First Edition Cycling News, Friday, January 27, 2012

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Date published:

January 27, 11:00

• UCI releases Continental team rankings for 2012

  

  Article published:

  January 26, 17:30

  By:

  Cycling News

  Brazilian team to debut in USA?

  The UCI today released its "fictitious" rankings which determine the teams that will be automatically invited to the Continental Tour events.

  Similar to the WorldTour rankings that determine automatic consideration for the top teams toward the next season's first division, the rankings for the Continental Tours are calculated by the points obtained by the riders on 2012 teams in the previous season.

  The teams are then ranked on this sporting value and used to determine the top three squads, each of which will be automatically invited to the class 1 and 2 non-European races.

  For instance, in the Americas Tour, the Brazilian Funvic-Pindamonhangaba squad, together with the Continental Movistar team and EPM-UNE from Colombia must be invited to the top US races, including the Tour of Elk Grove, Tour of the Battenkill, Tour of Utah and SRAM Tour of the Gila.

  The rules were changed in July, 2011 to exclude the 2.HC and 1.HC events such as the Amgen Tour of California, USA Pro Cycling Challenge and Philadelphia International Championships.

  Only organisers of UCI class 2 Europe Tour races (2.2 or 1.2 events such as Tour de Normandie) will be obliged to invite the top squads from the Europe Tour fictitious rankings.

  Only Continental teams registered for each UCI Continental Tour are considered for automatic invitations, thus Rapha-Condor Sharp which was second in the Oceania Tour does not warrant inclusion in Australian and New Zealand events. However, its second in the Europe Tour does warrant its inclusion in all x.2 events in Europe. Similarly, Professional Continental teams were not considered in the fictitious rankings.

  UCI Europe Tour
  1 Christina Watches – Onfone (Den)
  2 Endura Racing (GBr)
  3 Salcano - Manisaspor Cycling Team (Tur)

  UCI Africa Tour
  1 Groupement Sportif Petrolier Algerie (Alg)
  2 MTN Qhubeka (RSA)
  3 Team Bonitas (RSA)

  UCI America Tour
  1 Funvic – Pindamonhangaba (Bra)
  2 Movistar Team (Col)
  3 EPM – UNE (Col)

  UCI Asia Tour
  1 Tabriz Petrochemical Team (IRI)
  2 Terengganu Cycling Team (Mas)
  3 Azad University Cross Team (IRI)

  UCI Oceania Tour
  1 Team Jayco – AIS (Aus)
  2 Drapac Cycling (Aus)
  3 Genesys Wealth Advisers (Aus)

  Full Rankings

  UCI Africa Tour fictitious ranking

  #	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
  1	Groupement Sportif Petrolier Algerie (Alg)	471	pts
  2	Mtn Qhubeka (RSA)	304
  3	Team Europcar (Fra)	197
  4	Team Bonitas (RSA)	190
  5	Team Ig - Sigma Sport (GBr)	79
  6	Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda's (Bel)	76
  7	Rapha Condor - Sharp (GBr)	68
  8	Konya Torku Seker Spor (Tur)	59
  9	Dukla Trencin Trek (Svk)	47
  10	Velo Club Sovac Algerie (Alg)	41
  11	Chipotle Development Team (USA)	38
  12	Miche - Guerciotti (Ita)	36
  13	Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole (Bel)	24
  14	Geofco - Ville D'alger (Alg)	21
  15	Unitedhealthcare Pro Cycling Team (USA)	15
  16	Whirlpool - Author (Cze)	11
  17	Caja Rural (Spa)	9
  18	Koga Cycling Team (Ned)	8
  19	Marco Polo Cycling Team (Eth)	6
  20	Amore & Vita (Ukr)	6
  21	Team Type 1 - Sanofi (USA)	5
  22	Endura Racing (GBr)	3
  23	Team Differdange - Magic-Sportfood.De (Lux)	2
  24	Asc Dukla Praha (Cze)	2

  UCI America Tour fictitious ranking

  #	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
  1	Funvic - Pindamonhangaba (Bra)	441	pts
  2	Movistar Team (Col)	356
  3	Colombia - Coldeportes (Col)	205
  4	Unitedhealthcare Pro Cycling Team (USA)	198
  5	Androni Giocattoli (Ita)	191
  6	Epm - Une (Col)	176
  7	Clube Dataro De Ciclismo (Bra)	158
  8	Team Optum Presented By Kelly Benefit Strategies (USA)	149
  9	Spidertech Powered By C10 (Can)	141
  10	Jamis - Sutter Home (USA)	132
  11	Real Cycling Team (Bra)	124
  12	Colombia - Comcel (Col)	123
  13	Chipotle Development Team (USA)	98
  14	Gobernacion De Antioquia - Indeportes Antiquia (Col)	87
  15	Competitive Cyclist Racing Team (USA)	85
  16	Bissell Cycling (USA)	82
  17	Continental Team Astana (Kaz)	78
  18	Team Type 1 - Sanofi (USA)	75
  19	Caja Rural (Spa)	60
  20	Kenda - 5-Hour Energy Cycling Team (USA)	58
  21	San Luis Somos Todos (Arg)	39
  22	Team Exergy (USA)	32
  23	Project 1T4I (Ned)	30
  24	Bontrager Livestrong Team (USA)	26
  25	Team Europcar (Fra)	25
  26	Champion System Pro Cycling Team (Chn)	24
  27	Miche - Guerciotti (Ita)	22
  28	Andalucia (Spa)	16
  29	Farnese Vini (GBr)	13
  30	Endura Racing (GBr)	12
  31	Blue Water Cycling (Den)	12
  32	Amore & Vita (Ukr)	10
  33	Bkcp - Powerplus (Bel)	10
  34	Wonderful Pistachios Cycling (USA)	10
  35	Dukla Trencin Trek (Svk)	10
  36	Colnago - Csf Inox (Irl)	9
  37	Rusvelo (Rus)	5
  38	Team Jayco - Ais (Aus)	5
  39	Groupement Sportif Petrolier Algerie (Alg)	5
  40	Team Nsp - Ghost (Ger)	5
  41	Leopard - Trek Continental Team (Lux)	4
  42	Start Cycling Team - Atacama Flowery Desert (Par)	3
  43	Subway Cycling Team (NZl)	2
  44	Team Raleigh - Gac (GBr)	2

  UCI Asia Tour fictitious ranking

  #	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
  1	Tabriz Petrochemical Team (IRI)	534	pts
  2	Terengganu Cycling Team (Mas)	329
  3	Rusvelo (Rus)	274
  4	Androni Giocattoli (Ita)	273
  5	Champion System Pro Cycling Team (Chn)	268
  6	Azad University Cross Team (IRI)	211
  7	Team Europcar (Fra)	197
  8	Rts Racing Team (Tpe)	193
  9	Farnese Vini (GBr)	181
  10	Colnago - Csf Inox (Irl)	155
  11	Ccc Polkowice (Pol)	142
  12	Konya Torku Seker Spor (Tur)	138
  13	Unitedhealthcare Pro Cycling Team (USA)	132
  14	Rc Arbö Wels Gourmetfein (Aut)	123
  15	Endura Racing (GBr)	109
  16	Project 1T4I (Ned)	108
  17	Node 4 - Giordana Racing (GBr)	105
  18	Arbö Gebrüder Weiss - Oberndorfer (Aut)	91
  19	Team Netapp (Ger)	91
  20	Continental Team Astana (Kaz)	84
  21	Adria Mobil (Slo)	84
  22	Drapac Cycling (Aus)	77
  23	Team Type 1 - Sanofi (USA)	72
  24	Christina Watches - Onfone (Den)	61
  25	Loborika Favorit Team (Cro)	54
  26	Mtn Qhubeka (RSA)	51
  27	Team Bonitas (RSA)	47
  28	Andalucia (Spa)	47
  29	Joker Merida (Nor)	42
  30	Jelly Belly Cycling (USA)	42
  31	Team Idea (Ita)	37
  32	Kspo (Kor)	37
  33	Genesys Wealth Advisers (Aus)	31
  34	Geumsan Ginseng Cello (Kor)	29
  35	Seoul Cycling Team (Kor)	29
  36	Team Eddy Merckx - Indeland (Ger)	27
  37	Chipotle Development Team (USA)	24
  38	Rapha Condor - Sharp (GBr)	24
  39	Nutrixxion Abus (Ger)	23
  40	Team Nsp - Ghost (Ger)	23
  41	Caja Rural (Spa)	20
  42	Team Wit (Ita)	19
  43	Landbouwkrediet (Bel)	18
  44	Team Optum Presented By Kelly Benefit Strategies (USA)	13
  45	Max Success Sports (Chn)	10
  46	Team Vorarlberg (Aut)	10
  47	Holy Brother Cycling Team (Chn)	8
  48	Marco Polo Cycling Team (Eth)	8
  49	Qinghai Tianyoude Cycling Team (Chn)	7
  50	J.Jensen - Sandstod Salg Og Event (Den)	6
  51	Mes Kerman (IRI)	6
  52	Bmc - Hincapie Sportswear Development Team (USA)	5
  53	Miche - Guerciotti (Ita)	5
  54	Atlas Personal - Jakroo (Swi)	4
  55	Kolss Cycling Team (Ukr)	3
  56	Bank Bgz (Pol)	3
  57	Hengxiang Cycling Team (Chn)	3
  58	Action Cycling Team (Tpe)	2
  59	Whirlpool - Author (Cze)	2

  UCI Europe Tour fictitious ranking

  #	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
  1	Project 1T4I (Ned)	1628	pts
  2	Colnago - Csf Inox (Irl)	1338
  3	Saur - Sojasun (Fra)	1281
  4	Androni Giocattoli (Ita)	1229
  5	Team Europcar (Fra)	1178
  6	Team Type 1 - Sanofi (USA)	1113
  7	Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne (Fra)	1071
  8	Team Netapp (Ger)	973
  9	Bretagne - Schuller (Fra)	928
  10	Accent Jobs - Willems Veranda's (Bel)	919
  11	Farnese Vini (GBr)	844
  12	Landbouwkrediet (Bel)	758
  13	Acqua & Sapone (Ita)	733
  14	Christina Watches - Onfone (Den)	728
  15	Endura Racing (GBr)	671
  16	Topsport Vlaanderen - Mercator (Bel)	646
  17	Salcano - Manisaspor Cycling Team (Tur)	582
  18	An Post - Sean Kelly (Bel)	552
  19	Adria Mobil (Slo)	530
  20	Itera - Katusha (Rus)	522
  21	Team Nsp - Ghost (Ger)	485
  22	Efapel - Glassdrive (Por)	473
  23	Caja Rural (Spa)	450
  24	Colombia - Coldeportes (Col)	436
  25	Roubaix Lille Metropole (Fra)	416
  26	Bigmat - Auber 93 (Fra)	373
  27	La Pomme Marseille (Fra)	362
  28	Rabobank Continental Team (Ned)	358
  29	Whirlpool - Author (Cze)	354
  30	Cyclingteam De Rijke (Ned)	350
  31	Carmin - Prio (Por)	350
  32	Bdc - Marcpol Team (Pol)	324
  33	Loborika Favorit Team (Cro)	321
  34	Utensilnord Named (Irl)	309
  35	Ccc Polkowice (Pol)	308
  36	Rusvelo (Rus)	291
  37	Tirol Cycling Team (Aut)	267
  38	Jong Vlaanderen Cycling Team (Bel)	267
  39	Koga Cycling Team (Ned)	257
  40	Isd - Lampre Continental (Ukr)	256
  41	Atlas Personal - Jakroo (Swi)	248
  42	Bank Bgz (Pol)	243
  43	Sava (Slo)	233
  44	Konya Torku Seker Spor (Tur)	205
  45	Andalucia (Spa)	202
  46	Team Cykelcity.Se (Swe)	191
  47	Leopard - Trek Continental Team (Lux)	186
  48	Spidertech Powered By C10 (Can)	183
  49	Champion System Pro Cycling Team (Chn)	179
  50	Glud & Marstrand - Lro (Den)	177
  51	Onda (Por)	163
  52	Rc Arbö Wels Gourmetfein (Aut)	157
  53	Lkt Team Brandenburg (Ger)	146
  54	Rietumu - Delfin (Lat)	139
  55	Thüringer Energie Team (Ger)	131
  56	Bontrager Livestrong Team (USA)	131
  57	Wallonie Bruxelles - Credit Agricole (Bel)	130
  58	Unitedhealthcare Pro Cycling Team (USA)	128
  59	Team Idea (Ita)	126
  60	Team Differdange - Magic-Sportfood.De (Lux)	125
  61	Lokosphinx (Rus)	118
  62	Team Vorarlberg (Aut)	116
  63	Joker Merida (Nor)	115
  64	Kolss Cycling Team (Ukr)	111
  65	Tt Raiko Argon 18 (Ger)	110
  66	Team Eddy Merckx - Indeland (Ger)	109
  67	Rapha Condor - Sharp (GBr)	105
  68	Wsa - Viperbike Kärnten (Aut)	101
  69	Team Wit (Ita)	100
  70	Chipotle Development Team (USA)	99
  71	Blue Water Cycling (Den)	86
  72	Cyclingteam Jo Piels (Ned)	86
  73	Amore & Vita (Ukr)	84
  74	Team Jayco - Ais (Aus)	83
  75	Continental Team Astana (Kaz)	83
  76	Dukla Trencin Trek (Svk)	82
  77	Team Concordia Forsikring - Himmerland (Den)	80
  78	Telenet - Fidea (Bel)	80
  79	Sunweb - Revor (Bel)	72
  80	Epm - Une (Col)	71
  81	Veranda Rideau - Super U (Fra)	69
  82	Burgos Bh - Castilla Y Leon (Spa)	68
  83	Drapac Cycling (Aus)	65
  84	Team Oster Hus - Ridley (Nor)	62
  85	Tusnad Cycling Team (Rom)	61
  86	Orbea Continental (Spa)	58
  87	Bkcp - Powerplus (Bel)	58
  88	Metec Continental Cyclingteam (Ned)	57
  89	Nutrixxion Abus (Ger)	57
  90	Node 4 - Giordana Racing (GBr)	56
  91	Radenska (Slo)	49
  92	Asc Dukla Praha (Cze)	41
  93	Rts Racing Team (Tpe)	40
  94	Uk Youth Cycling (GBr)	39
  95	Oneco - Mesterhus Cycling Team (Nor)	38
  96	Bmc - Hincapie Sportswear Development Team (USA)	38
  97	Ac Sparta Praha (Cze)	38
  98	Geofco - Ville D'alger (Alg)	37
  99	Team Ig - Sigma Sport (GBr)	36
  100	Colba - Superano Ham (Bel)	34
  101	Arbö Gebrüder Weiss - Oberndorfer (Aut)	32
  102	Kenda - 5-Hour Energy Cycling Team (USA)	32
  103	Alpha Baltic - Unitymarathons.Com (Lat)	30
  104	Team Optum Presented By Kelly Benefit Strategies (USA)	24
  105	San Luis Somos Todos (Arg)	24
  106	Groupement Sportif Petrolier Algerie (Alg)	21
  107	Miche - Guerciotti (Ita)	16
  108	Lotto - Pôle Continental Wallon (Bel)	13
  109	Plussbank - Bmc (Nor)	13
  110	Colombia - Comcel (Col)	12
  111	Start Cycling Team - Atacama Flowery Desert (Par)	12
  112	Mtn Qhubeka (RSA)	12
  113	Azad University Cross Team (IRI)	10
  114	Team Raleigh - Gac (GBr)	10
  115	Team Budget Forklifts (Aus)	8
  116	Genesys Wealth Advisers (Aus)	6
  117	Team Heizomat (Ger)	3
  118	Gobernacion De Antioquia - Indeportes Antiquia (Col)	3
  119	Jelly Belly Cycling (USA)

  UCI Oceania Tour fictitious ranking

  #	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
  1	Team Jayco - Ais (Aus)	102	pts
  2	Rapha Condor - Sharp (GBr)	100
  3	Drapac Cycling (Aus)	49
  4	Genesys Wealth Advisers (Aus)	48
  5	Team Budget Forklifts (Aus)	25
  6	Team Raleigh - Gac (GBr)	24
  7	Chipotle Development Team (USA)	14
  8	Subway Cycling Team (NZl)	8
  9	An Post - Sean Kelly (Bel)	6
  10	Unitedhealthcare Pro Cycling Team (USA)	5
  11	Endura Racing (GBr)	4

• Gallery: Europcar presents 2012 team

  

  Article published:

  January 26, 18:04

  By:

  Cycling News

  Pro road squad introduced for coming season

  Europcar introduced their 2012 squad and new kit to the world earlier today, with general manager Jean-René Bernadeau stating that he hopes this year can match the highs that the team enjoyed under their former guise in 2011.

  The Professional Continental team made numerous headlines - not least at the Tour De France, where the team's talisman Thomas Voeckler finished in fourth place after leading the race for several days. On top of this, Voeckler's teammate Pierre Rolland claimed the white jersey. It was these performances that helped to save the team, with Europcar stepping in as the new sponsors at the end of last season just as it seemed that disbandment could be on the cards.

  Check out our gallery of the 2012 Europcar squad.
  
   

   

• Thomas Dekker: "In the end, I hope I can earn trust"

  

  Article published:

  January 26, 18:45

  By:

  Daniel Benson

  Dutch rider keen to repay faith shown in him by Garmin-Barracuda

  Thomas Dekker strides across the lobby of the Gran Hotel Sol y Mar like a new man. It’s almost an unrecognisable contrast to when Cyclingnews visited him at his home in Belgium on the eve of the Tour de France in 2010.

  Back then, in a frank and honest interview, he laid bare his past, admitting to doping and how it had affected his life.

  At the time he was without a team, overweight and serving a two-year ban. Talk of a comeback to the highest echelons of the sport seemed almost unfeasible. However, 18 months on, Dekker has achieved all he set out to do.

  Now signed with Garmin-Barracuda, he’s looking towards a new chapter in his career.

  “For the next ten years it will always be about the guy who doped but I hope in the end I can earn trust again,” Dekker says. “It’s been a really long road. I still have that house that you interviewed me at, it’s even got some furniture now.”

  That road involved several hurdles and while Garmin’s Jonathan Vaughters has always been a fan of the Dutchman, he made the rider sweat and suffer before finally offering him a contract. Dekker even travelled to the team presentation in Boulder before Christmas uncertain over whether he had a deal. With only an hour to go before the squad was presented the two men finally shook hands and in one sense gave closure to negotiations that actually began as far back as 2008.

  “All the months and testing, blood controls, working with my managers, there was a lot of stress for me but also for my family. It wasn’t easy going, and they’d ask me if there was news and if I had a contract. It was hard but in a way getting a contract on the dream team was victory in itself,” Dekker says.

  “I’m with a clean team where there are no grey areas. Vaughters was the first one to introduce the no-needle policy so it’s totally clear. It’s really nice feeling to be here. Now I hope to talk with my legs.”

  While Dekker can finally plan a season of racing back in the professional ranks, he knows that not everything will be easy. After a long break from the top ranks he still has work to do on and off the bike. Part of his arrangement and final contract offer from Vaughters centred on co-operating with WADA. Dekker has complied, sitting down with WADA two weeks ago to discuss his past

  “We made a plan. I had a meeting with WADA, the UCI, and the Dutch Federation so I can visit cycling clubs and talk there. We’re planning that schedule now."

  The WADA meeting was perhaps the most significant. Dekker would not talk about the specifics, but told Cyclingnews that while he talked about his own past he did not give up names of those who he knew had doped or who had helped him cheat.

  “It was pretty serious stuff, talking about my story and what happened in the past. We had a good meeting. I made clear to them what I did. For sure there was an environment in the past but nobody put a gun to my head. I was young and I made a mistake and I was punished for two years. I want to let my legs do the talking now. I can’t discuss the specifics.

  “WADA did ask about the environment. In the end it was my decision [to dope]. After the B sample came out I looked at myself in the mirror. Those two years were not easy but I want to look forward now.”

  Dekker also stressed that he had no worries over the Human Plasma case that he was embroiled in previously and that his knowledge of developments only came from press reports. The case closed several months ago. Whether cycling takes Dekker’s assertions from that meeting as gospel is open for debate, but assuming he’s being truthful it leaves one important question: does his silence over that matter protect doping and those involved, enforcing omerta?

  “I don’t see it that way,” he says. “I know what you mean but I think I’ve helped and I made everything clear to them.”

  Dekker’s season will begin at the Tour of Qatar, before moving onto a more traditional race programme that includes Tirreno-Adiratico, Criterium International, the Tour of the Basque Country, the Ardennes and the Tour of Switzerland.

  His progression in those races will determine the rest of the year and he’s crossing his fingers that a Tour de France slot is open for him.

  “I’m dreaming that they bring me to the Tour. I don’t know what I can do there. It’s difficult to say, especially as we’re only in January, but for me it would just be a dream to come back. It’s the biggest cycling event and just being there would be a victory for me, and would be a sign of starting again in some ways.

  “I think I can return to a level of success. That’s just my opinion though. It will take some time though. This year it’s about coming back and learning to suffer again in uphill races, stages races. I need to show Vaughters that he was right to give me a contract and that I’m a good ride who can do something for the team.”

• Amstel Gold Race route change favours aggressors

  

  Article published:

  January 26, 20:44

  By:

  Cycling News

  Less distance between penultimate climb and finish

  The organisers of the 47th Amstel Gold Race announced today a change to the finale of the April 15th event, one designed to heighten the drama leading into the final ascent of the Cauberg.

  Race director Leo van Vleit has decided to cut out over two kilometers between the top of the Keutenberg, the second to last climb, removing the descent of the Sibbergrubbe and the loop through the center of Valkenburg.

  By reducing the previous 12.3km section to 9.6km, there will be less chance for riders to chase back to the front if they are left behind on the Keutenberg.

  Last year, Andy Schleck (Leopard Trek) attacked on the Keutenberg but Omega Pharma-Lotto's Jelle Vanendert was able to reel him in before the base of the Cauberg, where Joaquin Rodriguez (Katusha) counter-attacked, only to be left behind by the irrepressible Philippe Gilbert on the summit.

  Van Vliet hopes the new finish will give those late attackers a better chance at staying clear to the line.

  "I am convinced that this redrawn final section will encourage exciting riding because attackers are much more likely to succeed," said Van Vliet. "In the past, escapes on or after the Keutenberg were created mostly on the flat section before the Sibbergrubbe but were caught in the run up to the Cauberg. Now, anyone who escapes before the descent of the Daalhemmerberg has the opportunity to recover before the final climb of the Cauberg begins.

  "Also, the shorter distance between the Keutenberg and the Cauberg may tempt the daredevils to make a grab for victory."

  While the finale has been re-worked, the rest of the course is nearly identical to that of previous years. The race will start as usual at the market square in Maastricht and finish on the Cauberg in Valkenburg for a total of 255.1km with 31 climbs.

  The 18 WorldTour teams will be at the start along with four already-announced wildcards: Project 1t4i, Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator, Accent-Willems Veranda’s and Landbouwkrediet-Euphony, and possibly two more to-be-announced teams.

• UCI looking for investors for GCP

  

  Article published:

  January 27, 00:37

  By:

  Cycling News

  Amaury Sport Organisation reject offer

  Amaury Sport Organisation has rejected an offer from the UCI to invest in the Global Cycling Promotion (GCP), the arm of the governing body charged with promoting cycling in a global sense and race organiser.

  Bloomberg reports that UCI President Pat McQuaid said the organisation was looking for alternate investors in the wake of ASO's non-interest.

  "We have spoken to people of means" McQuaid said, declining to directly identify the parties.

  Meantime ASO, which assisted the GCP in organising the parcours for the Tour of Beijing which was held for the first time late last year, "said for the moment they'd like to stay in the role of service provider," McQuaid added.

  The move comes off the back of the mooted plans for a 'breakaway league', backed by Rothschild and the Gifted Group. World Series Cycling (WSC) plans to generate close to 39 million Euro by 2017, from an initial 17 million in 2013. The cash flow is centred around television and media contracts and incomes generated from centralising media and sponsorship deals.

  Under the WSC proposal there would be a 64 per cent share hold or stake held by the 14 teams, giving each team, or franchise, 4.6 per cent. The franchises would invest 3.5 million Euro, or 250,000 Euro each, with 550,000 coming from Gifted and a major stake of 20 million Euro from Rothschild.

  Each year participating teams would receive a guaranteed 1.5 million Euro as well as a dividend of the annual stream of revenue from media and television rights.

  Finally, the proposal theoretically envisages profits amassing 85 Euro million within five years, with the total project worth 330 million by that point.

  The UCI's proposal would have profits from the new races re-invested into the sport and distributed among teams, McQuaid said.
   

• Evans pleased with climbing support at BMC

  

  Article published:

  January 27, 01:52

  By:

  Barry Ryan

  Australian looks to continue to Tour of Lombardy in 2012

  Cadel Evans has insisted that he is pleased with the climbing talent added to his BMC team ahead of the 2012 season. The Australian dismissed the notion that in stock-piling its arsenal of classics talent in the off-season, BMC had neglected to bolster his support for the Tour de France.

  Thor Hushovd and Philippe Gilbert may have been the squad's most high-profile signings, but Evans believes that while both men can play an important role at the Tour, it is Tejay van Garderen and Steve Cummings that have arrived at BMC expressly to flank him in the mountains.

  "For me the climbing aspect of our team is great," Evans told reporters at the BMC training camp in Denia, Spain on Thursday. "I feel Tejay [van Garderen] is a bit of an under-rated rider at the moment. I saw him first hand when he was away on the stage to Superbesse last year and you could see what he's capable of, but every day he was riding on the front for Cavendish.

  "With us, he's going to have the opportunity to ride on terrain that suits him, and he's going to have opportunities in his own races to ride for himself too, of course."

  Evans acknowledged that BMC had added significant firepower to its classics squad ahead of the new campaign, but pointed out that the same riders could also be crucial to his ambitions come July.

  "For the Tour de France, you also need rouleurs and strong guys," he said. "Okay, in 2012 we don't have a team time trial but you do need guys who are suited to that kind of racing because not all of the Tour de France is mountainous.

  "We needed to strengthen our team for the Tour de France. To be defending champion is potentially more difficult for a team and we needed to strengthen our team."

  The newly-merged RadioShack-Nissan team is widely touted to provide the most concerted collective threat at the Tour de France, but Evans wryly noted that he would be hard-pressed to replicate the make-up of that particular team.

  "No team can be as good as the combination of the Schleck brothers together because they're two of the best five climbers in the world, but that's a unique combination of two brothers racing," he said, and then quipped: "I don't have a brother, so I can't do much about that."

  Although Alberto Contador's participation in the 2012 Tour remains shrouded in doubt, Evans believes the Spaniard will be his principal rival if he is on the start line. Along with Schleck brothers, Evans feels that a number of strong time triallists will also fancy their chances given the nature of the route.

  "With more time trialling, guys like Wiggins and Leipheimer [can be in contention] and don't discount somebody like Andreas Klöden," he warned. "In a flat time trial he can bring back time and he's been on the podium in years gone by. But whether he has the ambitions or intentions I really don't know."

  Tour of Lombardy return

  Unlike in 2011, when his season ended shortly after sealing victory at the Tour, Evans is motivated by the possibility of continuing as far as the Worlds in Valkenburg and the Tour of Lombardy. To that end, he is hopeful that the London Olympics might provide the necessary structure to maintain his momentum through the immediate post-Tour period.

  "My post-Tour de France in 2011 was a bit of a unique situation, going back to Australia, rushing off to America and so on," he said. "I think going to the Olympics and being a little bit more planned and programmed for that period will leave me with a little bit more energy. I like the fact that Lombardy is a bit earlier as well, closer to the Worlds."

  In early part of the season, Evans will understandably follow an almost identical race programme to the one that ultimately paid such rich dividends in 2011. Nonetheless, he was cautious about his chances of repeating his early Tirreno-Adriatico success of last year.

  "This year I'll go to Tirreno with hopes but no big expectations," he said. "But of course July is what it's really all about and where we really start to be serious."

  Tags:

  Olympic games

  Tour de France

  World championships

• Herrera thinks time is right for the resurgence of the pure climber

  

  Article published:

  January 27, 06:00

  By:

  Alex Hinds

  Colombian legend reflects on similarities between the 80s and today

  Former Vuelta a España winner Luis 'Lucho' Herrera says that South American cycling is on the brink of launching a new generation of pure climbers into the sport, and added that the inflxux of professional riders from Latin America is symbolic of a sort of coming of age for the continent.

  Herrera was received as a hero in Colombia when he returned from his feats overseas in the mid to late 1980s, that saw him take out the king of the mountains classification in all three Grand Tours as well as multiple stage wins in the Tour de France.

  At the time his small, featherweight build turned the European establishment on its head, with riders like Hinault and Fignon heavier set than Herrera and much more the norm. Though he never won a Tour, he did inspire a wave of cyclists after him to emulate his style, and some 20 years later the first products are finally coming to the fore.

  "I think there was a shift away from pure climbers after the 70s," said Herrera. "There was a culture when I was racing of these bigger guys fighting it out.

  "Even today there are very few what I would call pure climbers. I think cyclists have been told to develop to be more all-rounders for a long time, but with races like the Giro d'Italia in 2011 there are still opportunities for these guys to succeed. I think organisers want more of these riders to excite their races, and I think South America can produce them."

  Herrera is particularly excited by the likes of Sergio Luis Henao, Esteban Chavez, Nairo Quintana and Fabio Duarte who he sees as very much in his own mould, all with the attacking flair and ability to accelerate on a climb that made Herrera himself such a star in his time.

  "Quintana Rojas and Chavez [who won the Tour de l'Avenir in 2010 and 2011], I think they can be really good. The way Chavez climbs reminds me a lot of myself when I was younger. He is very driven and agressive on the bike, I think he's showing really good signs."

  Herrera added that projects like Movistar, and more recently Colombia-Coldeportes were also helping to capitalise on the growth in South American cycling.

  "[Colombia-Coldeportes] is going to be a really great thing for Colombia cycling, and for cycling in South America," said Herrera. "I think with a guy like [Claudio] Corti in charge there are big possibilities for them in Europe.

  "Corti will be able to get the best out of these guys, they will perform they will get results, I am confident in that."

  Tags:

  tales from the peloton

  climber

  international

• Video: David Millar exclusive interview

  

  Article published:

  January 27, 10:19

  By:

  Cycling News

  British rider chats to Cyclingnews about plans for 2012

  Cyclingnews caught up with British rider David Millar earlier in the week at the Garmin-Barracuda training camp in Spain. Millar reveals that he is in much better shape physically and mentally than this time last year, when numerous factors led to early season disruption, and lists his main early season targets.

  With the CAS ruling on his Olympic ban still pending, Millar states that his main target for 2012 will be a good showing at the Tour de France. He is set to take most of April and all of May off to prepare, and says that this year's route may well suit him and his team more than in recent years.

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