On this day in 2011, GreenEDGE (later Orica-GreenEDGE, following recruitment of a new sponsor) launched with the express aim of entering the first Australian Tour de France team in the 108-year history of the race The team's owners and managers planned to recruit 75% of its riders from Australia and - welcome news in these times - would also have a women's team, which enjoyed a far more successful first season than the men with numerous victories.
Luca Paolini
Italian rider Luca Paolini was born in Milan on this day in 1977. His first big victory came in 1998 when he won the Under-23 Giro Del Canavese - Trofeo Sportivi Valperghesi; following several good results in 1999 he went on to win stages at the Vuelta a la Argentina, Tour de Normandie and the Tour de l'Avenir.
More good results came in the subsequent years, then in 2003 he was third at Milan-San Remo and the Brabantse Pijl before finishing top ten on six stages (best: fourth, Stages 16 and 20) at his first Tour de France. In 2004 he won the Brabantse Pijl and was third at the World Road Race Championships; in 2005 he won three stages at the Tour of Britain and in 2006 was top ten on seven stages (best: fifth, Stages 1 and 20) at the Tour. In September that year, Paolini's home was raided by police as part of Operazione Athena but no evidence that the rider was using doping products was found and he did not undergo any prosecution nor was he sacked by his then team, Liquigas.
In 2007 he was third at the Ronde van Vlaanderen; like many sprinters, Paolini became highly successful in the Classics and semi-classics, taking fourth place at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, sixth at the Dwars door Vlaanderen and tenth at Milan-San Remo and Gent-Wevelgem in 2010, fifth at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in 2011 and 12th at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Milan-San Remo, seventh in the Ronde van Vlaanderen and eleventh at Paris-Roubaix along with two top ten stage finishes at the Tour and ninth in the Road Race at the Olympics in 2012. In 2013 he won the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Stage 3 at the Giro d'Italia, as well as taking good results in other races. He will continue with Katusha in 2014.
Miguel Martinez, a French cross-country mountain biker and winner of a gold medal for the event at the 2000 Olympics, was born in this day in 1976.
Christophe Riblon, winner of the Stage 14 Ax-3 Domaines (mountain finish) in the 2010 Tour de France, was born today in 1981. Riblon has one of the busiest calendars in the professional peloton, competing in a huge number of races each season; despite having been a professional rider for seven years at the time of writing, he is a veteran of nine Grand Tours - during that time, he has one a single stage: the tough Stage 14 ending at Ax-3 Domaines in the 2010 Tour de France. His best overall result was 28th in the same race, but in 2013 he scored what might well be the highlight of his career when he was the unexpected winner of Stage 18 at the Tour, a 172.5km ordeal that climbed the Alpe d'Huez twice. He has ridden since 2004 for AG2R and will remain with the team in 2014.
David Stevenson was born in Clough, Ireland, on this day in 1882 and represented Scotland at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm and where he was part of the squad that finished the Team Time Trial event in fourth place. After the Games, he seems to have vanished from history - the rest of his life, including the date of his death, is unknown. Rudolf Kramer, born on the same day in Vienna, was part of the Austrian team that finished in 7th place in the same event that year. Like Stevenson, his later history and date of birth are unknown.
Other cyclists born on this day: Michael Vaarten (Belgium, 1957); Robert Schneider (USA, 1944); Max Leiva (Guatemala, 1966); Lutz Heßlich (East Germany, 1959); Robert Burns (Australia, 1968); Grégory Rast (Switzerland, 1980); Michael Weiss (Austria, 1981); Mohamed Touati (Tunisia, 1939); Don Myrah (USA, 1966); David Brinton (USA, 1967); Allegro Grandi (Italy, 1907, died 1973); Claude Carlin (France, 1961).
On this day in 2011, GreenEDGE (later Orica-GreenEDGE, following recruitment of a new sponsor) launched with the express aim of entering the first Australian Tour de France team in the 108-year history of the race The team's owners and managers planned to recruit 75% of its riders from Australia and - welcome news in these times - would also have a women's team, which enjoyed a far more successful first season than the men with numerous victories.
Luca Paolini
Italian rider Luca Paolini was born in Milan on this day in 1977. His first big victory came in 1998 when he won the Under-23 Giro Del Canavese - Trofeo Sportivi Valperghesi; following several good results in 1999 he went on to win stages at the Vuelta a la Argentina, Tour de Normandie and the Tour de l'Avenir.
More good results came in the subsequent years, then in 2003 he was third at Milan-San Remo and the Brabantse Pijl before finishing top ten on six stages (best: fourth, Stages 16 and 20) at his first Tour de France. In 2004 he won the Brabantse Pijl and was third at the World Road Race Championships; in 2005 he won three stages at the Tour of Britain and in 2006 was top ten on seven stages (best: fifth, Stages 1 and 20) at the Tour. In September that year, Paolini's home was raided by police as part of Operazione Athena but no evidence that the rider was using doping products was found and he did not undergo any prosecution nor was he sacked by his then team, Liquigas.
In 2007 he was third at the Ronde van Vlaanderen; like many sprinters, Paolini became highly successful in the Classics and semi-classics, taking fourth place at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, sixth at the Dwars door Vlaanderen and tenth at Milan-San Remo and Gent-Wevelgem in 2010, fifth at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in 2011 and 12th at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Milan-San Remo, seventh in the Ronde van Vlaanderen and eleventh at Paris-Roubaix along with two top ten stage finishes at the Tour and ninth in the Road Race at the Olympics in 2012. Also in common with many sprinters, Paolini does not perform well in mountainous races and as a result has not been a contender for General Classification glory at the Grand Tours despite his numerous stage wins; his best overall result was 69th place at his first Tour de France.
Miguel Martinez, a French cross-country mountain biker and winner of a gold medal for the event at the 2000 Olympics, was born in this day in 1976.
Christophe Riblon, winner of the Stage 14 Ax-3 Domaines (mountain finish) in the 2010 Tour de France, was born today in 1981. Riblon has one of the busiest calendars in the professional peloton, competing in a huge number of races each season; despite having been a professional rider for seven years at the time of writing, he is a veteran of nine Grand Tours - during that time, he has one a single stage: the tough Stage 14 ending at Ax-3 Domaines in the 2010 Tour de France. His best overall result was 28th in the same race.
David Stevenson was born in Clough, Ireland, on this day in 1882 and represented Scotland at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm and where he was part of the squad that finished the Team Time Trial event in fourth place. After the Games, he seems to have vanished from history - the rest of his life, including the date of his death, is unknown. Rudolf Kramer, born on the same day in Vienna, was part of the Austrian team that finished in 7th place in the same event that year. Like Stevenson, his later history and date of birth are unknown.
Other cyclists born on this day: Michael Vaarten (Belgium, 1957); Robert Schneider (USA, 1944); Max Leiva (Guatemala, 1966); Lutz Heßlich (East Germany, 1959); Robert Burns (Australia, 1968); Grégory Rast (Switzerland, 1980); Michael Weiss (Austria, 1981); Mohamed Touati (Tunisia, 1939); Don Myrah (USA, 1966); David Brinton (USA, 1967); Allegro Grandi (Italy, 1907, died 1973); Claude Carlin (France, 1961).
Concerns over GreenEDGE's new sponsor - New women's race - Tour of the Gila - Iglinsky wants a Tour stage - Rabo and Astana at the Giro - Dehaes out for three weeks - No Giro for Dekker - Colorado velodrome closes - BBC Radio to broadcast Beryl Burton play - Other News - London mayor angers cyclists - Newswire
Racing GreenEDGE's new sponsor is far from Green
GreenEDGE's new sponsor has been revealed to be Orica, a chemicals company with an international presence as the world's largest producer of mining explosives - and an unenviable environmental track record that has seen the organisation widely criticised since 2011 for its apparent reluctance to notify the New South Wales Environmental Protection Agency whenever an accident occurs (for example, the six serious incidents between August and December last year; including the release of 1kg of carcinogenic hexavalent chromium into the environment at Kooragang Island on the 8th of August last year, a leak that affected 70 households and which Orica failed to report to the authorities for 16 hours - the people living in those 70 households didn't get to hear about it for three days; or the arsenic leaked into the Hunter River during the hexavalent chromium clean-up operation; or the 900kg of ammonia leaked into the atmosphere from the Kooragang Island plant, ironically one hour before the EPA announced it was going to take Orica to court over the hexavalent chromium leak; or the mercury leak in December 2011 at a Port Botany plant that drove airborne sample readings to 245% the legal limit, which Orica kept quiet about until the 17th of January 2011).
The deal was questioned as soon as it was announced, chiefly for the reasons outlined above. Many people have since pointed out that 1t4i didn't come under attack when they revealed their own sponsorship deal with the Argos North Sea Group, a Rotterdam-based oil company. However, they're missing the point - it's not what Orica do, but the way they go about it. The oil industry has much to answer for, but Argos have never been charged with the sort of cavalier attitudes and apparent total disregard for the environment and public safety that Orica have displayed in the past (Argos also trade in biodiesel - which isn't entirely "environmentally friendly" but is a damn sight better than standard diesel - and operate "green energy" supplier HummelEnergy, incidentally).
We all know that top-level cycle racing isn't quite as environmentally-sound as we'd like it to be - all those official cars and motorbikes chuck out some serious pollution, as do the helicopters at the major races and the airliners that take the teams to the races. Also, with the world economy in the state it's in, teams can't afford to be too choosy about whose buck they take - chances are one or two others wouldn't hold up too well under close examination, either. It's also possible that Orica have cleaned up their act after some bad years and are now a fine example of how a chemical company ought to behave, and that they want to get involved in cycling as an expression of their new, green policies; but the fact remains that as far as the public are concerned Orica are evil. GreenEDGE's decision to link itself with a company that, in the eyes of many, is the Australian version of Monty Burns' nuclear power plant might prove an unwise one if it results in difficulties attracting sponsors in the future due to loss of current popularity. After all, we judge people by the company they keep, which is a concept that will be very familiar those GreenEDGE rides who spent 2011 with HTC-Highroad - a team that did more than most to stamp out doping, yet died because sponsors didn't wish to be associated with a sport that they believed was tainted by a bad image.
It would be a very great pity if a team that has already done so much for cycling - including women's cycling, which they have no more obligation to take part in than the various other Pro Teams that do not - turned out to have shot itself in the foot during their very first season.
New women's race
News about women's cycling is, these days, all too often depressing - as has been the case in recent weeks with the demise of two races and shortening of another as organisers have struggled to find the financial backing they need to continue their events.
Very welcome, therefore, is news of a new race: after sixteen years as a men's race, the Baby-Dump Kempenklassement in the Netherlands is to be joined by a women's class that will be named the Kempenklassement voor Vrouwen.
Tour of the Gila
Leah Goldstein won the Tour of the Gila in 2008
The SRAM Tour of the Gila starts on Wednesday at Silver City in New Mexico. Since it began in 1987, the race has been dominated by American riders - American men have won eighteen editions, American women the same number - but changes to the UCI classification have brought ever-increasing numbers of top riders from elsewhere, as was the case last year when the men's race was won by the Spaniard Francisco Mancebo and the women's race by the Canadian Clara Hughes. Champion System - the first Asian ProTour team in cycling - will be making their American race debut at the event
"The next race I will participate in is theTour of Belgium," Astana's 31-year-old Maxim Iglinsky told press at a team conference. "Then I will ride in the Critérium du Dauphiné and I will compete to win, and then I will fight to win a Tour de France stage. I have always dreamed of winning a Tour de France stage."
Iglinsky denied rumours that his hotel room was searched prior to his unexpected winner of Liège-Bastogne-Liège earlier this year, then said he also has his sights set on the World Championships: "All cyclists want to win the World Championship. The one who wins earns the right to put on the rainbow jersey and can then ride in it for the whole year - it is very prestigious. Yes, I've thought about that, too; I will be training for the Championships."
Moser wins in Germany
Moreno Moser won Germany's biggest one-day race the Rund um den Finanzplatz Eschborn-Frankfurt after attacking the lead group in the final kilometre. The race was especially notable as the first since being injured during a training ride for the the current World Time Trial Champion Tony Martin, who split the peloton with an attack at the 44km to go point.
Moser's team mate Dominik Nerz was 5" behind him as he crossed the line, hotly pursued by Sergei Firsanov who took the same time.
Top Five
1. Moreno Moser Liquigas-Cannondale 4h54'16"
2. Dominik Nerz Liquigas -Cannondale +5"
3. Sergey Firsanov RusVelo ST
4. Tony Martin Omega Pharma-QuickStep ST
5. Andre Greipel Lotto-Belisol 24" Full results (when available)
Rabo and Astana at the Giro
Two more teams have revealed their Giro line-ups. Unsurprisingly, following his two stage wins at the Tour of Turkey, Theo Bos is team leader for Rabobank with Graeme Brown and Mark Renshaw onboard to pick up sprint points while Stef Clement looks after time trials and Juan Manuel Gárate takes care of the mountains. Protecting them and ferrying the bidons are Tom Leezer, Grischa Niermann, Tom-Jelte Slagter and Dennis van Winden.
Astana are sending Roman Kreuziger as leader, backed up by a more all-rounder squad consisting of Alexandr Dyachenko, Enrico Gasparotto, Simone Ponzi, Kevin Seeldraeyers and Andrey Zeits. Tanel Kangert, Evgeny Petrov and Paolo Tiralongo will be the men for the mountains points. The team comes as something of a surprise as the squad was widely expected to include Alexandre Vinokourov.
Three weeks off for Dehaes
Lotto-Belisol's Kenny Dehaes injured his elbow more severely than was initially believed in a crash at the Tour de Romandie - X-rays have since revealed a fracture, and he has been told to rest for three weeks.
Kenny Dehaes @Kennydehaes Took x ray from elbow and showed fracture... F*ck!!! 3 weeks out!! #damn.
Thomas Dekker
No Giro for Dekker
Thomas Dekker (Garmin-Barracuda) is pinning his hopes on the Tour de France after doctors told him to stay away from the Giro due to a knee injury sustained at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. "Starting the race would just be too risky - I could be forced to abandon after a couple of days. There's no point starting a Grand Tour unless you're 100%," the Dutch 27-year-old said.
Colorado loses one of its two velodromes
Days after the great news that Cleveland in Ohio is about to get a new velodrome - one that will be free for under-18s to ride - comes more depressing news that one of only two velodromes in Colorado will close after only three years. The Boulder track, housed in a converted warehouse alongside an indoor mountain biking course, has attracted far fewer riders than predicted - "The single biggest factor was the seasonality," said Bruce McPherson, president of the facility's management team. "We had riders for essentially four months of the year. We had a core group that rode all year long, but it wasn't enough."
BBC R4 to broadcast Burton play
Beryl Burton will be played by author
Maxine Peake
A dramatisation of Beryl Burton's life will be broadcast by BBC Radio 4 towards the end of this year. Titled La Yorkshire Dame a Bicyclette, the play will star Maxine Peake - who also wrote the script, her first - as Burton, who won numerous titles and set world records during the 1950s and 60s.
"Despite beating men and women in championships across the globe, Beryl received no support, training or sponsorship and in fact, very little acclaim in the UK and Maxine wanted to dramatise her story," says producer Justine Potter. No date has yet been set for the broadcast, but it is likely to go out in the station's 45-minute Afternoon Drama (formerly and popularly Afternoon Play) slot.
Radio 4 is available worldwide on the Internet.
Other News
"The Afghanistan women cycling team will compete in Pakistan for the first time in the National Cycling Championship" (Herald Tribune)
"South Korean Pro Cyclists Killed in Road Accident" (Bicycling)
"There’s absolutely no room for complacency, we have got to keep working hard" - Joanna Rowsell on the Olympics (British Cycling)
"Italian women turned away from Box Hill" (Cycling Weekly)
"Sky look ahead to Giro's team time trial" (Cycling Weekly)
"Women’s Cycling: The Winning Formula Continues" (Irishcycling.com)
Kristin Armstrong makes name for herself as Olympic champ (USA Today)
"74-year-old cycling enthusiast had a heart attack while competing in a 60-kilometre club race" (The Press, New Zealand)
"Tacks cause havoc at cycling event Tour of the South" (Herald Sun, Australia)
"Cyclists in inspired return to Trinidad & Tobago" (Guardian Media)
"Goss the key to Giro cycling success" (SBS Australia)
"Paula Radcliffe vows to campaign for tougher bans for drug cheats" (The Independent)
"Tour de France 2012 Videogames Confirmed for PAL Release" (ElectrinicTheatre)
Cycling Boris' big gob bothers bikers
Boris - a bit of an idiot at times
Boris Johnson has based a large part of his London mayoral campaign on his own cycling credentials and the fine work he says he's done for the capital's cyclists during his time a mayor over the last five years - so it seems rather strange that he risked annoying the very people he's been courting for so long with some ill-advised comments yesterday at a hustings designed to highlight the candidates' commitment to cycling and cyclists' safety.
After showing up on his bike - points there, Boris - the tousel-headed Old Eonian scamp started to dig himself a hole. "I can humbly say to you, I may not conform to your idea of a stereotypical cyclist. I do not have whippet-thin brown legs or dreadlocks, I do not charge around in Lycra, I do not jump lights - and nor are you, but I ask you to recognise that I have cycling in my heart. I love cycling. I think it is wonderful and I will continue to invest in cycling," he told his audience, adding: "We have got to move away from the idea that - and I am sorry to say this, you can lynch me now - that cyclists are somehow morally superior to other road users" before the four main candidates went about trying to pick holes in one another's doubtless expertly massaged figures.
However, Johnson did promise that if re-elected he'll appoint a Cycling Commissioner (or cycling czar, as the newspapers have for some reason decided such a figure should be called) - something that many cyclists will be happy to hear. Provided, of course, that it's somebody capable of independent thought and with a genuine interest in cycling, not one of his jolly chums from school.
According to Londoners on Bikes, a biking advocacy group, he "has lost the bike vote."
Newswire Britain
"Kingston women's cycling pioneer in line for award" (Your Local Guardian)
"New Cycle Surgery Store Opens Along Popular London Biking Route" (MarketWatch)
"Sky Ride Local group spawns beginner friendly Tees Valley Sportive" (British Cycling)
Worldwide
"Cyclists will take to the roads in a silent procession at 7 p.m. May 16 to remember those who have been killed or injured by a motorist while cycling on public roadways" (Argus Press, Michigan)
Festival Luxembourgeois Elsy Jacobs - Tour de Romandie (video) - Tour of Turkey - Gracia Orlova - Fuglsang cannot ride Giro - Sky reveal Cav-led Giro squad -New sponsor for GreenEDGE - Contador hints at SaxoBank return - Tony Martin plans ultrafast comeback - Landis could face $1 million fine or 30 years imprisonment - Lampre announce Giro squad - Voeckler pays his respects to African riders - New Cleveland velodrome free for under-18s - Keep digging, Griffin - The War On Britain's Roads - Smirk helmet masks - Hit and run caught on helmetcam - Newswire
Racing Festival Luxembourgeois Elsy Jacobs
For anybody who cares about women's cycling, it's very easy to feel miserable at the moment with races being cancelled all over the world. Be thankful, then, that this weekend brings us that celebration of all things good in women's cycling, the Festival Luxembourgeois Elsy Jacobs. Beginning on Friday evening with a lightning-fast 1.7km individual time trial prologue parcours in Luxembourg City, the race also features stages on Saturday and Sunday.
Top Ten 1. Annemiek Van Vleuten Rabobank 2'11" 2. Judith Arndt GreenEDE +1" 3. Hanka Kupfernagel RusVelo ST 4. Marianne Vos Rabobank +2" 5. Charlotte Becker Specialized-Lululemon ST 6. Linda Villumsen GreenEDGE +3" 7. Shara Gillow GreenEDGE ST 8. Leire Olaberria Dorronsoro ST 9. Emilia Fahlin Specialized-Lululemon +4" 10. Amber Neben Specialized-Lululemon ST Full results (more details) (start list).
Tour de Romandie
Friday's Stage 3 (map) started at La Neuveville, a village that holds city status since it's still protected by well-preserved medieval defensive walls complete with towers (la Tour de Rive features on many a postcard). After a flat start, riders faced a short climb 20km into the stage at Mont Vully followed by a flattish 30km to Cat 3 Arrissoules (640m) - then it was mountains all the way. The first big ascent was the uncategorised climb up to Sarzens beginning after 77km, followed by 23km to Cat 2 Le Chatelard with the summit at 1,002m - with a fast descent that guaranteed exciting, high-speed racing and a big opportunity for a break to increase their lead. The last categorised mountain was the Cat 3 Treyvaux to 810m, but a final climb lurked at the end of the stage before the riders drew up to this finish line in Charmey.
Luis León Sánchez
Anders Lund (SaxoBank), Gatis Smukulis (Katusha), Leigh Howard (GreenEDGE), Matt Brammeier (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) and Tosh van der Sande (Lotto-Belisol) got away soon after the race began and succeeded in gaining a lead of as much as six minutes, then Smukulis put the wind up the peloton by launching an attack 17km from the finish line. His three comrades were soon caught and put back in their places, but he managed to keep going to within 5km of the line before being swept up by the pack as it began preparing itself for a final mass sprint at the top of the last climb. That's classic all-rounder territory, so it no surprise that victory went to a classic all-rounder - an apt description of Rabobank's Luis León Sánchez, who edged over the line with a miniscule lead over the bunch. Gianni Meersman was on his back wheel for second, with Paolo Tiralongo (Astana) right behind them for third. Sky's Bradley Wiggins retains his General Classification lead, but with Sánchez picking up a usefull 10 bonification seconds today the British rider's advantage is down just a second and anything could happen.
Crashes took down two Lotto-Belisol riders. Adam Hansen was taken to hospital and is reported to be suffering concussion and extensive brusing, whereas Kenny Dehaes was able to get up and complete the stage - he later Tweeted to say that while he was in pain, nothing seemed to be broken.
Top Ten 1. Luis Leon Sanchez Gil Rabobank 3h58'29" 2. Gianni Meersman Lotto-BelisolST 3. Paolo Tiralongo Astana ST 4. Andrew Talansky Garmin-Barracuda ST 5. Bauke Mollema Rabobank ST 6. Rinaldo Nocentini AG2R-La Mondiale ST 7. Maciej Paterski Liquigas-Cannondale ST 8. Giampaolo Caruso Katusha ST 9. Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui Euskaltel-Euskadi ST 10. Fabrice Jeandesboz Saur-Sojasun ST (Full results and GC when available)
Stage 4, the penultimate, covers 184km between Bulle (don't miss the château, castle fans - it's a good 'un!) and Sion (one of the most important ancient sites in Europe, inhabited for around 8,200 years - the fortified church, which contains one of the world's oldest pipe organs, is even more impressive than Bulle's castle) and takes the riders over the highest mountains in this year's race: the three Cat 1 climbs Col des Mosses (1,452m), Veysonnaz (1,473m) and St-Martin (1,423m), with Cat 2 Basse-Nendaz (1,018m) thrown in for good measure at the end of a 65.5km flat section in the middle of the stage - a section upon which the roleurs, sprinters and chancers could grab a big lead and prevent the climbing specialists having everything their own way.
Tour of Turkey
Stage 6 (map), 180.3km long, began at Bodrum (site of an imposing 15th Century Crusader castle; those who worked on it during construction received a guaranteed reservation in Heaven courtesy of a papal decree dating from 1409) after which riders headed north-east to Beçin, then north-west to Didim - the Didyma of the Homeric Hymn to Apollo (which wasn't written by Homer), a ruined temple to the god mentioned in the Hymn still exists here (the temple in the Hymn was destroyed in the 5th Century BCE). The remainder of the parcours leds north to Kusadasi, a town that has lost much of its native charm due to unsympathetic development - however, tourists who are willing to venture away from the beach and shiny hotels can still find remnants of the ancient city including traces of the defensive walls, the 17th C. mosque and little shops that sell the things the locals need. Once again, there were no high mountains but a serious of steep climbs rose to between 140 and 300m; the three that fell between 40 and 70km looking especially daunting.
It's not really been Matthew Goss' race this year - the Australian GreenEDGE rider came off second-best in Stages 1, 2, 4 and then again today when he was out-sprinted by Sacha Modolo who took a second stage win for his Colnago-CSF team. Mark Renshaw (Rabobank) was right behind them for third, recording the same time. Maxim Belkov (Katusha) Philip Deignan (United Healthcare) and Michal Golas (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) were the day's biggest crowd-pleasers with a break from early on in the parcours that remained out on front for much of the stage before a counter-attack finished them off. Ivaïlo Gabrovski (Konya Torku Sekersport) remains General Classification leader with an advantage of 1'33".
Sacha Modolo
Top Ten 1. Sacha Modolo Colnago-CSF 4h34" 2. Matthew Goss GreenEDGE ST 3. Mark Renshaw Rabobank Cycling Team ST 4. Lucas Sebastian Haedo SaxoBank ST 5. Alexey Tsatevitch Katusha ST 6. Rafael Andriato De Mattas Farnese Vini-Selle Italia ST 7. Daniele Colli Team Type 1-Sanofi ST 8. Davide Vigano LampreISD ST 9. Marco Coledan Colnago-CSF ST 10. Blaz Jarc NetApp ST Jimmy Casper (AG2R-La Mondiale), Sylvain Georges (AG2R-La Mondiale), Boris Shpilevsky (AG2R-La Mondiale), Assan Bazayev (Astana), Adam Hansen (Lotto-Belisol), Johan Esteban Cháves Rubio (Colombia-Coldeportes), Thomas Bertolini (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia) and Leonardo Giordani (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia) did not finish. Full result and GC.
Stage 7 (map), the penultimate in this year's edition, begins at Kusadasi and follows the craggy coastline for 74km before turning inland at Seferihisar to cross İzmir Province and arrive at the north-facing coastline by Güzelbahçe approximately 21km away. After turning to the east, there are 28.6km remaining before arrival at the finish line in İzmir - one of the oldest cities in the Mediterranean region, it remains better known in the West by its ancient name Smyrna, birthplace (possibly) of Homer; though many of the ancient buildings were destroyed in an enormous fire that killed as many as 2,000 people (it wasn't all bad, however - it brought an end to the Greco-Turkish War, which some estimates claim killed as many as 100,000).
British rider Katie Colclough took fifth place
Gracia Orlova
The Gracia Orlova entered Stage 2 today, a 26km individual time trial from Havířov, past Senov, then back to Havířov, beginning with a fast downhill before arriving at four 10m climbs along the way with a maximum gradient of around 6.3% (map).
Specialized-Lululemon's Ellen van Dijk, who also won the prologue TT made it her second stage victory when she beat team mate Evelyn Stevens by one hundredth of a second - a serious show of strength by the team, currently in its first season, as they beat third place Tatiana Antoshina (Rabobank) by one minute and three seconds. Lululemon riders filled the rest of the spaces in the top 5 too, with Trixi Worrack and Katie Colclough equalling Antoshina's time for fourth and fifth.
Top Ten 1. Ellen Van Dijk Specialized-Lululemon 35'27" 2. Evelyn Stevens Specialized-Lululemon ST 3. Tatiana Antoshina Rabobank +1'06" 4. Trixi Worrack Specialized-Lululemon +1'13" 5. Katie Colclough Specialized-Lululemon +1'31" 6. Sharon Laws AA Drink-Leontien.nl +1'32" 7. Alexandra Burchenkova S.C. Michela Fanini Rox +2'08" 8. Olena Sharpa +2'15" 9. Laura Trott Ibis +2'27" 10. Larisa Pankova +2'26" Full results and GC
Saturday's Stage 3 (map) is a 122.4km road race starting at Lichnov before heading south into the mountains where, after 30km, the riders face a climb to 1,000m - the highest point in the race. A fast descent leads for 10km to the foot of the next climb just over 50km in and rising to 800m, then a third climb to 900m begins at around 70km. One last climb at 105km reaches around 575m and, especially in the final part, looks horrendously steep.
Fuglsang cannot ride Giro
Jakob Fuglsang
Jakob Fuglsang will not ride in this year's Giro d'Italia due to inflammation of the articular capsule and ligament in his left knee, RadioShack-Nissan have confirmed. The 27-year-old Dane had stayed away from the Tour de Romandie in the hope that the injury - which first made itself known at a training camp two weeks ago - would heal, but team doctors now say it will require at least ten days complete rest. The race starts on the 5th of May, eight days away.
I am very disappointed,” said Fuglsang, who had been hoping to perform well in the first three stages which are to be held in Denmark. “The Giro was my big objective for this year. Yesterday I had so much pain in the last 40K, I was just miserable. At that point I realized that it might be the end of my Giro dream."
Team doctor Andreas Gösele explained that, with intensive therapy, recovery might have been possible in time for the start; but he advised against it out of concern for the rider. "Jakob would possibly be able to start at the Giro, but with how much risk? A good result would be out of the question and if he would have to drop out after ten stages, what would we have accomplished? From a medical point of view, it is impossible to guarantee that he will be fine."
It's the latest disaster in what has been a very unfortunate season for the new team, formed by the merger of RadioShack and Leopard Trek late in 2011. Team leaders Andy and Frank Schleck have, so far, failed to perform well and Fabian Cancellara sustained a quadruple collarbone fracture at the Ronde van Vlaanderen.
Sky reveal Cav-led Giro squad
Team Sky will be led by Mark Cavendish at the Giro d'Italia, which ought to bring at least a couple of tage wins for the British outfit. Whether he will finish the race remains to be seen - there's some serious climbing to be done, and he'll have the Tour and the Olympics in mind. However, managers have a plan: let Cav do his stuff in the sprints, then hand responsibility over to the Columbian climbers Sergio Henao and Rigoberto Urán. Bernhard Eisel, Juan Antonio Flecha, Peter Kennaugh, Ian Stannard, Ben Swift and Geraint Thomas are also going.
New sponsor for GreenEDGE
GreenEDGE - Australia's first UCI Pro Tour team - are on the verge of announcing a new big-name sponsor. At present, the team's main sponsor is owner and businessman Gerry Ryan but a superb start to their first season - especially by the women's squad, which has won race after race - has evidently been enough to attract other backers, which will help ensure its long-term survival.
Contador - further indication of SaxoBank return
Alberto Contador - who has 100 days remaining until the end of his controversial ban - has told the Spanish Marca.com sports news website that he hopes to know "soon" if he'll return to SaxoBank and says that he "cannot imagine riding with any other team."
"Bjarne Riis and the team have given me such support, it's been great," he explains. "That's important to me, priceless, so SaxoBank is my priority. As of yet, there's no done deal but both parties are amenable and I think we'll have an agreement soon."
The main obstacle to date has been a UCI rule that results obtained by any rider returning from a doping ban cannot be counted towards a team's world ranking for a period of two years. Considered unfair by managers, riders and fans alike - "It's the same as if Lionel Messi was re-signed to play for Barcelona after a ban and scored goals, but his goals were not counted. It's grotesque," says Riis - SaxoBank lawyers are looking at the possibility of challenging the rule and having it repealed.
Contador is widely expected to use this year's Vuelta a Espana to make a triumphant return, pulling out all stops to dominate the race, and says he has been training for it - including watching videos of racing and the riders he's likely to face. Watching cycling is almost a part of my training," he says. "You can learn a lot by analysing the riders - how they'll react, how they descend, how rain or dry conditions effect them, little details that can give you the edge in a race."
Has he, in that case, got any tips for the Tour de France, which will be over by the time his ban expires? "A lot depends this year on Andy Schleck. If he's 100% and can break away from the five top riders, he could surprise a lot of people," says the rider, presumably with Andy's less-than-satisfactry form thus far this year in mind.
"
"However, he's going to need to do better in the time trials. Based on strength and experience, I'd have to say Cadel Evans."
Tony Martin plans comeback
Omega Pharma-QuickStep's Tony Martin does everything fast, which is why he's the current world time trial champion, but his planned comeback after sustaining numerous injuries when he was hit by a car during a training ride earlier this month is speedy even by his standards - he'll race at the Rund um den Finanz Platz on the 1st of May, three weeks since his accident (so no doubts that he's keeping well clear of anabolic steroids, then! - CP).
"I'm thrilled I can get back to the races," the 26-year-old German says on the team's website. "These last two weeks I've been concentrated exclusively on my recovery. In the last few days I've even managed to do some more intense training sessions. The pain due to the fractures and the fall are diminishing day by day and I'm feeling better. However, I still have to be careful and try to take as few risks as possible. Overall my return to the races will be useful for me to get my racing groove back and understand how my body will respond in competition. I really wanted my comeback to be in Frankfurt, in my country, and this is what I've been working towards. On a mental level it was important to have an objective like this one."
Landis faces mail and wire fraud charge
Floyd Landis
Floyd Landis probably felt glad it was all over by the time he announced his retirement from cycling, but in reality his problems were only just beginning. Having been stripped of his 2006 Tour de France victory after a sample tested positive for synthetic testosterone, the rider strenuously denied wrong-doing and started a "Floyd Fairness Fund" and asked fans to "donate anything they could" - it is believed that the Fund generated a total of around $1 million towards legal costs. However, his attempts to clear his name were unsuccessful and, in 2010, he finally admitted that he had in fact doped.
Although the Fairness Fund closed five years ago, it's come back to bite him. After last year receiving a suspended sentence for computer hacking, he is now under investigation for accepting money on a false premise; ie, requesting donations to prove his innocence despite knowing that he was guilty of the charge he then faced, which may constitute mail and wire fraud - a federal offence under US law since 1872, carrying a maximum penalty of a $1 million fine or 30 years imprisonment.
Lampre-ISD Giro squad
Lampre-ISD has revealed its provisional Giro d'Italia team roster. Damiano Cunego and Michele Scarponi are protected team leaders, supported by Przemyslaw Niemiec, Matteo Bono, Adriano Malori, Daniele Pietropolli, Daniele Righi, Alessandro Spezialetti and Diego Ulissi.
Thomas Voeckler
Voeckler pays his respects to African riders
Europcar's Thomas Voeckler won the third stage of the Tropicale Amissa Bongo à Akiéni yesterday and used his victory as an opportunity to praise the African riders he beat.
"Of course, I'm happy to win here - but we professional riders, we need to remember we're lucky to get the salaries we do, we're so well-paid compared to the African riders. I've kept that in mind during this race," says the 32-year-old Frenchman.
"Compared to these guys, I have no right to complain about anything," he explained, but was careful not to become patronising: "I'm here to do a job. Winning is my way of showing I respect them." (Stage results and GC)
New Cleveland velodrome will be free for under-18s
Any nation that wants to encourage more young people to take up cycling (and reap the rewards of their Olympic success a few years down the line) could learn a lot by following the example set by Cleveland, Ohio - after five years of planning, the city is about to open a $300,000 not-for-profit velodrome.
The idea is simple: build a world-class velodrome, using as much voluntary labour as possible to keep costs to a minimum, then charge adults to use it. Meanwhile, let riders aged less than 18 use it for free - including the provision of bikes for those who are new to the sport and haven't yet got machines of their own. "This velodrome is a welcome addition for cycling enthusiasts in the city of Cleveland," says city mayor Frank Jackson. "It will allow for people of all ages in the city to be exposed to the culture of the international sport of fast-track cycling and give them an additional form of physical activity to engage in."
"It is a great way to get kids into cycling," adds Brett David, president of management company FastTrack Cycling. "It is safer than driving on some of these roads, battling cars." (More from Cleveland.com)
Other racing news
New Zealand announces "strongest ever" Olympic team (NZHerald)
NZ talent causes headaches and heartaches (NZHerald)
Asian Cyclists to make U.S. debut at SRAM Tour of the Gila (Silver City Sun-News)
Bengaluru gets India’s first professional cycling team (Citizen Matters)
Cycling Keep digging, Griffin
Lubricating the cogs of the Conservative Party to the tune of a quarter of a million quid wasn't enough to save Addison Lee's government contracts after the firm was handed an injunction due to chairman John Griffin's decision to encourage drivers to illegally use London's bus lanes. Now it seems he's also realised that his recent comments regarding the capital's cyclists were ill-advised too, and he's grabbing the brake levers like his business life depends on it.
If I have upset cyclists, I apologise. It was not my intention,” he told the Evening Standard newspaper, explaining that what he really meant was “car drivers need to be more aware of cyclists and cyclists need to be more aware of their vulnerability.”
However, he remains unrepentant regarding his "get trained and pay up" comment, though he apparently now realises that nobody pays road tax. "We need to look at the question of either insurance or tax. If you run into my car and it’s not my fault, I’ve got no redress against you," he says - and even the most militant cyclist has to admit that's a tricky point for those of us who prefer two wheels. But once again, Griffin hasn't done his homework: he says he wants to see the reintroduction of the cycling proficiency test, which he credits as being the reason that he "never had a single accident" while cycling seven miles to school and back during his childhood - he's obviously forgotten that the test was entirely voluntary (I never did it) and has now been replaced by the considerably more comprehensive Bikeability scheme, which is available for children and adults alike. He also says he doesn't support the introduction of Amsterdam-style bicycle lanes, offering as his reason the fact that "Amsterdam is a very flat town," though he's forced to agree that Central London "is pretty flat" when journalist Jasmine Gardner points it out to him.
BBC to show controversial documentary
The BBC is to broadcast an hour-long documentary entitled The War On Britain's Roads, featuring footage from cameras mounted on bikes and cars to illustrate the issues that arise between cyclists and drivers.
"As more and more people take up cycling as a way of beating the traffic or just keeping fit on their commute, the potential for conflict between cyclists and drivers has increased massively. Now cameras installed on bikes and in vehicles will use heart-stopping footage of interactions between road users to reveal a shocking picture of life on Britain’s roads. The film will follow current cases as they go through the courts and revisit the tragic stories of some of those who have lost their lives on Britain’s roads," goes the gumpf. CEO of Leopard Films, the company that produced the documentary, adds: "This timely documentary highlights a growing issue on Britain’s roads, from the viewpoint of both the motorist and the cyclist. BBC One is the perfect home for this insightful and at times shocking film."
It'll make good viewing, of course, but cyclists and drivers have raised concerns. To make Britain's roads safer for both groups (which, since the majority of adult cyclists also drive, are not really distinct groups at all), we need to increase awareness among a minority of cyclists and drivers that both have equal rights. Polarising them, either in reality or in the public mind, is not the way to do this; this film, and its ridiculously sensationalist title, helps nobody.
It's not yet known when the documentary will be screened.
Smirk's helmet masks
German company Smirk Masks has launched a range of what it calls "fixed gear helmet masks," which would seem - as the name suggests - to be aimed at fixie riders, though this is apparently not the case: "You can use all our masks to ride your fixie if you like, although that was just an idea we had to give the people the chance to look as cool as their bikes," says Smirk himself, also known as graphic artist Mirco Erbe.
Inspired by hockey masks and sci-fi headgear, the high price (around £600) will put most people off - as will the fact that, since they're not approved safety gear, they're not really suited to cycling at all. As for the aesthetics... personally, I like, even though they're not for me; though not everyone will like them - but hey, "denim effect" lycra shorts have been considered stylish within living memory, so there's every chance that Smirk's creations will make an appearance among the more trustafarian branches of fixie hipster society in a city near you soon.
Hit and run river side-swipes cyclists, caught on helmetcam
Cadel: "I cannot win Amstel Gold" - Anderson on GreenEDGE - Gilbert now racing to win - Tiernan-Lockeand Klöden abandon at Castilla - Houanard and Pozzato will miss Amstel Gold - Injured US soldiers take to handcycling - Bamboo bikes in India - Calling charitable cyclists
"I cannot win" Amstel Gold says Cadel
There's usually plenty of macho posturing in display by the favourites during the run-up to any important race, but when asked if he fancies his own chances for the the biggest event this weekend Cadel Evans gives a somewhat surprising answer: ""Not at all. I can not win the Amstel Gold Race," he says, explaining that he'll be competing against riders who have trained specifically for it while he has his sights set on the Tour de France. He does, however, rate team mate Philippe Gilbert - and says his main job is to assist him.
Meanwhile, Alejandro Valverde is more confident about his own prospects. "The Amstel Gold Race is the only one of the Ardennes Classics missing from my list," says the Spaniard, who returned to competition this season after a two-year doping ban. "Liège-Bastogne-Liège is more special to me, but I'll take what I can grab," he adds. However, he realises that there'll be stiff competition and lists several riders whom he believes could take victory: "I'd have to first get past Joaquim Rodriguez, Samuel Sanchez and Peter Sagan. [Also] In such long races you should always take into account the Schleck brothers, and Philippe Gilbert." (More from SportWereld)
Phil Anderson
Phil Anderson bigs up the GreenEDGE women, echoes de Vlaeminck on Paris-Roubaix
"A quiet time in the classics" for the men while the women "are performing above all expectations and are currently dominating the early European season events" is how Phil Anderson - the first non-European to wear the Tour's yellow jersey - sums up GreenEDGE's season so far. Writing for ROAR, Skippy also echoes Roger de Vlaeminck's thoughts on Tom Boonen's Paris-Roubaix victory: "Despite my boredom," he says, "it is apparent that Tom Boonen is on fire with a successive win in Paris-Roubaix." (More from ROAR)
Gilbert's ready to race
On the eve of the Amstel Gold Race - which he won for the last two years - Philippe Gilbert believes that he's finally up to speed after a disappointing start to the season marked by illness, crashes and problems with his teeth. "To be at your best in this walk of life, you need to be 100%. I didn’t realise that how much of an effect dental problems could have on the body," says the 29-year-old, who switched to BMC for this year after three seasons with Lotto-Belisol.
Other Racing News Jonathan Tiernan-Locke (Endura) and Andreas Klöden (RadioShack-Nissan) have abandoned the Vuelta Castilla y León due to very bad weather.
Steve Houanard (AG2R-La Mondiale) will miss the Amstel Gold Race after a crash at Paris-Roubaix left him with a badly sprained wrist and extensive bruising. The 26-year-old is also reported to be suffering gastroenteritis. Filippo Pozzato (Farnese Vini Selle Italia) will also miss the race due to a knee injury sustained at Paris-Roubaix.
Cycling Injured US soldiers take to handcycling
US servicemen injured while on active duty are discovering that handcycling is the ideal way to keep fit, active and have fun. "It’s very enjoyable, it gives you a good sweat - a good workout," Erin Schaeffer, an army truck driver with eleven years military experience before a roadside bomb in Afghanistan's Paktika province shattered both his feet, told the DVIDSmilitary news service.
The Wounded Warrior Project organises twelve annual long-distance rides for those already handcycling and brings the sport to newcomers with five clinics at various locations around the world. “Our main objective is to honor and power wounded warriors,” explains Carlos Garzon, an event co-ordinator who works at the organisation's Joint Base Lewis-McChord headquarters in Florida. “Cycling is my tool. I know from experience that I can bring a smile to anybody on a bike, regardless of what bike it is or what the injury is.” (More from DVIDS)
Nothing new about bamboo - this American bamboo bike
dates from 1896
Manipur looks to bamboo bikes to cut pollution
The Manipur Cycling Club of North-Western India have linked up with the South Asia Bamboo Foundation to promote bamboo bikes as an alternative to motorbikes and cars - and they've already produced BMX, utility and racing versions. There's nothing new about making bikes from bamboo, one of the world's fastest-growing plants, but a newly-developed process in which each culm is soaked in water, smoked and then treated with chemicals to make it termite-resistant create a material that is stronger and lighter than steel. A skilled frame designer can also make use of its natural springiness, creating a bike that is stiff enough to handle well but soft enough to take the sting out of India's roads. (More from the Weekend Leader)
Calling Charitable cyclists
If you work in London and have ever thought your lunchbreak would be the ideal time to get some extra training under your belt, you can put it to good use on the 11th and 18th of May by joining JDRF’s stationary bike race outside the Canary Wharf tube station (I tried to jump my mountain bike roof once, but got chased away by security guards) - and you'll help raise funds for research into diabetes whilst doing so. (More from HITC)
The Joshua Tree, a charity that works with the families of children suffering immune system-suppressing illnesses, is running a Land's End to John O'Groats In A Day fundraiser and needs cyclists to make up numbers on the relay teams that will complete the ride. (More from the Northwich Guardian)
Michael Albasini of GreenEDGE took a second stage victory at at the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya on Tuesday afternoon, having won Stage 1 after spending a large part of the race in break with Timothy Duggan (Liquigas-Cannondale), Ben Gastauer (AG2R La Mondiale), Anthony Delaplace (Saur Sojasun) and Nicolas Edet (Cofidis) for company, the five men achieving a lead of 6'05" for a while.
On Monday, the peloton seemed content to let them get away with it for just a little too long - when it was eventually decided that the gang of five needed to be put back in their place, it rapidly began to look as though they'd been left just a little too long. The gap was shortened to around three minutes as the race entered the final 25km of the 138.9km total, but it was by now clear that the break had worked. Delaplace fought him all the way to the end after Edet had had enough, but he wasn't fast enough to prevent the 31-year-old Swiss rider crossing the line with a 42" advantage. Edet then took third, 1'14" down on the winner.
Tuesday's Stage 2 was an entirely different beast. 161km in length, it featured a tough climb in the form of Alt dels Angels - though only 480m in height, the road to the top is sufficiently steep for the mountain to be graded Category 1, the second-toughest of all, and 235m Cat 3 Alt de la Ganga some 15km before the Angels got under way had already taken its toll on the riders' legs. Starting and ending at Girona ( once home to George Hincapie, Tyler Hamilton and Lance Armstrong), the parcours looped north and then east up to Salvador Dali's birthplace Figueres, then south and west to the mountains and back to the city.
An early break consisting of Jordy Simon, Julian Sanchez and Cyril Bessy got ahead early on in the race and for a while had seven minutes on the peloton; but they were swept up with 42km to go when the Alt de la Ganga proved too much for them. Tejay van Garderen and others attacked on the way up the last climb but their attempts failed to have the effect they wanted, leaving several riders with plenty enough energy to form a lead group as the end of the stage drew near. GreenEDGE had done a fine job of getting Albasini, who is more of an all-rounder rather than a climbing specialist, over the mountains and into the final kilometre; which is where he made his move, following Uran to within 200m of the line and then using his considerable skills as a sprinter to power past and beat the twenty riders who went with him by a tiny margin. Dario Cataldo took second place, followed by Sky's Rigoberto Uran in third. (Full stage results when available.)
Tomorrow, they face the 210km Queen Stage and the Hors-Categorie Ports del Canto and Aine; at 1,730 and 1,947m respectively, the most challenging climbs in any of the seven stages.
Other news
Paris-Roubaix organisers AMO have announced the list of teams they've invited to take part in this year's edition of the legendary, mad, bad and dangerous to know Monument. 18 WorldTour outfits and seven wildcards made it onto the list and will soon announce their rosters for the race, to be held on the 8th of April. WorldTour teams: AG2R-La Mondiale, Astana, BMC, Euskaltel-Euskadi, FDJ-Big Mat, Garmin-Barracuda, GreenEdge, Katusha, Lampre-ISD, Liquigas-Cannondale, Lotto Belisol, Movistar, Omega Pharma-QuickStep, Rabobank, RadioShack-Nissan, Sky, SaxoBank, Vacansoleil-DCM. Wildcards: Bretagne-Schuller, Cofidis, Farnese Vini-Selle Italia, Project 1t4i, Saur-Sojasun, Team Europcar, Team NetApp.
Omega Pharma-QuickStep's Sylvain Chavanel has been given a clean bill of health following the recent bout of bronchitis that forced him to miss Milan-San Remo and seriously messed up his plans at Paris-Nice. The 32-year-old Frenchman recovered significantly quicker than expected and, having originally said he'd be taking this week off, will now ride in Wednesday's Dwars Door Vlaanderen.
Right after yesterday's reports that Rein Taaramäe and Thor Hushovd are having to take a break due to illness comes news that Katusha's Joaquim Rodriguez, one of the strongest climbers in the contemporary peloton, has developed tendinitis - probably as a result of new shoes at Tirreno-Adriatico. Team doctors will now concentrate on getting him well in time for the Vuelta Ciclista al País Vasco, which he led for four of six stages last year before a disastrous Stage 6 time trial left him outside the top ten in the overall General Classification.
.jpg "Image credit: McSmit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Maxim_Iglinskiy_(Tour_de_France_2007_-_stage_7).jpg CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en")
