News
21st
February 2007
Have
your voice heard on ProCycleNews... Click here to E-mail
us with your comments on the stories below!
Paris-Nice
to go ahead as a 'Free' Race... But without ProTour teams!
The
early season Paris-Nice stage race in France scheduled from
the 11th to the 18th of March has been plunged into uncertainty
over the past 24 hours. As reported here on ProCycleNews
and by other cycle news website's around the world, talks
between the world's cycling governing body, the UCI and
the organizers of the Paris-Nice, the ASO failed earlier
in the week. This led to the ASO approaching the French
cycling federation (FFC) and asking them to run the race
as a national event, a so-called 'free' race.
The
FFC agreed but the UCI have sent a letter to all 20 ProTour
teams pointing out that, according to article 2.1.009 of
the UCI regulations, ProTour teams are unable to participate
in any race on a national calendar.
This
leaves the race only open for participation to Continental
teams from that country, in this case France, as well as
club, regional and national squads.
So,
will the prestigious Paris-Nice stage race go ahead this
year? And where will that leave the Tour de France where
the ASO have also failed to invite all 20 ProTour squads?
Not only does this affect the Paris-Nice but also the Tirreno-Adriatico
from the 14th to the 20th of March in Italy, a race which
is organized by RCS Sport who also organize the Giro d'Italia.
Just as the ASO have done, RCS Sport have also failed to
invite all the ProTour teams, again leaving out the Unibet.com
team. .
Where
does this leave cycling and where does it leave the future
of the ProTour?
Flash News from the Tour of California
by Brian C. Grenier
Under cloudy skies and the ever present threat of rain,
the Discovery Channel team gave an awesome display of cycling
team-work and tactics! Discovery Channel went to work early
to blow apart the peloton and catch a 16-man break that
at one stage had 2 minute's on the main field and was gaining! Not
only did Discovery Channel reel in the escapees, but they
were able to launch Levi Leipheimer and Jason McCartney
into what would become the final break-away and it stuck!
At
the line it was Jens Voigt (CSC) taking the stage win ahead
of Leiphimer.
Again
the day was dominated by the ProTour squads with unbelievable
showings not only by the Discovery Channel but also by CSC,
T-Mobile and Predictor-Lotto to name but a few.
If
one wasn’t careful and paying attention one could easily
think we were in the 21 days of July! We have to pose the
question, if things are this good this early what will we
be seeing by summer?
[Check
out the report and link to the full report below].
Voigt
takes the stage for CSC but Leipheimer remains calmly in
control
Stage
3 of this years Tour of California proved decisive in shaking
up the riders and testing them on the tough roads between
Stockton and the finish in San José.
A
large breakaway group escaped early in the stage before
the first mountain climb of the day. The group contained
Jens Voigt, a danger man from the CSC team and and Discovery
Channel's Jason McCartney, along to police the move.
Together
the break worked well together gradually building their
lead over the chasing peloton. Together they climbing the
first mountain of the day, the climb of Patterson Pass after
55 kilometer's. Over the top it was Slipstream's William
Frischkorn who took the maximum points from Quick Step-Innergetic's
Jurgen Van De Walle.
Back
on the flat roads after the decent the leading riders started
to settle back into their rhythm but that wasn't to last
too long. Suddenly Discovery Channel rider Jason McCartney
launched an attack aimed at splitting the group and breaking
up the work. Realizing he had no company McCartney sat up
and reintegrated himself back into the breakaway group.
Gradually
the peloton were reeling in the breakaway riders. Over the
top of the final climb the inevitable regrouping occurred
with the race leader back in the thick of the action.
37
riders headed towards the finish together with Discovery
Channel's McCartney doing all he could for team-leader Leipheimer.
And so it came down to a sprint where CSC rider Voigt took
the win over Leipheimer and Predictor-Lotto's Chris Horner.
Now
the race looks set to be decided during the time trial stage
in Solvang on Friday. Both Voigt and Leipheimer are good
time trial riders and both will fancy their chances of taking
the top spoils when the race ends this coming Sunday in
Long Beach.
Tomorrow's
stage will take the riders from Seaside to San Luis Obispo,
a distance of 215.2 kilometers and one that looks suited
to a bunch sprint with no major climbs to be contested.
Maybe another stage win for CSC's JJ Haedo or will Norwegian
Crédit Agricole rider Thor Hushovd find that extra speed?
Speaking
on team-csc.com Voigt said, "I got away in a break already
from the start, which wasn't the original plan, but it was
a large group so when the lead grew steadily I thought we
might have a chance to give Discovery Channel a hard time.
When the lead increased to five minutes a victory all of
a sudden seemed possible. Some times you have to create
your own luck and that's what I did out there today I guess."
"On
the climb about 30 kilometers before the end Leipheimer
came up from behind and I knew Bobby Julich wasn't far behind
either. I didn't take any leads in the group in order to
give Bobby a chance to reach us and in the end I had the
strength to win the sprint."
Click
here to read the full results from stage 3 of the Tour of
California...
Petacchi
gets relegated as Steegmans takes the win in Portugal
Milram's
Alessandro Petacchi was back on winning form yesterday at
the Volta ao Algarve... Well, almost! He would have won
the stage if it wasn't for him being relegated for irregular
sprinting. Petacchi did cross the line more than a bike
length clear of second placed Gert Steegmans but because
of the relegation the win went to the Quick Step-Innergetic
rider who crossed the line in second place.
As
a result Steegmans now leads the race from René Haselbacher
(Astana) and Roy Sentjens (Predictor-Lotto) both of whom
are 0'04" behind the Belgian.
Speaking
of the affair on team-milram.com Petacchi said, "I
won, but the jury decided that my sprint wasn’t correct.
Yes, it’s true, I moved from the right to left site of the
street. But I didn't obstruct anybody and I didn’t want
anybody to have a crash. I have won about 120 races and
I was never unfair."
No
doubt the Italian sprinter will be back in the thick of
the action during today's 177 kilometer stage from Castro
Marim to Tavira and who would bet again him taking the stage
win? Clearly Petacchi is coming back onto good form following
a difficult 2006 season that was blighted by injury and
misfortune.
Stage
one of the race was livened by a break of two riders, Roy
Sentjens (Predictor-Lotto) and Tiago Machado (Riberalves-Boavista)
who worked together gaining a maximum lead of almost 13
minutes. But, as is almost always the case in almost all
flat stages, the sprinters teams worked hard pulling the
break back before the finish allowing for a sprint royale
where Petacchi was the clear winner before being relegated.
Click
here to read the full results from stage 1 of the Volta
ao Algarve...
Boonen
takes the stage as Cioni remains in the overall lead...but
for how much longer?
Belgium's
Tom Boonen has returned to his winning ways and has finally
taken the 4th stage of this years Ruta del Sol. The ex-world
champion took a short break after a dominant performance
at the Tour of Qatar .
Boonen
beat Danilo Napolitano (Lampre-Fondital) to the line with
Euskaltel-Euskadi's Koldo Fernández taking third at the
finish in Córdoba. Fourth place went to Rabobank's Oscar
Freire who further extended his lead in the points competition.
Overall
Predictor-Lotto's Dario Cioni retained his one second lead
over Spain's Freire with Slovenian Tadej Valjavec (Lampre-Fondital)
moving up to third place on the general classification.
The
race ends today with a 170.9 kilometer stage from Écija
to Antequera where the Ruta looks likely to be decided.
Will Cioni defend such a slender lead all the way to the
finish? This question will be answered later today... Don't
forget to check back later to see the full results...
Click
here to read the full results from stage 4 of the Ruta del
Sol...
Britain's
Jason Queally sidelined through illness
British
track rider Jason Queally will not ride the upcoming round
of the UCI's track world cup, that will be held on his home
shores in Manchester, or the world championships at the
end of next month on the Spanish Balearic island of Majorca.
The
star track rider has picked up the chickenpox that will
sideline him for a number of weeks and setting him back
even longer than that.
Instead
Queally's place on the British squad for the team sprint
will be filled by Chris Hoy, the reigning Olympic kilometer
champion.
Australia
announce their team for the Junior track world's
Cycling
Australia have announced their lineup for the Junior track
world cup in Aguascalientes, Mexico from August 6-12. Australia
have always had a good record in track racing on the world
circuit and they will once again be looking for a strong
showing by their 12 rider lineup.
The
team will be: Jack Bobridge, Byron Davis, Jason Holloway,
James Langedyk, Travis Meyer, Glenn O'Shea, Thomas Palmer,
Leigh Howard, Sarah Kent, Philippa Hindmarsh, Josephine
Butler and Josephine Tomic.
With
surgery now behind him Magnus Backstedt can now look forward
On
Sunday we reported that Liquigas professional Magnus Backstedt
was to return to the operating theatre to have the metal
plate removed from his shoulder. As you know the plate was
screwed in his shoulder to help the joint heal, any injury
he sustained following a training accident on the track.
The
good news for fans of the ex-Paris-Roubaix winner is that
the plate has now been removed. The surgeon was able to
manipulate the frozen shoulder which in turn should help
with the joints mobility.
Magnus
writes on his personal website, "Straight away when
I woke up I was already then in a lot less pain than I was
when I laid down on the operation table. The movement in
the shoulder and the free feeling it gave me not having
the plate in there was unbelievable. I couldn’t hold my
tears back."
Now
with the surgery behind him Magnus can now look forward
to some uninterrupted training to reach the sort of form
he is accustomed to, form that will see him once again challenging
for victories throughout the world.
Magnus,
ProCycleNews would like to wish you all the best and we
look forward to seeing you back in the thick of the action
sometime in the not so distant future!
Robbie
McEwen abandons the Ruta del Sol
Australia's
top road sprinter and Tour de France points competition
winner Robbie McEwen abandoned the Ruta del Sol yesterday
in Spain on the 179 kilometer stage from Cabra to Córdoba.
The stage was won in the end by Belgium's ex-world champion
Tom Boonen from the Quick Step-Innergetic team.
Robbie
is reported to be suffering from a cold and rather than
pushing himself too much decided to retire from the race
after 135 kilometers of the stage.
The
Predictor-Lotto rider left Spain since and has returned
back home to Belgium where he is recovering from his illness.
|
