.

Di Luca Suspended for Two Years, Fined

2/1/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Italian Danilo Di Luca was handed a two-year doping ban and a hefty fine by the Italian Olympic Commitee (CONI) on Monday. Di Luca, the 2007 Tour of Italy champion, finished second to Russia's Denis Menchov in a thrilling finish to last year's race. But the weeks that followed were decidedly less exciting for the Italian, who had become a target for doping controllers due to anomalies in the blood parameters on his biological passport.

Di Luca was informed that samples provided during the three-week race had tested positive twice for the latest generation of the banned blood booster EPO (erythropoietin), called CERA. After an immediate provisional suspension by the International Cycling Union (UCI), CONI's anti-doping chief Ettore Torri in December requested a three-year ban for Di Luca, adding a year for "aggravating circumstances".

Di Luca has been embroiled in doping scandals before, notably the 'Oil for Drugs' affair that led to a three-month suspension at the end of 2007. As well as a two-year ban that is likely to be accepted by the UCI, the 34-year-old who also has a number of one-day classic wins to his name was handed a fine of 280,000 euros. His two-year suspension was back-dated to begin on July 22, 2009 – when his last positive test was announced.

Oscar Pereiro at the Tour Down Under
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Astana Team Presentation Held in Vienna
Speaking at the Astana team presentation in Vienna, Austria, Alberto Contador talked about the challenges he and his team face in the 2010 season. He called Andy Schleck his main rival at the Tour de France and said that a victory at the Tour was the team’s single greatest objective for the season, calling it an opportunity to “validate” his team’s previous victory. And while he said the younger Schleck was his main rival, he added, “there is a group of eight or ten riders who have options.”

Speaking of his team he said, “We have a very good team and will make a great season.” Despite the fact that much of the team is new he said, “The team has done a very great job and I am pleased with the strong motivation and commitment all of them are putting in.”

Kristin Armstrong at the World Championships
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Cervelo Test Team Director Moves to Team USA
Manuel Lacambra, the former director for the Cervelo Test Team women’s team is the new team director for the U.S. women’s national team. USA Cycling announced an agreement with Management Cycling Prof, S.L., a Spanish management company to manage the women’s endurance cycling squad.

Lacambra is a former racer and mechanic, but is best known for his work with Kristin Armstrong. In 2009, the Cervelo Test Team, under his guidance took some 87 victories, including five World Cup wins.

“After two great years of working with Kristin, I get the opportunity to work with the U.S. National Team and am very happy for that,” the 34-year-old Lacambra said. “Over the last few years, I have noticed that U.S. riders are talented but that they have a different style of racing than in Europe. I like the American people and their professionalism and will do my best to raise the U.S. Women’s National Team to the highest possible level.”

“We need to continue to drive the development and education of American female cyclists, and Manel is one of the best directors in the world when it comes to professional women’s cycling,” explained USA Cycling’s Director of Athletics, Jim Miller, who ran the women’s development program for eight years before moving into his current role in 2009. “We’ve had one goal with our women’s development efforts and that has been to win world titles and Olympic medals. Under the direction of Manel and Management Cycling Prof, that goal is the same. We want to be nothing less than the best national team in the world.”

Bartko and Kluge Lead at Berlin
With the third of six days of competition complete, Robert Bartko and Robert Kluge lead the Six Days of Berlin. The pair currently has 162 points, a 21-point lead over their nearest competitors, The Danish pair of Alex Rasmussen and Michael Morkov (141 points). In third are the Swiss riders Alexander Aeschbach and Franco Marvulli, with 113 points.

Rossi Declares Her Innocence

1/31/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Rossi Declares Her Innocence
Riccardo Ricco's girlfriend has denied she ever used CERA and stated that under no circumstances would she have endanger the health of her newborn son. Vania Rossi stated, "this is completely ridiculous and there are things that do not add up."

The cyclist, whose positive was detected in a control on January 10th, d her innocence. "I never took banned substances. It's ridiculous, I became a mother in July and I am breastfeeding my son. I would never jeopardize his health by taking CERA or other substances, if I did I’d have to go to jail."

Rossi is currently awaiting a decision by CONI, which could decide to sanction her for two years as it did with her boyfriend, Riccardo Ricco. Ricco was suspended from racing for 20-months and will return to the peloton in March wearing the jersey of the Flaminia team.

Petacchi delivers for his new Lampre team
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Petacchi Gets Early Season Win
Italian Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre) took a mass sprint in Crotone during the second stage of the Tour of the Province of Reggio Calabria. Petacchi took the win ahead of Spaniard Francisco José Ventoso and his compatriot Mattia Gavazzi. The Italian Matteo Montaguti (De Rosa) who won Saturday’s first stage maintained his overall lead.

Hivert during the 2009 Tour de France, riding for the Skil-Shimano team
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Hivert Takes GP La Marseillaise
Frenchman Jonathan Hivert of the Saur Sojasun team won France's traditional season-opening cycle race the GP La Marseillaise, held over 139.5-kilometers on Sunday. Hivert finished ahead of Dutchman Johnny Hoogerland of Vacansoleil and compatriot Samuel Dumoulin (Cofidis).

Heath Blackgrove (L) will lead the team in 2010
(Photo courtesy of Team Hotel San José)

Team Hotel San José Debuts in Austin
Team Hotel San José heads into the 2010 season with a solid roster of riders and some promising newcomers who are ready to build on the success the team enjoyed in 2009. The Austin, Texas-based professional team will field a multi-national roster of seven professional/elite riders to go along with five others who are part of the Team Hotel San José Under 23 Junior Development Program.

Headlining the pro squad is 2009 Athens Twilight Criterium winner Heath Blackgrove. The 29-year-old is coming off one of his best seasons, with victories at the Tour of Southland in his native country of New Zealand, the Mississippi Grand Prix, Texas Tough Grand Prix II and the Tour of Lawrence.

Team Hotel San José Executive Director Todd Reed said he would lean on Blackgrove, a ninth-year professional, to be a leader in a number of ways. “We have built a developmental team around Heath and he will play a pivotal role when they are on the road,” Reed said. “Not only does he have the most experience, but he is also a terrific mentor for our younger riders and even the Team Hotel San José club members.”

Blackgrove said Team Hotel San José should be competitive in nearly every type of race. The squad has added strength for breakaways and hilly races, and boosted its speed for sprints and criteriums. “While the extra strength will give us more options, I am very excited to work with the sprinters we have on board and setting them up for the bunch finishes,” Blackgrove said. “I really think we're going to surprise a lot of people this year and look forward to helping develop Team Hotel San José.”

One of the speedsters on the team is Carlos Vargas. The 27-year-old Columbian is the 2009 Texas state criterium champion who won two stages of the Mississippi Grand Prix on the way to finishing third overall. He is also a perennial podium placer at the International Cycling Classic (Superweek) series. Helping him in the lead-outs will be Australian strongman Sean Sullivan, 31, who won a stage of the Tour of Austin last year

Team Hotel San José has also bolstered its already talented line-up with the addition of several promising newcomers, including New Zealander Logan Hutchings, Cody Foster (a 19-year-old who was fourth in the junior men’s time trial at the 2009 USA Cycling championships), American Alex Battle-Woods and current Under 23 U.S. national team member Travis Burandt. Hutchings, 25, is new to the U.S. racing scene. He won two stages last year at the Tour of Southland and captured the Under 23 New Zealand national road and time trial titles in 2005.

Other notables on the roster include Joshua Carter (multi-stage winner at the International Cycling Classic), Ronnie Strange (2009 Hotter 'N Hell Hundred criterium winner) and Stefan Rothe (Texas State Time Trial Champion 2009) of Germany.

In 2009, Team Hotel San José won 50 races and registered 95 podium (top three) placings, including victories at the Athens Twilight Criterium, the Texas Tough Grand Prix II, the Tour of Lawrence, the Mississippi Grand Prix, the Texas and Colorado state criterium championships and a sweep of the podium at the Tour of Austin.

Team Owner and Manager Barry Lee said the long-term vision for the team is to apply for continental license status in 2011. In the short-term, the development of juniors and Under 23 racers is a priority and has always been the program's focus. “This team is a complete package of what cycling can deliver on a number of levels: from grass roots events, to camps and clinics, to club and amateur developmental programs all the way up to the elite pro level,” Lee said. “We like being the underdog team at the larger races – because our guys thrive on winning and being the long-shots.”

Pro/Elite Roster
Alex Battle-Woods* (USA), Zach Bergh* (USA), Heath Blackgrove (NZL), Travis Burandt* (USA), Josh Carter (USA), Cody Foster* (USA), Logan Hutchings (NZL), Stefan Rothe (GER), Ronnie Strange, Sean Sullivan (AUS), (USA), Joseph Tokarski* (USA), Carlos Vargas (COL).

*Under 23 Junior Development team member.

Cyclocross World Championships: Stybar and Vos Reign

1/31/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Zdenek Stybar rode to a solo victory to claim the rainbow jersey in front of a home crowd in Sunday’s men’s cyclocross world championships. Stybar dominated the race after a first lap mechanical caused him to change bikes and pushed him down to 12th place. With Stybar forced to swap bikes, Belgian Klaas Vantornout took the lead and held it through the end of the first lap.

On the second lap a lead group of seven formed at the front. The lead group included Stybar and his teammate Radomir Simunek, French rider Mourey, Belgian teammates Kevin Pauwels and Vantornout, Swiss rider Christian Heule and Sevn Nys. Notably absent from the group was world champ Niels Albert who was riding in 11th place six seconds back.

By the end of the third lap the lead group had shattered with four riders going clear. The group of Stybar, Vantornout, Heule and Mourey opened a gap with a Belgian led chase group behind. Fearing being out numbered by the Belgians if caught; Stybar attacked hard on the fourth lap and went clear.

Stybar quickly opened an 18-second gap to Vantornout and Heule as Frenchman Mourey dropped back. With Stybar off the front the battle for the last podium spots heated up with Nys moving up to second before crashing and allowing Vantornout to get past for second

Tim Johnson was the best-placed American in 14th at 2:28. Jamey Driscoll was 19th at 3:07 back. Jonathan Page suffered with mechanicals and finished in 30th at 4:05.

Elite Men
1. Zdenek Stybar (Czech Republic) 1:08:58
2. Klaas Vantornout (Belgium) @ .21
3. Sven Nys (Belgium) @ .38
4. Martin Bina (Czech Republic) @ .40
5. Francis Mourey (France) @ .56
6. Martin Zlamalik (Czech Republic) @ 1:02
7. Christian Heule (Switzerland) @ 1:07
8. Radomir Simunek (Czech Republic) @ 1:18
9. Gerben De Knegt (Netherlands) @ 1:49
10. Bart Wellens (Belgium) @ 2:13

Vos takes her third world cyclocross title
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Women’s Race
Marianne Vos led from start to finish to win her third world cyclocross title in snowy and icy conditions in Tabor, Czech Republic. The first lap of the women’s race was marred by a first corner crash that saw pre-race favorite Katerina Nash go down. Marianne Vos and Dutch teammate Daphny Van den Brand made through the chaos and set the early pace with Hanka Kupfernagel in tow.

American Katie Compton started the race despite still suffering from the leg cramps that forced her out of the final two rounds of the World Cup. Compton quickly went backward in the opening lap and dropped out during lap two.

Vos powered clear during the second lap of the race. By the end of the lap, Kupfernagel was the only rider still within striking distance, following Vos through the start-finish area nine seconds behind.

By the end of the third lap, Vos opened her lead on Kupfernagel to 24-seconds, with Van den Brand holding on to third at 41-seconds down. Nash was chasing hard but on lap four crashed, ending her chances of a podium finish. With her gap well-established Vos cruised home for the victory.

Elite Women
1. Marianne Vos (Netherlands) 0:42:59
2. Hanka Kupfernagel (Germany) @ .45
3. Daphny Van Den Brand (Netherlands) @ 1:02
4. Katerina Nash (Czech Republic) @ 1:20
5. Eva Lechner (Italy) @ 1:41
6. Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (France) @ 1:47
7. Caroline Mani (France) @ 1:53
8. Pauline Ferrand Prevot (France) @ 2:11
9. Sanne Van Paassen (Netherlands) @ 2:28
10. Lucie Chainel-Lefevre (France) @ 2:31

Contador Unfazed by Armstrong

1/30/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Contador Unfazed by Armstrong
Tour de France champion Alberto Contador insists the thought of having seven-time winner Lance Armstrong as his main rival in this year's race is not keeping him awake at night. The Spaniard, Tour champion in 2007 and 2009 and Tour of Italy and Spain winner in 2008, believes he will have more than the American to deal with.

Contador overcame tensions within Astana, the team Armstrong joined last year to make his comeback to the sport, to win the 2009 edition thanks to crushing performances in the mountains and final time trial. Armstrong battled to finish third, and then promptly announced the creation of a new team, RadioShack, that he hopes to lead to victory in 2010.

Although an outright Contador v Armstrong clash is mouth-watering, the Spaniard said he believes it may not be the only one on the horizon. At Astana's team presentation here Saturday, Contador said he believed there could be up to 10 real challengers for the race's prestigious yellow jersey.

"Of course Lance will be one of my rivals this year but I'm more relaxed," said the 27-year-old, who finished last year's race over four minutes ahead of Luxembourg's Andy Schleck. "I'm not the only big favorite. There's a group of around eight to 10 riders who could throw their hat in for a victory at the Tour."

Armstrong, third at 5:24 last July, boosted his chances of an eighth Tour win by taking the bulk of last year's Astana team with him to RadioShack, including American Levi Leipheimer and German Andreas Kloden.

Although an almost unrivalled climber and a strong time trialist, the big question supporters of Contador will want to ask is whether his team, which now includes disgraced Kazakh star Alexandre Vinokourov, are up to the job.

Vinokourov returned to cycling last year following a two-year ban for doping. He and the entire Astana team, when it was under different management, were thrown off the 2007 Tour de France. Vinokourov said there was only one objective on the team's mind: "The aim is to win the Tour de France for Astana and show that, with Alberto Contador, we are the best team in the world," he said. "I think that with his talent and my experience, I can count on him to succeed.

"Former Tour winner Oscar Pereiro, who was on the brink of retirement before he joined Astana with five other Spaniards, said there is no doubt who they will be racing for. “When Alberto is in this team, all riders work for Alberto, this team is Alberto... and others," Pereiro, the 2006 Tour de France winner, joked to journalists.

"He's the best rider of the world and for the other riders, it's a motivation." From a total of 27 riders Astana counts 13 Kazakhs, seven Spaniards, three Italians, two Australians, as well as one Ukrainian and a Slovenian.

Contador has one year left on his contract with the team, which he unsuccessfully tried to leave after his second Tour triumph. For now, he is giving nothing away about possible future destinations. "It's only January. There's a big possibility that I will stay longer with Astana. But there are other possibilities," he said.

Zirbel faces up to a two-year suspension
(Photo: Mitchell Clinton)

Zirbel B Sample Positive
Tom Zirbel now faces up to a two-year suspension after analysis of his B sample came back positive for DHEA. Zirbel tested positive at the U.S. National Championships where he finished second in the time trial behind David Zabriske. Zirbel backed up his second place at nationals with an impressive fourth at the World Championships a couple months later. Zirbel’s results earned him a contract with the Garmin-Transitions team for the 2010 season, but his contract was terminated following the announcement of the results from his A sample.

Pawel Szczepaniak claims the U-23 title
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Szczepaniak Brothers Go One-Two at Cyclocross Worlds
Polish brothers Pawel and Kacper Szczepaniak went one-two in the U-23 cyclocross world championships in Tabor, Czech Republic. Pawel Szczepaniak soloed to a 20-second win ahead of his brother. Pawel Szczepaniak dominated the majority of race, charging off the front early and riding away from a chase group that contained his brother and French rider Arnaud Jouffroy who claimed third.

Paprstka took victory for the host nation
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Paprstka Claims Junior Title
Tomaš Paprstka claimed gold for the host country by winning the Junior world title in Tabor, Czech Republic. Paprstka’s victory shocked many as the Dutch and Belgian riders were favored. The snow covered course played a big role in the outcome of the race as many of the favorites crashed. One of the pre-race favorites Gert-Jan crashed while leading on the third lap giving Paprstka the lead. The young Czech rider took full advantage and charged off the front. Frenchman Julian Alaphilippe chased and the two eventually sprinted for the line with Paprstka taking the win.

SpiderTech Aims Big for 2010
Team Spidertech powered by Planet Energy was officially launched at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto yesterday evening. The event was MC’d by 3-time Olympic medallist Curt Harnett was followed by a cocktail reception and VIP dinner, which drew out many of Canada’s influential corporate cycling backers to support Canada’s only professional road team.

During the event Steve Bauer’s Yellow Jersey from the 1990 Tour de France raised $23,500 dollars for the team, on auction. “It’s about time that something fantastic like this event happens for our sport in Canada” remarked the event organizer Andrew Randell on the team’s outstanding evening celebration.

American newcomer Lucas Euser stated that “This night confirms that this team is destined for greatness. It shows that all of Canada can get behind this project”.

Steve Bauer, director of Team Spidertech announced confidently during the media conference “we believe we can take this Endeavour to the top of our sport, the Tour de France”.

It is certainly a unique Canadian corporate partnership that has given Team Spidertech the opportunity to enter into the bigger leagues of professional road cycling. Planet Energy with Catalyst Capital Group Inc. began the initiative as co-sponsors, two years ago.

Today Bauer and his partner Josee Larocque have added additional thrust to the team’s budget with sponsorship support from well-known companies Saputo, Blackberry, Iberville Developments and for 2010, title sponsor Spidertech take on the lead role. The 2010 rider roster is comprised of 13 Canadians and two international riders.

“We have to provide the opportunity for our own athletes” (Canadian). This is a great time for road cycling and the time is now for cycling in Canada to reach the big leagues,” says Bauer. The UCI Continental Team Spidertech powered by Planet Energy will begin its season soon in the Vuelta Cuba February 9 to 21. The Team big race season objectives are to compete in the Tour of California in May and have its riders ready for the Pro Tour events in Quebec and Montreal, September 10 and 12 respectively.

McEwen looks to return to his winning ways in 2010
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Katusha Announces 2010 Roster
The Russian ProTour team Katusha has announced its official team roster for the 2010 season. The team has added Kim Kirchen in hopes of increasing the teams chances in grand tours, while Robbie McEwen looks to return to form after a year lost to injury.

2010 Katusha Roster:
Marco Bandiera (ITA/25), Laszlo Bodrogi (FRA/33), Alexander Botcharov (RUS/34), Pavel Brutt (RUS/28), Denis Galimzyanov (RUS/22), Joan Horrach (ESP/35), Mikhail Ignatiev (RUS/24), Sergei Ivanov (RUS/34), Timofey Kritskiy (RUS/23), Vladimir Karpets (RUS/29), Robbie McEwen (AUS/37), Luca Mazzanti (ITA/35), Danilo Napolitano (ITA/29), Evgueni Petrov (RUS/31), Alexandr Pliuschin (MDA/23), Filippo Pozzato (ITA/28), Joachin Rodriquez (ESP/30), Egor Silin (RUS/21), Nikolay Trusov (RUS/24), Stijn Vandenbergh (BEL/25), Maxime Vantomme (BEL/23), Kim Kirchen (LUX/31), Eduard Vorganov (RUS/27), Artiom Ovechkin (RUS/23), Nikita Eskov (RUS/27), Sergey Klimov (RUS/29), Alexander Kolobnev (RUS/28).

RBA Newsflash: Ricardo Ricco's Girlfriend Positive for CERA

1/29/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Vania Rossi, the girlfriend of Riccardo Ricco, tested positive for EPO CERA at the Italian cyclocross championship. This is the same drug for which Ricco tested positive at the 2008 Tour de France. Rossi gave the sample after finishing second in the national championship on January 10.

Despite her second place finish, she was not named to the Italian squad for the world championships, "for health reasons." The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) is expected to suspend her even before the B sample is tested.

The couple have a young son; Rossi gave birth but a few months ago. Her return to racing was thought to be surprisingly quick.

Ricco's ban ends March 19, at which point he will join the Flaminia team.

Contador: ‘I Can Still Improve’

1/29/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

In yet another interview with Marca, Alberto Contador said he is entering the 2010 season as a stronger cyclist than he was in 2009. Contador believes he is yet to reach his peak fitness. When asked if he follows the reports about Armstrong in the media Contador said he goes about his life normally and doesn’t spend his time reading what Armstrong has said because he doesn’t wish to “waste energy thinking about it.”

Referring to Armstrong’s comments that Contador leads a parochial life, still living in the same town in which he grew up, Contador said, “I’m super proud to have my family by my side, the same old friends, to live in my town and not have changed my way of living.”

Marca asked Contador if the fact that Armstrong and Bruyneel have worked together for so many years gives them an advantage over him, or if that is offset because he knows them both very well. One compensates for the other he said.

“I have a bit of an advantage because I, fortunately, have not had too many bad days, while I know perfectly how they have used the moments of weakness of other riders and teams and how we tried to put them into trouble. On the whole, probably, I will gain. I feel privileged because I have learned a lot over the three years I’ve been with Johan.”

Tactically, Contador made it clear that Bruyneel was the boss at all times that, “he made the decisions … I adapted to it as possible.”

The equipment issue, of which much has been written, was raised yet again. So did the two riders have the same equipment?

“Generally speaking, yes, but with the exception of the wheels,” a subject he didn’t wish to discuss any further. He added, “Johan knows how it was I think there’s no need to explain.”

When pressed he said, “Johan knows the truth.”

Of his sponsors Contador was emphatic, “All the sponsors are treating me excellently.” And he clarified, “But not only now, but always. In fact, I am very grateful not only to the previous bicycle brand [Trek], but even the smallest of the partners I’ve had.”

When asked if it would be possible for him and Armstrong to get along he said, “For my part, yes, because I am a person who does not want conflict with anyone and I have no problem having a relationship of mutual respect.”

In response to a question about the other teams against which Astana will compete at the Tour, Contador was optimistic. “I am increasingly convinced that I will have a competitive team at the Tour.”

So what does the future hold for Contador? “I just turned 27 years old and I think I can still improve … in fact, I’m … performing better than before.”

Contador was reminded that Armstrong says he is better than last year. Speaking of the training data Contador said, “I don’t know his, but I can assure you mine are better than last year. And not because I’ve trained more.”

Contador says his approach to the Tour will be essentially unchanged from last year. He will begin with the Volta ao Algarve, followed by Paris-Nice, the Vuelta a Catalunya, the Tour of the Basque Country. Depending on how tired he is, he might ride a few of them “to know the charm.” His last race before the Tour will be the Dauphiné Libéré. While he’d like to race the Tour of California or the Tour of Italy, it won’t happen this year.

Valverde at the Tour Down Under
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Spanish Cycling President Defends Valverde
Juan Carlos Castano, the president of the Spanish Cycling Federation (REFC), said in an interview with Radio Murcia, “The International Cycling Union (UCI) has no reason to doubt that Alejandro Valverde is an exemplary athlete.”

Privately, Castano has spoken with UCI President Pat McQuaid and told him they believe Valverde to be innocent of doping charges. He reiterated that only the REFC has the authority to adjudicate a doping charge against a Spanish rider.

He doubted the veracity of the statements made by Valverde’s former teammate, Jesus Manzano, the former Kelme rider who now works as a gardener. Of the statements Manzano made to the Court of Arbitration for Sport Castano said, “They were not spontaneous or repentant. I do no understand why he made those confessions.”

He went on to further exonerate Valverde, saying he was “flawless as an athlete and as a person,” and added that his pursuit by authorities is “absolutely illogical.” Agencies, such as the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI), he said, are using twisted means “to get their ends.”

Castano says McQuaid confessed to him in a private conversation that the UCI had no reason to doubt Valverde. It is Castano’s belief that merely carrying a Spanish passport subjects a rider to immediate suspicion.

Christian Vande Velde at the Lake Annecy time trial of the 2009 Tour
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Vande Velde Signs for Three Years
Christian Vande Velde, team captain for the Garmin-Transitions team, will likely finish out his career with the formation following a contract renewal good through 2012. The 33-year-old rider will be the undisputed leader for the team at the 2010 Tour de France.

When Vande Velde first signed with Garmin-Slipstream in 2008, it was with the promise of being a team leader, a role he had never occupied. Vaughters believed Vande Velde was more than capable and groomed him for leadership despite a career spent in the service of others, first at U.S. Postal Service, then Liberty Seguros and CSC.

Vande Velde delivered for the team, finishing an impressive fourth in 2008. In 2009, despite having crashed in the Giro d’Italia and breaking five vertebra, a hip and a rib, he still managed to ride in support of Bradley Wiggins and finish eighth overall.

Team Radio Shack masses at the front of the Tour Down Under
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Radio Shack Announces Tour Long Team
Team Radio Shack has released the names of the 14 riders in contention for the nine spots for the team’s squad that will compete at the 2010 Tour de France. Johan Bruyneel says the team has unusual depth and that cutting five riders from the list will be difficult.

In the quest to support Lance Armstrong’s bid to win an eighth Tour crown, the other 13 riders are: Janez Brajkovic, Chris Horner, Andreas Klöden, Levi Leipheimer, Jason McCartney, Dmitriy Muravyev, Sergio Paulinho, Yaroslav Popovych, Gregory Rast, Sebastien Rosseler, Gert Steegmans, Tomas Vaitkus and Haimar Zubeldia.

Kessler Improves
Former German professional rider Matthias Kessler is no longer listed in critical condition. The rider was training on the island of Mallorca when he crashed on January 13, fracturing his skull and suffering brain trauma. He has been in an induced coma since then, but recently was permitted to begin to wake up. Reportedly, he is beginning to move some as well.

The former Astana rider had recently finished serving a suspension for testosterone (in July 2009) and was planning a comeback to the pro ranks. At the time of the crash, he was training with Radio Shack rider and close friend Andreas Kloden.

Cyclo-Cross Worlds to USA

1/28/2010

American racers and fans alike are ready for a world-class event

(Photo: Chris Henry)

Cyclo-Cross World's to USA

The UCI confirmed the host of the 2013 Elite Cyclo-cross World Championships, naming Louisville, Kentucky as the successful bidder to bring the event to the United States. Confirmation came today as the cyclo-cross world prepares to tackle this year's battle for the rainbow jersey in snowy Tabor, Czech Republic. Sources tell Road Bike Action that Louisville's competition was limited, at best, meaning that an air-tight bid all but guaranteed an American selection.

Louisville will also play host to the 2012 and 2013 Masters Cyclo-cross World Championships.

"After more than a decade of working closely with American promoters and the UCI to grow our international calendar of cyclo-cross events, Louisville’s winning bid is a testament to the success of those efforts and to the extraordinary quality of ‘cross racing in the U.S.," USA Cycling CEO Steve Johnson said after the announcement.

Louisville organizers have tried unsuccessfully in recent years to host a World Cup event, normally a prerequisite to hosting the World's, but this year appear to have overcome technical and financial hurdles to secure the rights to take the World's outside of Europe for the first time. UCI technical inspectors paid a visit to the Derby City round of the USGP Cyclocross series and were obviously pleased with what they saw.

"I was impressed with the vision and detail of the plans to develop the area into a cyclo-cross race venue," said UCI technical delegate Simon Burney. "The area, terrain and surroundings lend themselves perfectly to a major race venue, and with the city of Louisville firmly behind the project the opportunity for world class events certainly looks exciting."

The UCI has grown increasingly eager to see a North American event of this calibre as it seeks to grow cyclo-cross beyond its traditional European confines. American 'cross fans have spurred incredible growth in recent years with top-quality events, strong fields, and exciting racing drawing sizable crowds and a dedicated following. Upon hearing early indications that the first non-European World's might be held in the USA, cyclo-cross master Sven Nys said he would postpone his planned retirement in order to race on American soil.

While an American has yet to don the stripes as elite world champion, stalwarts like current national champion Tim Johnson, Jeremy Powers, and Jonathan Page will line up with high hopes in Tabor this weekend.

Paris-Nice Team Selections

Race organizer ASO has announced the 22 teams invited to take part in this year's edition of Paris-Nice (March 7-14). With more teams featuring top riders, the field of wild cards and Tour de France hopefuls looks exceedingly crowded this season. As a result, making an impression on the owners of the Tour de France will become even more critical in the early season.

One such team hoping to make its mark is the Dutch-based Skil-Shimano outfit, which enjoyed selection to the 2009 Tour but will have to continue to display tenacity if it wants a return invitation.

"We are delighted with the confidence ASO has shown in us," team manager Iwan Spekenbrink commented upon hearing the news of his Paris-Nice invite.

"Paris-Nice is a stage race we’re suited to and the team is motivated to give a good account of ourselves again."

The "race to the sun" will also be an important test for Cofidis and Bbox Bouygues Telecom, two French teams knocked out of the ProTour ranks this season.

Teams for Paris-Nice: AG2R La Mondiale, Astana, Caisse d’Epargne, Euskaltel-Euskadi, Française des Jeux, Garmin-Transitions, Lampre-Farnese Vini, Liquigas, Omega Pharma-Lotto, Quick Step, Rabobank, Team Sky, Team Katusha, Team RadioShack, Team Saxo Bank, BBox Bouygues Telecom, Cofidis, Saur-Sojasun, Vacansoleil, Cervélo TestTeam, Skil-Shimano

Veteran David Moncoutié will lead Cofidis on a mission on rebuild

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Cofidis to Focus on Stage Racing

The beleaguered French Cofidis, having lost its ProTour status for 2010, will focus on stage race victories in its bid to regain its stature of years gone by. Once the sixth-ranked team in the world and holder of three world champion's jerseys, Cofidis has struggled to assert itself as a top-flight team in recent seasons. Team manager Eric Boyer is now looking in a new direction in a last-ditch bid to salvage a reputation and hang onto sponsorship.

"If Cofidis is to continue, it's going to be in the elite ranks," Boyer commented at the team's presentation. "It's up to the riders to show that they have their place in the ProTour and earn the necessary points in big races."

Complicating any team's efforts to regain position in the among the top rankings is the challenge of earning invitations to major events. This year's arrival of numerous new teams will not make life easy for Boyer and Cofidis.

"We've never had a rider who could win [the Tour de France] but we have the potential to play our cards in the general classification of the one-week races, which we've neglected to focus on until now."

Among the riders Boyer expects to shine in these events are longtime Cofidis rider David Moncoutié, Rémi Pauriol, Amaël Moinard, and Rein Taaramae, a young climbing sensation from Estonia.

"I know that I'll have a lot of freedom here; I won't have to ride for a big team leader," Taaramae told l'Equipe. "I'll have to be more focused this year, thinking of the general classification."

Cofidis' 2010 Roster: Stéphane Augé, Alexandre Blain, Guillaume Blot, Mickaël Buffaz, Rémi Cusin, Samuel Dumoulin, Leonardo Duque, Julien El Fares, Jean Eudes Demaret, Julien Fouchard, Tony Gallopin, Kevyn Ista, Christophe Kern, Jens Keukeleire, Kalle Kriit, Sébastien Minard, Amael Moinard, David Moncoutié, Damien Monier, Rémi Pauriol, Nico Sijmens, Rein Taaramäe, Tristan Valentin, Romain Zingle

Tour of Poland to Visit Auschwitz

A key stage of the 2010 Tour of Poland is set to start from the site of Nazi German concentration camp Auschwitz, to pay respect to the victims of the Holocaust. The sixth stage from Oswiecim to Bukowina on this summer's race, which will run from August 1-7, will start near the site of the World War II-era death camp, where there will be a minute's silence by the riders. The 240km-long stage will be one of the race's most challenging rides with the finish taking place on a climb.

"We think it's important on our part to commemorate the Shoah," the tour's director Czeslaw Lang told RoadCycling.com. "The spirit is that of remembering in order to better learn from the mistakes of our past, so that tragedies like these on this scale can never happen again."

Auschwitz, the German name for Oswiecim in southern Poland, was the largest camp built by the occupying Nazis. A million of the six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust were

murdered there, mostly in its notorious gas chambers, as well as tens of thousands including Poles, Roma and Soviet POWs.

On January 27, 1945, the camp was liberated by Soviet troops and the 65th anniversary was marked at the site Thursday by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Poland's leaders.

Zipp Expands Operations

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels joined executives of Zipp Speed Weaponry today to announce that the company will expand its design and manufacturing operations, creating 105 new jobs by 2013. The company, which designs and manufactures wheels, bars and other accessories, will invest $12.4 million to construct a new 70,000 square-foot manufacturing and customer service center on the city’s northwest side.

"Despite what we are experiencing in the national and global economy, there are great companies, like Zipp, that are continuing to grow and invest in Indiana," said Daniels.

Zipp, has over 50% of its sales outside of the United States, currently employs nearly 130 people at its manufacturing and design operations in Speedway. Zipp plans to begin hiring additional manufacturing and customer support associates in the second quarter of 2010 in preparation for commencement of operations at the new facility in July.

“Zipp Speed Weaponry has its roots in innovation; our growth is driven by it," said Zipp's director of manufacturing, David Campbell. "We are known for creating new products, and even new markets, within the cycling industry."

Zipp was established in 1988 and this year will see its wheels ridden by defending Tour de France champion Alberto Contador and the Astana team.

Armstrong Avoids Contador

1/27/2010

(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Armstrong Avoids Contador
Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong will not line up against each other at the Volta a Catalunya, which will take place from March 22 to 28 as Armstrong decided to vary his program and participate in the Criterium International on the same dates. The 79th edition of the Criterium International will take place on March 27 and 28,and will consist of three stages – two-road stage and a time trial. Armstrong, who kicked off the ProTour season with a 25th place in the Tour Down Under in Australia, will also participate in the Tour of Murcia from March 3-7.

Galbano shown here in 2003, has lost his appeal
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Whereabouts Program Does Not Violate Privacy
On Wednesday, a provincial court in the Spanish city of Almeria rejected the appeal of the Spanish cyclist Carlos Roman Golbano against his 2004 doping conviction. Colbano’s appeal was based on his argument that the UCI’s whereabouts program was illegal and violated his privacy. In 2007, a lower court rejected his initial complaint.

The UCI is understandably very satisfied with the ruling. "We have fought in cycling for years against doping. We are proud of the sport in general; the fruits of our dedication will be reaped. We are also confident that our joint efforts against doping will lead to more efficient controls. Judicial statements like this confirm the basic principles on which our strategy and actions are based," said UCI President Pat McQuaid.

Team manager Eusebio Unzúe hopes to keep the team together past 2010
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Caisse d'Epargne On Hunt for New Sponsor
Caisse d'Epargne announced on Thursday that they were pulling out of the sport at the end of the season. However, instead of causing chaos with in the team, it appears that the news has inspired the squad. Luis Leon Sanchez reacted to the news by winning the queen stage of the Tour Down Under and team manager Eusebio Unzúe already looking for a new sponsor.

The team has recorded some famous victories in races like the Tour de France, the Tour of Spain and the Ardennes Classics. The paln of Unzúe and the leaders of the company owning the ProTour license is to continue with the team. "Our intention is to remain one of the strongest teams of the bunch, but that level of sport has a price and that's what sponsors are looking at," admitted Unzúe.

Unzúe knows its not a good time to be looking for a new sponsor. In fact Caisse d'Epargne is not the only major sponsor leaving the peloton. Saxo Bank also announced its departure and Lampre is in a sea of doubt due to problems with the ProTour license. However, Unzúe is optimistic with the reception given to the team. "Obviously we have looked at some things and so far, the reception is good."

Unzúe and his staff hope to have a new sponsor lined up before the Tour de France, which is when most top riders sign for teams. "There is no deadline, but obviously to make a good team we must have clear ideas before July. I think that on those dates we will know something concrete," said Unzúe. "The danger (of not finding a sponsor) always exists, but the intention is to continue with these riders and they should be patient because it takes time."

Fly V Australia to ride Reynolds in 2010
(Photo courtesy of Fly V Australia)

Reynolds Sponsors Fly V Australia
Reynolds will supply wheels to Fly V Australia including the element disc and cutting lightweight RZR wheel sets. Team owner Chris White remarked, “Our relationship with Reynolds is important to our success as having a wheel supplier at the forefront of technology and continually looking for improvements will ultimately drive our success as a team too. Reynolds clearly displays the desire to advance their products."

Reynolds VP Sales and Marketing Jonathan Geran said, “Reynolds Cycling is very excited to be a part of the Fly V program, their racing depth and experience tie very nicely into our overall company philosophy. The team goals align with our marketing strategy and their visibility on multiple continents along with the success of the program will increase our racing pedigree. Everyone within Reynolds is excited to work with the team on a successful racing program and product development feedback from top professionals that push anyone’s product to extremes.”

LIve from Lake Como: Viganò With An Accent

1/27/2010

(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

"The team made sure to get the accent on the O after I pointed it out. It is vee-gan-O."

Davide Viganò is starting his sixth season as a professional and he believes it will be the most promising one. The ò at the end of his name may seem like a small detail, but Team Sky is making sure to cover every detail.

"It matters for pronunciation and especially when I am filing my taxes in Italy," explained Viganò. "If that accent is not there then it creates all sorts of problems when I report my income at the end of the year."

The final touch is added to Viganò's team bike

Viganò, 25, leans back in his seat, the Australian sun is shining through the window of the Hilton hotel and onto his Team Sky casual wear. He focuses through his Gucci eyeglasses and smiles as he talks about growing up.

He lives in Carate Brianza, south of Lake Como and just north of the Monza Formula 1 racetrack. He explained that motors, not bikes, dominated his childhood. His dad often raced motorbikes and Formula 3000 cars, but Viganò only watched.

"I was never tempted to start," he said. "He had an easier time in the car. It only required that you push one pedal down, with cycling you have two pedals to push."

Viganò's start in cycling went well. He signed with Belgian super team Quick Step mid-way into his first season, 2005, and began working immediately for Tom Boonen and Paolo Bettini.

The two greats appreciated Viganò's quick turn of speed and ability to get over the climbs. Viganò helped them through his second year, including a start in his first Grand Tour, the Vuelta a España.

He continued his rise in 2007, including two top fives in stages of the Vuelta a España, but the loss of his dad Elio to a fatal heart attack in July caused a lot of suffering.

Elio introduced his son to cycling at age eight and supported him on his way to win the Italian national championships in the beginners' category. To put it lightly, the loss of his dad hurt.

"It seems like I have always had problems over the last years," continued Viganò. "Last year it was mononucleosis, the year before it was chicken pox and three years ago my dad died.

"I am ready to show my real potential with Sky."

Team manager Dave Brailsford gave him the chance when he signed Viganò to join new British ProTour team Sky in October.

Viganò feels comfortable with his new Sky team

"In this team everything is different," said Viganò. "You can speak to the team directors and riders easily. After one day riding together it seemed as though we had already known each other for months."

"In Quick Step we were one of the best teams and we were compact and strong. Though we were strong and well organized at the races, there was not the team spirit like there is at Sky.

"At Sky the riders come first."

He referred to the accent on his name, but also how at the first team gathering in Manchester the team asked the riders what races they want to ride, asked them what the internal rules should be and gifted them all iPhones and MacBook Pro computers.

The riders are using the iPhones to stay in contact, sending each other videos that then posted on the team's website and Facebook page. They sent messages and videos immediately they won the team's first race, the Adelaide criterium that opens up the Tour Down Under.

Viganò led the sprint train for Chris Sutton and eventual winner Gregory Henderson.

"You need a lot of coordination to form sprint train," Viganò continued. "In the past with Quick Step, it took time, but here it clicked immediately.

"It looks easy but it is not. It is like a wrist watch, every click counts and if one second is skipped nothing works."

Viganò returns home today to prepare for a move to be near the team's training base. He is relocating to Quarrata, just over Tuscan hills from Florence. After a training camp in Valencia, Spain, he returns to racing at the Etoile de Bessèges, February 3 to 7.

He wants to put the accent on his career, to win his first race.

"It does not matter which race. Sky is racing the big races, so if I win one it will be a good one."

Sunderland Pleased with Paris-Nice Route

1/26/2010

The peloton will face a challenging but reasonable test in the "race to the sun"
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Sunderland Pleased with Paris-Nice Parcours
Team Sky's senior sports director Scott Sunderland has expressed his satisfaction with the recently unveiled parcours of the 2010 edition of Paris-Nice. Tough climbs and bad weather in 2009 prompted a number of recommendations from teams to avoid overly-difficult stages in the early season. Paris-Nice begins March 7 with a prologue time trial in Montfort-l'Amaury and concludes on March 14 in Nice.

"The organizer has made the parcours a little bit easier compared to last year, which I think is a good move," Sunderland commented. "ASO has definitely had ears for the suggestions of different teams' managers. That's great."

Mont Ventoux, which figured prominently in the penultimate stage of the 2009 Tour de France, was up for possible inclusion on the Paris-Nice course for 2010, but ASO ultimately opted for a more westerly route, full of climbing but without single difficulties on par with the legendary Ventoux.

"I think at this time of year you've got to take the weather into account," Sunderland added. "It's possible to make it too difficult too early and I think what the organizers have put forward is a sensible solution."

France's Vendée region once more plays host to the Tour start in 2011

(Image: ASO)

Passage du Gois Returns to Tour in 2011

Tour de France organizer ASO confirmed details of the anticipated Grand Départ of the 2011 edition of the race, centered around the Vendée region on the Atlantic coast. With this year's Tour beginning in the Dutch city of Rotterdam, the Tour kick-off returns home next year. The first stage will get underway on Saturday, July 2 close to the approaches to the island of Noirmoutier and will end at the Mont des Alouettes next to the town of Les Herbiers.

The following day will see a 23-kilometres team time-trial around the town of Essarts with the third stage leaving from the Vendee coastal town of Olonne-sur-Mer. It will be the fourth time in the last 20 years that the Tour has started in the Vendee after 1993, 1999 and 2005. Tour organizers underlined the fact the 2011 edition will not start with any kind of time trial.

Instead, the race to the uphill finish at Mont des Alouettes will closely resemble the finish to the first stage of the Tour in 2008 when Spaniard Alejandro Valverde claimed a memorable victory at Plumelec in Brittany. The racing will also take in the dreaded Passage du Gois, whose slippery surfaces have wrought havoc on the peloton, including the mass pileup that allowed Lance Armstrong to escape and distance many race favorites in his first Tour victory.

The French island of Corsica is said to be launching a bid to host the start of the 2013 Tour.

Wiggins to Qatar

Britain's Bradley Wiggins will make his racing debut in the colors of Team Sky at the Tour of Qatar. Originally scheduled to open his season at the Etoile de Bessèges in France, Wiggins has opted to head to Qatar to get the legs rolling as he prepares for his top goal of improving upon his fourth place overall (2009) in the Tour de France.

Brice Feillu wants a top-ten finish in this year's Tour de France

(Photo: Chris Henry)

Brice Feillu Thinks Big

French climbing sensation Brice Feillu, winner of the 2009 Tour de France stage to Andorra-Arcalis, is thinking ahead to big results in this year's edition of the race. Feillu broke clear to win alone atop Arcalis, establishing himself as a French hopeful alongside his brother Romain, a sprinter who enjoyed a brief stint in yellow in the 2008 Tour.

"I'm looking for a top-ten finish in the Tour this year," Feillu commented Tuesday.

This year the Feillu brothers have jumped from Agritubel to the Dutch Vacansoleil team.

"If we have the chance to participate [in the Tour], we'll go with big ambitions since Romain has put his hand up to race for the green jersey and Brice dreams every night of the polka dot jersey," team manager Hilaire Van Der Schueren commented at his team's launch this week.

Adageo Energy's Haiti Benefit

The Adageo Energy Pro Cycling Team is contributing to relief efforts in Haiti by donating a portion of the proceeds from the sale of its 2010 team clothing to the American Red Cross. Team kits made by Pactimo for the new, U.S.-based UCI continental team will be available for sale to the public through Sunday, January 31. For each jersey purchased, $3 will be donated to the Red Cross. Also as part of the special fundraising drive, Adageo’s affiliate club, Liquid Cycling, will be giving away a free annual membership with the purchase of each jersey.

Ordering info can be found on the team website: www.AdageoEnergyProCycling.com, or the club website: www.LiquidCycling.com.

Adageo Energy Team Director Josh Horowitz said the idea to contribute to such a worthwhile effort made perfect sense with the timing of the sale of the team’s new clothing.

"When Clay Womack (Adageo Energy Founder) and I put this program together, he always wanted it to be about more than just bike racing," Horowitz said. "So when he came to me to see how we could use the team to help in Haiti, the timing of the clothing sales was perfect."

Greipel Tops First Rankings of 2010

1/25/2010

(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Greipel Tops First Rankings of 2010
The day after HTC-Columbia’s Andre Greipel took the overall classification at the Santos Tour Down Under following three stage wins, the UCI released its first rankings of the year with him firmly in the lead. The German rider leads Luis Leon Sanchez and teammate Greg Henderson. Natrually, Greipel’s team, HTC-Columbia leads the rankings as well.

1. Andre Greipel (Ger / Columbia) 100 points
2. Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) 86
3. Greg Henderson (NZL) 79
4. Robbie McEwen (Aus) 67
5. Luke Roberts (Aus) 54

Teams:
1. Columbia (USA) 119 points
2. Katyusha (Rus) 97
3. Caisse d'Epargne (Spa) 92
4. Sky (GBR) 85
5. Milram (GER) 58

Countries:
1. Australia 175 points
2. Germany 123
3. Spain 92
4. New Zealand 79
5. Russia 30

Schumacher on the podium at the 2008 Tour de France
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

CAS Rejects Schumacher's Appeal
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Monday rejected an appeal by disgraced German cyclist Stefan Schumacher against a two-year ban for doping during the 2008 Olympic Games. The CAS is the final authority on matters of sporting bans for offenses such as doping.

"The Court of Arbitration for Sport has dismissed the appeal filed by German cyclist Stefan Schumacher against the decision of the International Cycling Union to recognize the two-year suspension imposed by the French Anti-Doping Agency and to extend it worldwide," said the court in a statement.

However, the CAS brought forward the suspension to August 28, 2008 – when the athlete effectively stopped racing because he could no longer get a license – nstead of January 22, 2009, the date fixed by the UCI.

Schumacher was one of six athletes who had tested positive for banned-blood booster erythropoietin (EPO) CERA in Beijing after samples were re-tested. Having already tested positive twice for CERA at the 2008 Tour de France, where he won two stages, Schumacher was handed a two-year ban by the UCI, the sport's governing body, in February 2009.

The German denies ever being doped and on April 1, 2009, took his case to the CAS in Lausanne. He will be eligible to return to racing August 29, 2010.

Chris Sutton wins the final stage of the Tour Down Under
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Sky’s Budget $54 Million?
Despite protestations by David Brailsford, the head of Team Sky, the Spanish paper Marca has reported that the new British formation is the best-funded team in the pro peloton, indeed in history. Marca has reported that the team, backed by Rupert Murdoch’s Sky network, has an operating budget of £30 million ($54 million), easily the richest in pro cycling, if correct.

Brailsford, the architect of the British track team that took eight medals at the Beijing Olympics, was given a new mission: win the Tour de France. Any hope of accomplishing that mission began with a simple requirement: form a ProTour team, no small feat. At minimum, Brailsford had to assemble 25 riders of pedigree.

Brailsford and Sky have come under criticism for the contracted riders they lured away to their team, such as Garmin-Slipstream’s Bradley Wiggins, and Katusha’s Ben Swift. As a result, (and as previously reported here) UCI President Pat McQuaid has ordered a review of transfer rules in cycling and has suggested that the sport may move to a football-style transfer system where movement must be executed within a finite window.

Though Brailsford insists his formation isn’t the best funded in cycling (he says it is the sixth-best funded), the roster of talent he amassed pulled six riders from the 2009 Columbia-HTC formation, two each from Garmin-Slipstream, Rabobank and Cervelo Test Team. The quality of riders Sky collected suggests they had deep pockets to go after exactly the riders they wanted.

Sky’s investment in cycling goes beyond the team itself. It purchased the broadcast rights of the Cancer Council event as well as the Santos Tour Down Under.

Exclusive RBA Video: Andy and Frank Schleck Interview

1/25/2010

(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Evans Targets ‘Unfinished Business’

1/24/2010

(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Evans Targets ‘Unfinished Business’
Australia's world champion Cadel Evans on Sunday targeted "unfinished business" in the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France after a surprise sixth place in the Tour Down Under. Evans, a two-time runner-up in France, had not expected to figure strongly in Adelaide but he shot up the standings with a third-place finish in searing heat on day three and a daring break on stage five.

"I didn't come here with any expectations because putting pressure on yourself to perform when you haven't done the preparation isn't healthy," he said. "Hopefully it's a sign of things to come."

Evans finished behind German winner Andre Greipel but ahead of Tour of Spain title-holder Alejandro Valverde, who is appealing a doping conviction, and Tour de France champions Lance Armstrong and Oscar Pereiro. He said he was gearing his season around May's Giro, where he briefly wore the pink leader's jersey during his last appearance in 2002, and another tilt at the Tour de France in July.

"There's unfinished business at the Giro and Tour (de France) for me, and that's been years of culminating and whetting my appetite," he said.

Evans appeared here with new team BMC and as the first Australian to wear the road race world champion's distinctive "rainbow" jersey. "I didn't know what effect the rainbow jersey had on people within cycling, because I'd never had one," he said. "It really does have a pretty amazing effect. It certainly stands out in the peloton. I just want to honor the rainbow jersey for what it is."

However, he played down his chances of defending the title in October, when the world championships head to Melbourne, saying the course did not fit well with his riding style. "It's a big ask. It's not a course that suits me well enough to gear my whole year around," Evans said.

According to Bruyneel, Armstrong "feels good in the team"
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Bruyneel Says Armstrong’s Form is Better than Last Year
Armstrong finished his stage race of the season, the six-stage race around Adelaide in 25th place, a slight improvement on last year's 29th as he gears up for his attempt on an eighth Tour de France title in July. "Having a beer with Team RadioShack," he tweeted. "Good week here at Tour Down Under."

Armstrong joined the new RadioShack outfit from Astana, moving with team boss Johan Bruyneel who masterminded all of his record seven Tour de France victories between 1999 and 2005. Bruyneel said Armstrong was in better condition than last year, when he returned from a three-and-a-half-year retirement, and also happier with his new team. Armstrong famously fell out with Astana teammate Alberto Contador last season in a feud that came to the boil during the Tour de France, when he placed third behind the Spaniard.

"Lance is good. He's a lot different than last year. Physically his form is a lot better, he feels good in the bunch and he feels good in the team so that's three things that are better than last year," Bruyneel said.

Armstrong earlier said he was happy with the trip, although it was too early to make any predictions for the rest of the season. "It's still so early. Not much can be taken from here in terms of what happens in the summer, in fact nothing," he said. "The main thing is we got good racing in, which equals good preparation mixed with no bad luck: illness, injuries, crashes. Smooth trip, good weather."

Stybar's consistency was rewarded with overall victory in the World Cup
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Stybar and Van den Brand Claim World Cup Titles
After the final round in Hoogerheide, Netherlands, Zdenek Stybar, and Daphny Van den Brand claimed the overall Cyclocross World Cups.

Stybar held on to his existing lead over a charging Niels Albert who closed to within 4 points of Stybar. Albert who is returning to top form from injury took victory in the final round ahead of Stybar. By finishing second, Stybar held on to his overall lead in the World Cup. Despite not winning the overall, Albert’s win in Hoogerheide saw him finish with a 4 to 3 advantage in terms of World Cup race victories.

In the women’s World Cup, long time overall leader Katie Compton was forced out of the final two rounds due to leg cramps. This opened the door for Dutchwoman Van den Brand to take a solid lead in the competition. In the final round Van den Brand finished third behind her compatriot Marianne Vos. By finishing third Van den Brand was able to take the title by 5 points over Vos.

Final Beijing World Cup Results
Results from the third and final day of the track cycling World Cup in Beijing on Sunday:

Men
Madison
1. Hong Kong (Kwok Ho Ting, Choi Ki Ho)
2. Italy (Elia Viviani, Angelo Ciccone)
3. New Zealand (Myron Simpson, Thomas Scully)

Sprint
1. Edward Dawkins (NZL)
2. Michael D'Almeida (FRA)
3. Francois Pervis (FRA)

Women
Team Pursuit
1. Australia (Ashlee Ankudinoff, Sarah Kent, Josephine Tomic) 3:22.879
2. New Zealand (Jaime Nielson, Lauren Ellis, Alison Shanks) 3:23.747
3. Canada (Laura Brown, Stephanie Roorda, Tara Whitten) 3:26.723

Keirin
1. Guo Shuang (CHN)
2. Miriam Welte (GER)
3. Lee Wai Sze (HKG)

Overall standings after four legs:
1. Germany 342 pts
2. Australia 325
3. Netherlands 225
4. Great Britain 223
5. China 208
6. New Zealand 183

Tour Down Under Stage 6: Greipel Claims Overall

1/23/2010

(Yuzuru Sunada)

Germany's Andre Greipel clinched an emphatic second Tour Down Under victory on Sunday, just a year after he spectacularly crashed out of the race. The big HTC-Columbia rider ended the final stage fifth, preserving his overall lead of 11 seconds behind Chris Sutton and Greg Henderson's one-two finish for Team Sky. "I'm really happy, and for the team as well," Greipel said. "The team did a really good job the last week. I'm just really happy." American cycling legend Lance Armstrong, who is building towards this year's Tour de France, started the day 47 seconds adrift and did not finish among the leaders.

Team Sky took over in the final section of Sunday's stage in central Adelaide, with Chris Sutton and Greg Henderson claiming the new outfit's second one-two finish of the week. Henderson placed third overall, putting Sky on the podium in their very first race as they bid to produce Britain's first ever Tour de France champion. Spain's Luis Leon Sanchez took second overall.

Greipel, 27, crashed out of last year's race when as defending champion, he ploughed into a parked police motorbike and spent four months out with shoulder surgery. He has dominated this week, claiming the first two stages with trademark sprint finishes and then eclipsing an Armstrong attack with another powerful dash on day four.

In Sunday's stage six, Australia's Wesley Sulzberger threatened to pull a sensational upset when he opened up a 43-second lead in a three-man break with four laps of the central Adelaide circuit to go. But the runaways were caught with 2.5 kilometers to go and the blue-and-black-clad Sky riders controlled the last section, adding to their first and second places in last Sunday's pre-Tour street race.

The six-stage Tour Down Under, raced over 800 kilometers (500 miles) of road around Adelaide, has grown into one of Australia's biggest sporting events attracting hundreds of thousands of fans.

Tour Down Under: Stage 6, Adelaide 90km
1. Chris Sutton (Aus/Team Sky) 1:53:20
2. Greg Henderson (NZl/Team Sky) @ s.t.
3. Graeme Brown (Aus/Rabobank)
4. Robbie McEwen (Aus/Team Katusha)
5. Andre Greipel (Ger/HTC-Columbia)
6. Allan Davis (Aus/Astana)
7. Matthew Goss (Aus/HTC-Columbia)
8. Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr/Francaise Des Jeux)
9. Gert Steegmans (Bel/RadioShack)

Selected:
18. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) s.t.
44. Alejandro Valverde (ESP/Caisse D'Epargne)
47. Luis Leon Sanchez (ESP/Caisse D'Epargne)
77. Lance Armstrong (USA/RadioShack @ .16

Final Overall
1. Andre Greipel (GER/HTC-Columbia) 18:47:05
2. Luis Leon Sanchez (ESP/Caisse D'Epargne)@ .11
3. Greg Henderson (NZL/Sky) @ .15
4. Robbie McEwen (AUS/Katusha) @ .17
5. Luke Roberts (AUS/Milram) s.t.
6. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) @ .21
7. Eduard Vorganov (RUS/Katusha) @ .25
8. Jurgen Roelandts (BEL/Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ .26
9. Robbie Hunter (RSA/Garmin-Transitions) s.t.
10. Markus Fothen (GER/Milram) @ .27

Selected:
19. Alejandro Valverde (ESP/Caisse D'Epargne) @ .32
25. Lance Armstrong (USA/RadioShack) @ 1:03

Armstrong, Contador Rivalry ‘Good for the Sport’

1/23/2010

(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Armstrong, Contador Rivalry ‘Good for the Sport’
Lance Armstrong's rivalry with Tour de France champion Alberto Contador is "healthy" for cycling and better than the usual doping controversies, the sport's chief said on Saturday. Pat McQuaid, president of the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) said the verbal hostilities since last year's race have long been a part of cycling.

"I see it as a healthy rivalry, I don't see it as being over the top," he told reporters in Adelaide during the Tour Down Under. "I think they're both saying things to position themselves in the lead-up to the Tour (de France) and I think that's a strategic aspect that there's always been throughout cycling."

Seven-time winner Armstrong has compared July's Tour de France showdown as "Ali-Frazier" after the former teammates fell out spectacularly during last year's race. Contador has accused Armstrong of being a bad teammate, calling their relationship "non-existent" and provocatively describing Luxembourg's Andy Schleck as his main rival.

McQuaid said cycling had benefited from previous rivalries including Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali's legendary clashes of the 1940s and 1950s, and Greg LeMond and Bernard Hinault's row in the 1980s. "I don't think there's anything unhealthy about it. I think it's good for the sport. Controversy of this type is a lot better than many other types of controversies which our sport has had over the last couple of years," McQuaid said, referring to doping.

"From that point of view I think it's a good thing. It generates interest in the Tour and will be a big talking point in advance of the Tour and during the Tour. The two individuals are bringing pressure on each other and I think it's how they deal with that pressure and deal with the event that will all unfold during July."

Armstrong, 38, is embarking on the second year of his comeback at the Tour Down Under, while Contador will start his season at next month's Tour of the Algarve.

Armstrong goes on the attack in Australia
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Armstrong to Remain Focused On Tour
Lance Armstrong on Saturday vowed not to repeat last season's mistakes when he "goofed off" after the Tour Down Under, affecting his comeback year. The seven-time Tour de France winner said he paid the price in last February's Tour of California, where he had a tough time and placed seventh. The American fell and broke his collarbone in March before recovering to finish third in July's Tour de France behind Spanish rival Alberto Contador.

"I messed up in the weeks after this last year. I went back and thought I was on schedule or slightly ahead of schedule and I goofed off a bit much and suffered bad in California," Armstrong told reporters. "I have to not make those mistakes again and just keep on the gas right through February."

Armstrong said it was too early to tell whether he was on track for this year's Tour de France, where he is bidding to become the race's oldest winner at 38. "It's still so early. Not much can be taken from here in terms of what happens in the summer, in fact nothing," he said. "The main thing is we got good racing in, which equals good preparation mixed with no bad luck: illness, injuries, crashes. Smooth trip, good weather."

He added that he was "50-50" on returning to Australia for Melbourne's road world championships in October, adding that he was not sure whether he still had the power needed to win. "Back in my explosive days it would have been good," he said. "It's just a question of your condition. At 260-kilometers it's the guys that have the best preparation that do well. You can't hide after six hours."

Sky's relentless pursuit of Wiggins and Swift has drawn harsh criticism
(Photo courtesy of Sky)

Sky Causes Review of Transfer Regulations
Cycling is set to clamp down on transfers of riders between teams after high-profile swoops by Britain's rich new Sky outfit, the sport's chief said on Saturday, UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) president Pat McQuaid said criticism of Team Sky's tactics had prompted a reappraisal of transfer rules, opening the door to football-style regulation.

"Because of what other people feel was fairly harsh and businesslike work of Sky in trying to get exactly the riders they want, maybe we should tighten up the regulations in relation to transfers," McQuaid said. "That's something we are working on at the moment."

Sky raised disquiet in the conservative sport by signing Ben Swift, who was contracted to Katusha, and triple Olympic champion Bradley Wiggins from Garmin-Transitions. Meanwhile America's BMC Racing Team lured Australian world road champion Cadel Evans from Silence-Lotto, boosting their chances of gaining a place in the elite races.

"There's no panacea for it because if a new team comes into the market... as with Sky last year, they've got to get 25 to 30 riders and most of them are already on a contract of one form or other," McQuaid said. "It's difficult for them to come in at a good level and just take the available riders who are already at the end of a contract."

He did not detail what measures were under consideration, but football operates a "transfer window" system where clubs can only sign during designated periods. McQuaid said under the current system, both teams needed to come to an agreement before a rider can move. But he said recent developments had shaken up the "small family" sport.

"We probably do need slightly tighter controls and regulations on the transfer system," he said. "That's something we are looking at the moment because this past winter there have been several controversies in relation to transfers."

Sky, with a reported multi-million dollar budget, was formed last year with the intention of producing Britain's first Tour de France winner.

Rebellin (L) on the podium in Beijing
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Kolobnev Still Without Bronze
Russian rider Alexander Kolobnev (Katusha) today released the letter he sent to UCI president Patrick McQuaid, requesting the Olympic bronze medal after the CERA positive of Davide Rebellin. Rebellin placed second in the road race at Olympic Games in Beijing.

The president of the International Cycling Union (UCI) Patrick McQuaid denied his request on the grounds that it is an issue of the IOC. Kolobnev had asked McQuaid "to clarify the situation and inform me if UCI plans to take any action thereon, and if so, please inform me when."

Kolobnev finished fourth in the race but after the positive confirmation of Rebellin was expecting to be moved into third position. Instead the IOC currently has removed Rebellin’s name from the results but has not adjusted the lower placings.

Cañada has retired after 14 years as a professional
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)

Cañada Retires
David Cañada has announced his retirement for professional cycling after serving 14 years. Canada, who recovered from skin cancer that was detected in late 2008, missed most of last season, and has decided to leave professional cycling. Canada had hoped to continue for another year as a rider.

"Although my dream was to return to professional competition, unfortunately it was not possible and therefore I am retiring from professional cycling, not cycling, because it is different. I will continue riding my bike and doing everything I can for cycling," said Canada.

Canada indicated that it was a sad time to have to announce leaving professional cycling and complained of not knowing what would have happened if he had been given the opportunity to continue. "I'm a little disappointed because I believed what I read on the computer. Fuji Servetto currently Footon-Servetto-Fuji, told me there was no problem, they would trust me. So I did my contract last minute and then it was too late because in October I got a letter that said there was not a place for me.”

In this regard, he noted that the leaders of this team, Mauro Gianetti and Josean Fernandez 'Matxin', were the only people who have disappointed in all the years he has been in the racing world because he put his trust in them and it failed to be returned.

Now that he has retired, Cañada hopes to continue to be linked to cycling and try to convey his experience of 14 years of racing.

Beijing World Cup Results
Results from the second day of the track cycling World Cup in Beijing on Saturday:

Men
Kilometer time trial
1. Zhang Miao (ACHN) 1:02.173
2. Joachim Eilers (GER) 1:02.677
3. Kamil Kuczynski (POL) 1:03.105

Team Pursuit
1. Australia (Leigh Howard, Luke Durbridge, Michael Hepburn, Cameron Meyer) 4:01.226
2. Netherlands (Levi Heimans, Amo Van der Zwet, Tim Veldt, Sipke Zijlstra)
3. New Zealand (Shane Archbold, Aaron Gate, Thomas Scully, Myron Simpson) 4:05.278

Keirin
1. Azizulhasni Awang (BTA/AUS)
2. Jason Niblett (AUS)
3. Daniel Ellis (JAY)

Women
20 kilometer points race
1. Megan Dunn (AUS) 13pts
2. Elena Tchalykh (AZE) 11pts
3. Giorgia Bronzini (ITA) 11pts

Team Sprint
1. China (Gong Jinjie, Lin Junhong) 33.311
2. Netherlands (Yvonne Hijgenaar, Willy Kanis) 34.086
3. Australia (Anna Meares, Emily Rosemond) 34.619

500m Time Trial
1. Willy Kanis (NED) 33.989
2. Gong Junjie (CHN) 34.136
3. Anna Meares (AUS) 34.243

Tour Down Under Stage 5: Greipel Closes In On Overall Victory

1/22/2010

(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Andre Greipel moved within sight of a second Tour Down Under victory on Saturday after a thrilling chase over the race's most demanding stage. Reigning world champion Cadel Evans led a fierce breakaway over the infamous Willunga Hill before Greipel battled back to hold on to the leader's jersey with one stage to go. Spain's Luis Leon Sanchez, the 2005 winner, took the stage five victory with Greipel nine seconds behind, reducing the German's overall lead to 11-seconds. Milram's Luke Roberts was second, Spanish star Alejandro Valverde third and Evans fourth. Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong crossed in the same group as Greipel and was designated 33rd.

Greipel, the 2008 champion, has already won three stages and will be favorite to preserve his lead over Sunday's flat, 90-kilometer (56-mile) stage six around central Adelaide. "It was just awesome from the guys," Greipel said. "There was no time to panic, we just needed to chase – we were 40 seconds behind. Tomorrow I just want to go with the guys in front. Hopefully there will be not so many attacks. But I think with a strong team like I have we can hold on to the jersey."

Greipel's HTC-Columbia teammate Michael Rogers said it was a group effort to drag the sprint specialist over Willunga Hill and close the gap on the leaders in the dying stages. "We were a little bit nervous leading into the final eight or nine kilometers but we used our experience and our brains," Rogers said. "It came off perfectly in the end. We didn't win the stage but first and foremost we held on to the (leader's) jersey."

Greipel crashed out of last year's Tour Down Under when he hit a parked police motorbike, ending his title defense and sidelining him for four months following shoulder surgery. "He will be hard to beat (on Sunday)," Rogers said. "We'll be very motivated for the bunch sprint and he's clearly moving much faster than anyone else in the last 200 meters of the race."

Tour Down Under: Stage 5, Snapper Point - Willunga 149km
1. Luis Leon Sanchez (ESP/Caisse D'Epargne) 3:29:39
2. Luke Roberts (AUS/Milram) @ .2
3. Alejandro Valverde (ESP/Caisse D'Epargne) @ .4
4. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) s.t.
5. Peter Sagan (SVK/Liquigas Doimo) @ .6
6. Markus Fothen (GER/Milram) @ s.t.
7. Sebastien Rosseler (BEL)
8. Cameron Meyer (AUS) Garmin-Transitions)
9. Greg Henderson (NZL/Sky) @ .9
10. Fabio Sabatini (ITA) s.t.

Selected:
12. Robbie McEwen (AUS/Katusha) @ s.t.
17. Andre Greipel (GER/HTC-Columbia)
33. Lance Armstrong (USA/RadioShack)
91. Oscar Pereiro (ESP/Astana) @ 6:23

Overall
1. Andre Greipel (GER/HTC-Columbia) 16:53:45
2. Luis Leon Sanchez (ESP/Caisse D'Epargne) @ .11
3. Luke Roberts (AUS/Milram) @ .17
4. Robbie McEwen (AUS/Katusha) @ .20
5. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) @ .21
6. Greg Henderson (NZL/Sky) @ .24
7. Eduard Vorganov (RUS/Katusha) @ .25
8. Jurgen Roelandts (BEL/Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ .26
9. Markus Fothen (GER/Milram) @ .27
10. Andriy Grivko (UKR/Astana) @ .29

Selected:
19. Alejandro Valverde (ESP/Caisse D'Epargne) @ .32
24. Lance Armstrong (USA/RadioShack) @ .47
73. Oscar Pereiro (ESP/Astana) @ 9:46

Armstrong Says Contador Shouldn't Fear Him

1/22/2010

(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Armstrong Says Contador Shouldn't Fear Him
In an interview with the Spanish newspaper Marca, Lance Armstrong said that the 2009 winner of the Tour de France leads a special life, one that need not be disturbed by thoughts of him. In the battle of Contador vs. Armstrong, the media normally remain neutral and report the facts. However, Marca has been noted for taking an especially partisan stance with regard to Contador. The paper acknowledged Armstrong’s change in status in Spain, that the man who had once been a hero to millions had become public enemy number one as soon as he clashed with local hero Contador.

Asked if Contador should fear him, Armstrong said, “No. If I were Contador I wouldn't be afraid of Lance," he responded. "He's got a very privileged brain, because from the moment he gets up all he thinks about is cycling and that's very important.”

But that doesn’t mean he has conceded victory to Contador. Acknowledging the interruption the broken collarbone made in his Tour prep, Armstrong said, "I hope this year is going to be more peaceful and I will reach the Tour in better shape.”

Of his physique at the ’09 Tour Armstrong said his upper body was more massive than necessary, that he looked more like a swimmer than a cyclist. Since then, “I've lost muscle mass, I'm not working out in the gym and I feel good about competing at the maximum level.... Last season I wasn't at the same level as Contador and Andy Schleck, but this Tour is different. It's technical and I've already said that I can win it,” he said.

To win, Armstrong said he will need to improve his time trialing. "Last year I didn't get this right and ended up losing a lot of time in the time trials.... Also, my style of riding will be different. I have to be more calculating, more conservative. You could say that I have to be more boring, but that will be better for me," he explained.

So how will he win the Tour? “I do know that psychological games will be very important, and [Johan] Bruyneel is a master at that kind of thing.”

Radio Shack is a very different team and he appreciates the opportunity to work with his sponsor. “Now I've got a close relationship with the sponsor again. We talk about things together, which is something that didn't happen at Astana. Now I feel this is my team, last year it wasn't. In fact, the only Kazakhs that I have ever spoken to in my life were the riders at Astana,” he said.

Marca even asked him about comments made to the Belgian press in which he accused the Spanish paper of being pro-Contador . Armstrong replied, “I can understand that in Spain its idols are protected. The US has done that with Tiger Woods, Italy did it with Marco Pantani, but it annoyed me that during the Tour de France Marca published stories that weren't true. I read them and didn't understand what was being talked about. I said to myself, 'What is this?' In [Miguel] Indurain's era his status as a hero was protected, but no one said things like that.”

Caisse d'Epargne riders at the Tour Down Under presentation
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Caisse d'Epargne to End Sponsorship in 2011
The bank that sponsors and lends its name to the Caisse d'Epargne cycling team, which includes Spaniard Alejandro Valverde and many other talented riders, will pull its funding at the end of 2010. "There will be a Caisse d'Epargne team on the 2010 Tour de France but it's a contract that stops in 2010. It will not be renewed," Francois Perol, president of banking group Banque Populaire-Caisses d'Epargne (BPCE), told Radio-Classique.

"We became the French banking sponsor of the Olympic Games so we will accompany the French national teams to Vancouver, to London in 2012 and we will support Annecy's candicacy for the Winter Olympics in 2018," Perol said. "It's a business management decision and because the values of the Olympics seem to correspond closely to the values of BPCE."

Caisse d'Epargne has sponsored the Spanish cycling team run first by Jose Miguel Echavarri and latterly Eusebio Unzue since 2005. Apart from Valverde, who is serving a two-year suspension in Italy for alleged links to the notorious Operation Puerto doping scandal, the team also figures Spain's Paris-Nice winner Luis Leon Sanchez, Colombian climbers Mauricio Soler and Rigoberto Uran, and up-and-coming Portuguese rider Rui Da Costa.

Cavendish poses at the finish of the final stage of the 2009 Tour
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

Cavendish to Begin Season at Ruta del Sol
Thanks to a tooth abscess Mark Cavendish will delay the start of his 2010 campaign. The rider was at an HTC-Columbia training camp on Mallorca when the problem with his tooth began. Cavendish underwent emergency dental surgery and was instructed to take a course of antibiotics and rest in order to speed recovery.

Originally, Cavendish planned to return to racing at the Tour of Qatar but those plans have been changed due to the recovery time he needs. Instead of beginning his racing in Qatar on February 7 he will instead begin racing February 17 at the Ruta del Sol.

For Cavendish, who collected an amazing 29 victories in 2009, his season goals remain in place: Milan-Sanremo and stage victories on the way to taking the Green Jersey at the Tour de France.

Beijing World Cup Results
Results from the first day of the track cycling World Cup in Beijing on Friday:

Men
Team sprint
1. China (Cheng Chang, Zhang Lei, Zhang Miao) 44.237
2. Team Jayco (AUS - Daniel Ellis, Shane Perkins, Scott Sunderland) 44.748
3. France (Gergory Bauge, Michael D'Almeida, Thierry Jollet) 44.638

30km points race
1. Zachary Bell (CAN) 50 pts
2. Kwok Ho-Ting (HKG) 38 pts
3. Thomas Scully (NZL) 36 pts

4km individual pursuit
1. Vitaliy Shchedov (UKR) 4:26.722
2. Michael Hepburn (AUS) 4:27.969
3. Valery Kaikov (RUS) 4:27.648

Women
3km Individual pursuit
1. Alison Shanks (NZL) 3:33.360
2. Vilija Sereikaite (LTU) 3:41.679
3. Tara Whitten (CAN) 3:40.365

Scratch
1. Vera Koedooder (NED)
2. Ausrine Trebaite (LTU)
3. Evgeniya Romanyuta (RUS)

Sprint
1. Guo Shuang (CHN)
2. Anna Meares (AUS)
3. Lin Junhong (CHN)

Tour Down Under Stage 4: Greipel Makes it Three

1/22/2010

(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)

An audacious attack by Lance Armstrong failed to break Andre Greipel's stranglehold on the Tour Down Under on Friday as the German claimed his third stage win in emphatic style. Armstrong and RadioShack teammate Tomas Vaitkus broke forward with about 16 kilometers (10 miles) to go, but were caught by the pack in hot and windy conditions near the end of the 150-kilometer stage four. Greipel, the 2008 champion, put on a trademark powerful sprint to finish ahead of Australians Robbie McEwen and Graeme Brown to maintain his overall lead after four stages.

"That was as hard as I can go," said Armstrong, who finished in the main group of riders. "Tomas went and kept going and kept going. I turned around and it was just the two of us. It was a good effort, maybe not the best outcome."

Armstrong described Greipel as "unbeatable" in a straight sprint after he also pounced for victory in the first and second stages, with Portugal's Manuel Cardoso taking the third in an uphill finish on Thursday.

The American, who will bid for an eighth Tour de France title in July, said Greipel always looked favorite with the whole peloton massed for the dash to the line in the coastal town of Goolwa. "It would have been better to keep it down to a smaller bunch in that wind and hopefully give everyone a better chance against Greipel," he said. "But Greipel I think we can all see is unbeatable right now."

Greipel, whose title defense ended in a freak crash with a parked police motorbike last year, said it was too early to start celebrating with the race's most challenging climb looming on Saturday. "Today's race is over, but not tomorrow's," he said, praising his HTC-Columbia team.

"Everyone is looking out for us but if the team works we can be successful. We deserve the wins because we always ride from the front." The German now holds a 20-second advantage over McEwen with Team Sky's Greg Henderson four seconds further back and world road champion Cadel Evans 26 seconds adrift. Armstrong is 29th overall.

The Tour Down Under, the southern hemisphere's biggest race, is held over six stages on 800 kilometers of road around Adelaide and closes on Sunday.

Tour Down Under: Stage 4 Norwood - Goolwa 149.5km
1. Andre Greipel (Ger/HTC-Columbia) 3:30:29
2. Robbie McEwen (Aus/Katyusha) @ s.t.
3. Graeme Brown (Aus/Rabobank)
4. Gert Steegmans (Bel/RadioShack)
5. Manuel Cardoso (Por/Footon Servetto)
6. Julian Dean (NZl/Garmin-Transitions)
7. Jurgen Roelandts (Bel/Omega Pharma-Lotto)
8. Matthew Goss (Aus/HTC-Columbia)
9. Robert Forster (Ger/Milram)
10. Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr/Française Des Jeux)

Selected:
21. Cadel Evans (Aus/BMC)
50. Lance Armstrong (USA/RadioShack) @ .17

Overall
1. Andre Greipel (Ger/HTC-Columbia) 13:23:57
2. Robbie McEwen (Aus/Katyusha) @ .20
3. Greg Henderson (NZl/Team Sky) @ .24
4. Gert Steegmans (Bel/RadioShack) @ s.t.
5. Graeme Brown (Aus/Rabobank) @ .26
6. Jurgen Roelandts (Bel/Omega Pharma-Lotto) @ s.t.
7. Cadel Evans (Aus/BMC)
8. Andriy Grivko (Ukr/Astana) @ .29
9. Robbie Hunter (RSA/Garmin-Transitions) @ .30
10. Baden Cooke (Aus/Saxo Bank)

Selected:
29. Lance Armstrong (USA/RadioShack) @ .47