First Edition Cycling News, Saturday, August 14, 2010

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August 14, 2010, 22:00

• Klöden bemoans state of German cycling

  

  Article published:

  August 13, 2010, 15:34

  By:

  Hedwig Kröner

  Lashes out attacks against German federation

  Andreas Klöden vehemently criticised the German cycling federation (BDR) on his Twitter account on Thursday. The German RadioShack rider, who lives in Switzerland, has never made his opinion of the heads of the BDR a secret, and has now leashed out against them once again.

  The reason for his tirade was the news that Germany will probably have to line up with only five riders at the World Championships because it currently sits in 12th place on the UCI nation rankings. He advised his fellow German riders to stop "arguing on the internet" on who should be selected into the Worlds roster but instead concentrate on getting more ProTour points in order to make it into the top ten.

  "The German Cycling Federation is an amateur! No nomination criteria, no professional guidance. No one has any idea of professional cycling," he tweeted just a few minutes later. "Only when the gentlemen retire, it will be better."

  He pointed to "people like Rudolf Scharping, Udo Sprenger or Burkard Bremer" as the main culprits of the situation, and spoke out in favour of former professional Marcel Wüst to be involved in the decision-making at the BDR in the future. According to Klöden, Wüst has "intelligence and competence".

  The nation's lack of competitive ProTour riders, according to Klöden, was only made worse when Heinrich Haussler decided to race for his home country of Australia instead of Germany, where he has resided since age 14.

  "The best German classics rider now rides for Australia. He had a lot of Pro Tour points last year. And he is the future. Why he went?" asked Klöden, before answering the question himself: "I love Australia and what Heinrich has done, was the only right way. He is to work with professionals and not amateurs."

  The RadioShack rider, who has stopped talking to German-speaking media in the aftermath of the Operación Puerto affair and in 2008 refused to line up on the national team, added that he was "never angry with Germany. But with the German cycling federation with their incompetent people. Germany has wonderful fans."
   

• Sastre to take on Schlecks, Menchov and Nibali at the Vuelta

  

  Article published:

  August 13, 2010, 15:38

  By:

  Cycling News

  Cavendish takes on his sprint rivals before world championships

  The Cervelo TestTeam has confirmed that Carlos Sastre will ride the Vuelta a España, but the Spanish veteran faces major competition from several international rivals, after this year's race attracted its best ever field since moving from late April to September in 1995.

  The Vuelta often suffers from being the third Grand Tour on the race calendar but this year's start list includes Frank Schleck (Saxo Bank), who will get support from his brother Andy, Denis Menchov (Rabobank), Vincenzo Nibali and Roman Kreuziger (Liquigas-Doimo) and other potential outsiders.

  The flat stages, especially in the first 10 days as the race heads northeast from Seville, will also be highly contested as the best sprinters in the world use the Vuelta to prepare for the World Championships in Australia. Mark Cavendish leads the list of long sprinters in the race, as he makes his Vuelta debut.

  Sastre's Third Grand Tour

  The Cervelo TestTeam confirmed that Sastre would ride his third Grand Tour of the season when it named its long list on Friday. Eleven riders have been named, including several of Sastre's preferred Spanish domestiques, sprinters Thor Hushovd and Theo Bos, plus Ireland's Philip Deignan and Britain's Roger Hammond. The final starting nine will be named closer to the start of the race on August 28.

  Sastre has a string of placings in the Vuelta but will be looking for victory this year after struggling in both the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France. However, the likes of Frank Schleck, Menchov and especially Nibali will be fresher and so perhaps hungrier for success.

  Outsiders to watch include Nicolas Roche (Ag2r-La Mondiale), who was 15th overall in the Tour de France, Frenchman Christophe Le Mevel (Francaise des Jeux), Oscar Pereiro, who leads the Astana team in the absence of Alberto Contador, David Arroyo (Caisse d'Epargne), who finished a surprise but determined second in the Giro d'Italia. Tom Danielson get another chance to impress for Garmin-Transitions, Thomas Löfkvist leads Team Sky, while Andrey Kashechkin (Lampre-Farnese Vini) will ride his first Grand Tour since returning from his ban for blood doping.

  Cavendish makes Vuelta debut

  Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) is riding the Vuelta for the first time in his career, in the hope of finding the form he had last spring when he won Milan-San Remo.

  The HTC-Columbia team is backing him all the way and has built the Vuelta team around him. Mark Renshaw is not in the team but loyal lieutenant Bernard Eisel is, as are Matt Goss, Kiwi track pursuiter Hayden Roulston, the USA's Tejay Van Garderen, plus Martin and Peter Velits.
  
  Those riders will give HTC-Columbia the speed and power to lead out but they will face serious competition from Lampre-Farnese Vini, who have Alessandro Petacchi, Danilo Hondo, Grega Bole and Mirco Lorenzetto. Petacchi will be quizzed by the Italian anti-doping investigators on August 24, just four days before the Vuelta starts in Seville, but he should be able to ride the Vuelta before any possible deferral for doping.

  Tyler Farrar leads the Garmin-Transitions team and will have his usual lead out man Julian Dean to help him in the sprints, with further support from David Millar. Can Farrar get the better of Cavendish in a sprint? We will see for the first time in Marbella on Sunday August 29.
  
  Thor Hushovd and Theo Bos will share the sprinting role at Cervelo Test Team, as will Allan Davis and Enrico Gasparotto and Daniele Bennati and Jacopo Guarnieri at Liquigas-Doimo. Bennati will be looking to riding to secure his future for 2011, while Guarnieri will be trying to confirm the speed he showed at the recent Tour of Poland.
  
  Other sprinters likely to throw themselves into the fast finishes are Koldo Fernandez (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Oscar Freire (Rabobank), Ben Swift (Team Sky) plus JJ Haedo and Baden Cooke (Saxo Bank). Don't be surprised to see other riders such as Filippo Pozzato (Katusha) and Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto).

  The Vuelta sprint finishes will be about getting ready for the fight for the rainbow jersey, as much as for daily glory and stage victories.

• Relegation costs Morabito win and possible lead

  

  Article published:

  August 13, 2010, 17:56

  By:

  Daniel Benson

  Wrong turn for BMC rider in Tour de l'Ain

  Steve Morabito (BMC) was stripped of stage victory and probable overall race lead on stage three of the Tour de l’Ain after officials deemed the Swiss rider had taken a short cut in the final two kilometres of the stage. Morabito, along with two other riders, was relegated after going the wrong way around a roundabout. The race jury's decision elevated second-place finisher, Maxime Bouet (AG2R La Mondiale) to the victory and kept Morabito from taking the yellow jersey with one day left.

  "I attacked to the left side, got a good gap and stayed away to the finish," Morabito said.

  "After the race, they told me I was supposed to go to the right around the roundabout. The road was not closed to the left and even the motorbikes were even going that way. I was feeling good today, but not now."

  Morabito signed from Astana at the end of last year and the 27-year-old formed part of Cadel Evan’s Tour de France line-up in July. He finished fourth overall in June's Tour de Suisse.

• Devolder targets Eneco Tour

  

  Article published:

  August 14, 2010, 11:01

  By:

  Stephen Farrand

  Belgian national champion to face Boasson Hagen, Boom, Gerdemann and Tony Martin

  Stijn Devolder (Quick Step) will target next week's Eneco Tour stage race as he prepares for the world championships instead of riding the Vuelta Espana.

  On Sunday, Devolder will try to add the Belgian national time trial title to his road title. Nobody has ever taken both titles in the same year since the inception of the Belgian time trial championship in 1997. Devolder is already the only man to have worn the Belgian champion’s jersey in each discipline, having won the time trial event in 2008.

  With Devolder joining Vacansoleil in 2011, the Quick Step team has opted to get extra visibility from showing the Belgian national champion's jersey on home roads. Quick Step directeur sportif Wilfried Peeters believes Devolder has a real chance of overall success because the seven-day race is likely to be decided in the last stage time trial in Ghent.

  "Stijn's participation was decided after talks between the rider and the team," directeur sportif Wilfried Peeters said.

  "He's Belgian champion and so it's right that he wants to race in front of his home crowd. It's also the better way to prepare for the world championships. He won't ride the Vuelta."
  
  Devolder won the Tour of Belgium in 2008 and 2010 and has the climbing skills to handle the hillier stages in the Ardennes and perform well in the 16.9km Ghent time trial.

  "The Eneco Tour is always open race. Anything can happen. We'll have to see what happens in the race and if Stijn form will allow him to fight for overall victory. But the Ardennes suit him, as does the final time trial. Overall victory is possible," Peeters insisted.

  Devolder's biggest rivals for victory include last year's winner Edvald Boasson Hagen (Team Sky), Jens Voigt (Saxo Bank), fellow Belgian Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Omega Pharma-Lotto), Tony Martin (HTC-Columbia), Andreas Kloden (RadioShack) and José Ivan Gutierrez (Caisse d'Epargne).

  The seven-day race kicks off with 5.2km prologue in Steenwijk, Holland on Tuesday.
   

• Luxembourg team on schedule for 2011 debut

  

  Article published:

  August 14, 2010, 12:52

  By:

  Daniel Benson

  Schlecks confirm they will ride for new team

  Andy and Fränk Schleck have confirmed that they will ride for the new Luxembourg-based team in 2011 and team manager Brian Nygaard has told Cyclingnews that the team is on schedule to become a major ProTour squad for the 2011 season.

  The team, which has yet to announce its title sponsor, riders or reveal its budget, is currently applying for a UCI ProTour license. According to Nygaard the process is moving in the right direction, with over half the team already under contract.

  The UCI’s ProTour licence commission is set to announce any new ProTour teams for 2011 in the coming weeks. The ProTour licence commission operates independently from the UCI and is responsible for issuing licences and bases its assessment on three criteria: sporting, ethical and financial structures.

  “The project is well underway and everything is going as planned,” Nygaard told Cyclingnews in an exclusive interview.

  “We’re lining everything up so that we’re a ProTour team for next year and racing at the highest level. It’s a big process but that’s as it should be. You need to have things in order. In due time we’ll have a big press conference where will give out all the details.”

  “But first we have to meet the criteria and show the UCI our contracts. Then it’s up to them. If you want to be at the highest level in any sport you have to show the right contracts, material, insurances and bank guarantees but I’m very comfortable that they’ll all be in place.”

  The New Big Team

  Although Nygaard would not commit to which riders had been signed, both Fränk and Andy Schleck are set to ride for the team of their home country. They both parted ways with Saxo Bank earlier this month and today announced via Twitter that they would be part of a home-based team in 2011.

  Andy Schleck tweeted: "Next year, we will be part of an amazing project based in our home country. It will be The New Big Team in professional cycling. More news to follow in the coming month."

  The Schlecks are expected to be joined by Jakob Fuglsang, Jens Voigt and Stuart O’Grady who have also announced they are leaving Saxo Bank.

  Before these reassurances, there had been rumours in some parts of the press that the team would not be ready in time for next season. l‘Equipe speculated in July that both the Schlecks had contracts in place with RadioShack should the Luxembourg team fail to get off the ground. However Nygaard wanted to quash any rumours that the team would not be racing next year.

  “To have a ProTour team you need a very serious investment. It’s not just about setting up the structure with the riders but getting the right staff and getting everything in place,” Nygaard told Cyclingnews.

  “We’re aiming at around 25 or 26 riders and we’ve signed more than half that number already. We’ll have a team that’s competitive for the Classics and the Grand Tours. We’re signing riders, we’re signing staff and we’ll make an announcement in due time.”

  “As for the overall image of the team, we will be a predominately young team and one that’s both humble and ambitious. You have to be ambitious because of the young element but also humble as there will be lots to learn."

  Openness, integrity and transparency

  The new team will mark a step for Nygaard on a professional level too. The Dane worked as the chief press officer for Bjarne Riis for a number of years, before carrying out the same duties for Dave Brailsford at Team Sky this year. Both Riis and Brailsford are two of the most dedicated team bosses in the peloton, both with a minute attention to detail, a quality that Nygaard will hope to have picked up.

  “I would never compare myself to people with the skill and the passion of Bjarne Riis and Dave Brailsford. I’ve been very fortunate to work with some of the most ambitious people in the sport."

  “One key thing I’ve learnt over the years is that communication is important with the riders, the sponsors and the media. You also have to accept openness, integrity and transparency on a bike team. They’re key to staying in cycling. You have to understand it’s not just about racing and winning, it’s about interacting with the public, the fans and the media and making sure the riders and everyone on team is well aware of that.”

  Nygaard was part of the CSC team when Ivan Basso left the team in disgrace after being implicated in Operacion Puerto and accused of working with Eufemiano Fuentes.

  Later Fränk Schleck was also linked to Fuentes after making a payment of 7,000 Euros to the Spanish doctor. Schleck was briefly suspended by the team but claimed that he made the payment for training advice. He later offered DNA samples to clear his name of any wrongdoing.

  “The whole ethical set up is key for me,” Nygaard said. “If you look back at cycling, at least since I’ve been in it, the ethics are something that you just can’t get wrong. Cycling is in a different place than where it was a couple of years ago. You can look at the biological passport for example, but you need to do more. You need to do everything you can and the ethical structure of the team has to be a priority. I’m very supportive of initiatives like the passport. It’s such an intelligent tool. Cycling is in a better place now and I’m very reliant on the passport.”

  Nygaard has already used the biological passport as a tool to screen riders, using experts to determine where a rider is safe to sign or should be passed over.

  “When it comes to signing rider we’ve looked at their passport data and that goes for every single one. People at the highest possible level look at that data for us but it’s key when hiring riders that we go through that process. It doesn’t give you an insurance policy but it gives you a really good indication. As a new team you don’t even want to go near anything something that’s a grey area.”

  “You look at rider’s past and how they’ve behaved too. The most important thing when you hire someone is that you trust them.”

  If the team is successful in its quest for a ProTour license their first race would be at the Tour Down Under in January.

  “It’s been a really interesting journey over the last few months and so many things have fallen into place. The thing that would make me most happy is if the riders start out with great kit and looking good on fantastic bikes. Kim and I will measure our success on if the riders are happy,” Nygaard concluded.

• Knaven races for last time

  

  Article published:

  August 14, 2010, 19:02

  By:

  Stephen Farrand

  Milram veteran retires after 17-year career

  Former Paris-Roubaix winner and likeable Dutchman Servais Knaven will ride his last race as a professional on Sunday, marking the end of his 17-year career.

  Knaven will sign-off at the Profwielerronde Etten-Leur criterium, with Andy Schleck (Saxo Bank), Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Doimo) and his Milram teammates Niki Terpstra, Wim De Vocht and Wim Stroetinga on the 22-rider start list.

  Illustrious former teammates such as Johan Bruyneel, Steven De Jongh, Michael Boogerd, Tom Steels and Jeroen Blijlevens will ride a support race to celebrate Knaven’s long career.

  Among the successes of Knaven’s long career are the Dutch national championship in 1995, a stage victory at the Tour de France in 2003 and his triumph at Paris-Roubaix in 2001. He finished the toughest cobbled classic an amazing 16 times, equalling the record by Belgium’s Raymond Impanis from the 1920s.

  Knaven turned professional in 1994 with TVM. He then joined Quick Step in 2003, before riding for T-Mobile in 2007 and then Milram. His last official race with Milram was in June but will race for one last time to say goodbye after 17 years in the saddle.

• Bjarne Riis and Alberto Contador talk about 2011

  

  Article published:

  August 14, 2010, 19:52

  By:

  Cycling News

  Saxo Bank team manager predicts a special Tour de France rivalry with Andy Schleck

  Alberto Contador and Bjarne Riis are convinced they can work successfully together in 2011 when the three-time Tour de France winner rides with Riis’ Saxo-Bank SunGard cycling team.

  The two held a press conference in Riis’ home town of Herning on Friday night before the Herning Criterium and talked confidently about their goals and ambitions for 2011. The criterium was won by Michael Morkov (Saxo Bank), ahead of Michael Rasmussen, while Contador finished in the main peloton.

  “Saxo Bank is a good and serious team, and that’s what I need to have around me,” Contador told Feltet.dk

  “In addition, Bjarne is important too because of the philosophy he has on the team. I think next year will be really good for me and for the team. I see this change as an important step in my career. It will give me greater peace and greater opportunities to achieve results.”

  Riis reiterated that Contador can win all three Grand Tours in one season but admitted it was just a dream and would not happen in their first season together.

  “We've talked about it,” Riis revealed. “The first time Alberto told me that it was a dream for him to win the three big Tours I thought it was fantastic. But, as I have said, it's a dream and sometimes there’s a long way between a dream and reality. And right now the gap is really big. I don’t think it’s something which happens next year, but it may happen one day. More importantly, we’ve first got to work together and then we’ll take it from there. Ultimately it's down to Alberto feels he can do it. I’ve just got to sit in the car, and that’s the easy part.”

  Contador promised to work hard to capture the hearts of the Danish cycling fans and Riis advised him to work on his English so that he can quickly replace the Schlecks as the idol of the Danish cycling fans.

  “He's a great guy and when people get to know him, they will also like him. But that means that they can no longer support the Schleck brothers. They’re natural rivals. But I think it's fine, but obviously next year I’ll be with Alberto. And I am convinced that many Danes will do.”

  “Of course he doesn’t speak perfect English, but it's obviously something he will work. I believe that it is in his own interest to improve his English. When Jalabert came to the team 10 years ago, he could not speak English. When Carlos Sastre came, he could not speak English and when Ivan Basso came, he could not speak English. Today they speak pretty good English, so I’m sure Alberto can do the just as well.”

  Although Contador and his inner circle of Spanish domestiques and staff will take some power and influence away from Riis, he is looking forward to the 2011 Tour de France.

  “Anyone who knows me, knows that I’m always looking for new challenges, and this is a great challenge,” Riis said.

  “Everything we've seen in the Tour this year, means we are set for something special next year. I think there will be huge focus on Tour de France next year because Andy really has come up and is close to Alberto. We’re set for a big show. And I’ll be sat right in the middle of it all, which is cool and something I’m very happy about.”
   

• Leipheimer brings modest ambition to Tour of Utah

  

  Article published:

  August 14, 2010, 21:26

  By:

  Kirsten Frattini

  Rocky Mountains offer prep for Canadian ProTour and US Pro Road Championships

  Breaking news: Leipheimer won the Leadville Trail 100 mountain bike race in a time of 6:16 breaking the previous course record by roughly 12 minutes held by his teammate and seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong. Click here for the race report, photos and results.

  The Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah has once again attracted some of the most prominent climbing specialists in the United States of America including ProTour talent Levi Leipheimer (RadioShack). According to the three-time Tour of California winner, he will ride sans teammates making his chances of winning the overall title nearly an impossible task.

  The six-stage race boasts more than 30,000 feet of climbing over 480 kilometres through the Rocky Mountain's Wasatch Range and is scheduled to take place from August 17-22 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah.

  “I'm on my own,” Leipheimer told Cyclingnews. “Being that I'm alone, I'm realistic about the GC, I don't think it's possible to win but I'd like to win a stage. The courses are tough, really tough, so I'm looking forward to it.”

  Leipheimer has graced the domestic US racing scene on several occasions over the years by competing in the Tour of the Gila, the Cascade Cycling Classic and Nevada City Classic. This year he won his second consecutive Tour of the Gila two weeks prior to his targeted event at the Tour of California where he placed third. This will be his first appearance at the Tour of Utah and he pointed to several reasons for making the decision to once again take part in a domestic-level stage race.

  “There's a few reasons why I decided to race the Tour of Utah,” Leipheimer said. “I lived in Salt Lake City for a few years when I graduated from High School and then attended the University of Utah so I made a lot of friends in the Utah Cycling Community including the late race director Terry McGinnis. We used to ride almost every day together, we raced for the same team and we became good friends.”

  The Tour of Utah mourned the loss of McGinnis, its former executive
  director, who passed away after a two-year battle with colon cancer in October last year. McGinnis was instrumental in bringing back the event after it was cancelled in 2007. He went on to direct the event towards massive successes in both 2008 and 2009.

  “He resurrected the Tour of Utah and built it into what it is today,”
  Leipheimer said. “Unfortunately he lost a long battle with cancer last year leaving behind his wife and two kids. He had asked me every year to participate in the race but I never had the chance due to scheduling conflicts and injuries. However, this year I have the opportunity to participate and ride the roads we used to train on together.”

  Canadian bound

  Leipheimer will utilize the events high altitude and mountainous terrain to prepare for Canada’s two inaugural ProTour races held on September 10 in Quebec City and September 12 in Montreal. The ProTour events will be followed by the USA Cycling Pro Road and Time Trial Championships held in Greenville, South Carolina from September 18-19.

  “We have the ProTour races in Canada and US Pro in Sept so the Tour of Utah is a great way to stay in shape for those,” Leipheimer said. “Racing is the best training, but I really wanted to go back to Utah and ride with some old friends like Burke Swindlehurst.”

  The event has attracted a series of Salt Lake City natives such as Burke Swindlehurst (1320 KFAN Elite Composite Team) and former event winner Jeff Louder (BMC Racing). Other strong overall contenders include defending champion Francisco Mancebo (Canyon Bicycles), George Hincapie (BMC Racing), Rory Sutherland and Marc de Maar (UnitedHealthcare p/b Maxxis), Luis Amaran (Jamis-Sutter Home p/b Colavita), Chris Jones (Team Type 1), Cesar Grajales (On The Rivet), Paul Mach (Bissell), Andrew Talansky (California Giant) and Darren Lill (Fly V Australia).

  President of the Tour of Utah, Steve Miller, noted his ambitions of bringing the event up to the UCI ranks within the next three to five years. The number of UCI sanctioned races in the US recently increased with the addition of the Tour of the Gila in New Mexico and the Quiznos Pro Challenge in Colorado in 2011.

  “I think it's important for races like Utah, Colorado and Gila to get on the international calendar and provide the US teams with the opportunity to race against some of the best teams and riders from around the world,” Leipheimer said. “It not only helps the domestic riders raise their game but more importantly it brings notoriety to the sport. The Tour of California was born and inspired from races like the Coors Classic, Tour DuPont and the Tour of Georgia.”

  “Now the Tour of California has certainly helped bring about the Quiznos Pro Challenge,” he added. “AEG and Medalist have done a great job of putting on a professional race and bringing it to millions of people all over the world, and now places like Colorado and Utah see the benefit. The Tour of Utah has fantastic scenery and challenging courses to showcase their state to people worldwide while growing cycling in the US.”