First Edition Cycling News, Saturday, September 5, 2009

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Date published:

September 5, 2009, 21:59

• Phinney may mark return in Univest GP

  

  Article published:

  September 5, 2009, 21:11

  By:

  Cycling News

  American recovered from head injury from Cascade Classic crash

  American Taylor Phinney may return to competition at next weekend's Univest Grand Prix, the race organisation announced this week. The pursuit World Champion and winner of the U23 Paris-Roubaix was injured in a brutal crash at the Cascade Classic last month which left him with a severe concussion.

  His Trek-Livestrong team director, Axel Merckx, submitted Phinney's name as part of the team's start list, but the rider will have to get a final approval from his doctors before starting.

  The event expanded this year to a two-day UCI stage race after organisers added a team time trial to the weekend. Set for Friday, September 11, the 3.8 mile event will be hotly contested between the top teams, which include the Felt-Holowesko Partners-Garmin U23 Team, Planet Energy, Tecos-Trek as well as teams from Italy and Sweden.

  Italy's Amore & Vita is sponsored by Detweiler Hershey & Associates will be led by Ukraine's Yuri Metlushenko, winner of the 2008 Univest Criterium in Doylestown.

  Johan Lindgren leads Team Cykelcity of Sweden, sponsored by the law firm of Klehr Harrison. The powerful Swedes took the overall victory and and three out of the four special classifications in 2008.

  Top North American teams round out the roster, with Jet Fuel Coffee and Mazur Coaching/Bikyle of Canada and U.S. favorites Kelly Benefits Strategies, OUCH p/b Maxxis and Kenda Pro Cycling all providing additional horsepower to the event.

• Mountains loom high in Vuelta's eighth stage

  

  Article published:

  September 5, 2009, 19:53

  By:

  Cycling News

  Eight classified climbs to make for a tough Sunday

  The contenders for the overall classification of the Vuelta a España have so far kept quiet - choosing to avoid crashes and save their energies on the mainly flat stages and time trials of the first seven stages. But that will all change as the race heads into the high mountains for its first mountain top finish at the Alto de Aitana.

  This 21.7km long monster of a climb is one for the pure mountain men. While maillot oro Fabian Cancellara hung on with the diminutive mountain goats to win the Tour de Suisse, there is no doubt he will wave goodbye to that leader's jersey on this massive 204.7km stage.

  The route passes over no fewer than eight classified peaks, warming up with two category three climbs, the Alto de Beniarrés and Alto de Margarida before scaling the category two Alto de Tollos.

  The category three Castell de Castells, the Alto de Guadalest at category 2 and third category Alto de Confrides all provide ample opportunity for attack before the long, twisting descent to the base of the final obstacle.

  The second time trial of the Vuelta a España gave some indication of which general classification contenders are hot on form on Saturday, and it appears that Samuel Sanchez and Tom Danielson should be considered favourites for the first mountain top finish of the race.

  Danielson already displayed great climbing form in the Vuelta a Burgos last month, and could well continue Garmin-Slipstream's dark horse history begun in last year's Tour de France with Christian Vande Velde and continued this year with Bradley Wiggins. Can the American find his climbing legs for the tough above-category ascent of the Alto de Aitana?

  The reigning Olympic champion Sanchez hasn't done much yet this summer, but he proved that his home Tour is the focus of his season by putting in the best time trial performance of his career to take sixth on Saturday's rainy test.

  If the rainy weather continues, expect the dare-devil Sanchez to bomb the final descent with the aim of putting time into his more timid competitors.

  The question of the day will be, have Sanchez and Danielson used up precious energy ahead of what is one of the toughest mountain stages of the Vuelta? Cadel Evans, Alejandro Valverde and Danielson are separated on GC by mere seconds, all three just over a minute behind Cancellara heading into the stage. Which one will emerge with the golden jersey on Sunday?

  Not far behind are Ivan Basso (Liquigas), Linus Gerdemann (Milram) and Robert Gesink (Rabobank), while Tour de France runner-up Andy Schleck and last year's bubble boy in the Vuelta, Ezequiel Mosquera (Xacobeo Galicia) have more time to make up.

  The 21.7 km climb to Aitana, with an average of 5.7 and a maximum gradient of 9.5% should make for an exciting finish.

  Stage 8: Alzira - Alto de Aitana, 204,7 kilometres. Bonus at the finish: 20, 12 and 8 seconds.

  Alto de Beniarrés (3) km. 52,6
  Alto de Margarida (3) km. 71,4
  Alto de Tollos (2) km. 80
  Alto de Castell de Castells (3) km. 100,7
  Alto de Guadalest (2) km.131
  Alto de Confrides (3) km.146,1
  Puerto de Tudons (2) km.160
  Alto de Aitana (Especial) km.204,7

  

• Lacombe to head Planet Energy squad for Missouri

  

  Article published:

  September 5, 2009, 18:38

  By:

  Cycling News

  Canadian team steps up a level

  The Canadian team Planet Energy will step up its level of competition by going up against some of the world's top teams in the Tour of Missouri, which begins Monday.

  The team will be headed by sprinter Keven Lacombe, winner of the recent Christ Thater Memorial Criterium. He also placed sixth in the Philadelphia International Championship in the bunch sprint. He'll be looking to improve upon a third place finish on a stage of Missouri he obtained while riding for the Kelly Benefit Strategies team.

  Supporting Lacombe for the sprints will be Olympian Martin Gilbert and Canadian Champion and trainee Guillaume Boivin. The young Boivin will have a chance to show his talents before heading to the World Cycling Championships in Mendriso, Switzerland.

  François Parisien and Ryan Roth have raced consistently for the team all year and will be Planet Energy’s best GC riders. Andrew Randell, Bruno Langlois and Charly Vives round out the roster. Randell has raced the first two editions of the Tour of Missourit and finished 8th the first year. He will be able to provide experience and leadership for the group.

  Directing the team will be former pro cyclist and Olympian Steve Bauer. “In only two years we have come along well with this team. There is a lot of work to do as we evolve into the future, but we are confident in our abilities to become stronger and be competitive at the highest level. We are very excited about the opportunity to race at the Tour of Missouri against the best teams in the world.” said Bauer.

• Pozzato prepares for season's grand finale at Tour of Britain

  

  Article published:

  September 5, 2009, 18:07

  By:

  Gregor Brown

  Italian Champ Filippo Pozzato starts Tour of Britain with eyes on Worlds, Paris-Tours, Lombardia

  Filippo Pozzato (Katusha) starts the Tour of Britain next week to build his form for the World Championships and the grand season finale. The Italian Champion hopes to co-captain the Italian team at the Worlds and take win number five for his country.

  "I've had a great season, but I lack the win that counts," Pozzato told Cyclingnews. "I hope I can first do something in Paris-Tours and then I will decide what I need to do at Giro di Lombardia. I want to take it one step at a time and do things right."

  Pozzato took the first step this season with a win in the Belgian one-day classic E3 Prijs on March 28. He also won a stage of Driedaagse De Panne and finished second in Paris-Roubaix.

  He won one of his dream races at the end of June, the Italian Championships, and last week's Giro del Veneto.

  "A 'successful' season requires a big win, the Italian championships went well. A great season would be if I win another one or two races, and clearly if I win Paris-Tours or Lombardia it would be the icing on the cake."

  Pozzato won a stage and finished third overall the last time he raced the Tour of Britain three years ago. He could be encouraged mid-race, September 14, when national team director Franco Ballerini makes the nine-man selection for the Worlds team.

  Defending Champion Alessandro Ballan, Damiano Cunego, Ivan Basso, Stefano Garzelli, Luca Paolini and Pozzato should take six of the spots. Marzio Bruseghin, Matteo Tosatto, Michele Scarponi, Mauro Santambrogio and Giovanni Visconti are in the running for the other three spots.

  Worlds will be the next race for Pozzato after Britain. He has been training at altitude in Livigno, Italy, with Garzelli and Paolini. He returns home on Wednesday and then leaves for the start of stage one, in Scunthorpe.

  Pozzato first competed at the Madrid Worlds in 2005, and helped Italy win with Bettini in 2006 and 2007. He missed out on the selection for Varese last year.

• Van Goolen heads to Silence-Lotto

  

  Article published:

  September 5, 2009, 17:50

  By:

  Cycling News

  Two year deal for Belgian

  Belgian Jurgen Van Goolen will leave the Saxo Bank team at the end of the year and switch to the colours of his home country's Silence-Lotto squad, the team announced Saturday.

  Van Goolen has been with the formation of Bjarne Riis for two years, having gone over to the team after the dissolution of his Discovery Channel team in 2007.

  He expressed dissatisfaction with his current team after being left off the squad for the Vuelta a Espana.

  Van Goolen is an all-around rider and solid mountain domestique, having taken second in the mountains classification at the Vuelta in 2007.  He turned pro in 2002 with the Domo-Farm Frites team and spent three seasons with Quick Step before moving to Discovery.

• Austrian blood doping case reveals more cyclists

  

  Article published:

  September 5, 2009, 13:52

  By:

  Susan Westemeyer

  Austrian report reveals details of centrifuge and rental apartment

  A report from the Austrian blood-doping investigation revealed more cyclists and details of a rental apartment, according to newspapers Oberösterreichische Nachrichten and De Telegraaf. Investigators received help from Bernhard Kohl, who tested positive for drugs after the 2008 Tour de France.

  Kohl finished third and won the mountains classification at the 2008 Tour de France. Further blood testing showed he used CERA, the third generation of blood booster Erythropoietin (EPO).

  The Austrian federal police, Bundeskriminalamt, used Kohl's confession and the evidence it gathered from a previous investigation into the HumanPlasma blood bank to reveal a suspected doping-ring.

  The 12-page report confirms Kohl's statement that he, Michael Rasmussen and Austrian cross-country skier Christian Hoffman paid for a blood centrifuge, said the newspapers. The three athletes also jointly paid the rent for a one-room apartment in Linz, Austria, Oberösterreichische (OÖN) quoted from the report.

  Stefan Matschiner, Kohl's former manager, helped organise the doping. The report says that the apartment was rented from August to November 2008, with the lease signed by Matschiner's wife, said the newspapers. Kohl claimed that he had a blood transfusion there in September.

  Matschiner claimed that he disposed of the centrifuge on August 2, and investigators suspect him of transporting it to Slovenia. Austria passed a new anti-doping law on August 1, 2008, that made doping a criminal offence.

  The report names also names Dutchmen Thomas Dekker, Michael Boogerd and Italian Pietro Caucchioli as under suspicion of having received transfusions, according to OÖN.

  One of Matschiner's employees in the spring of 2008 delivered two packages to an "unknown person" in Germany, according to OÖN. Dutch De Telegraaf said that this involved Kohl's former teammate Markus Zberg buying 24,000 units of EPO-CERA.

  The report details Kohl's doping used while he rode for The Netherlands' Rabobank developmental team from 2000 to 2003. It said that he was involved with blood doping at least three times in 2005, when he was riding for T-Mobile Team, according to De Telegraaf.

  All of the athletes involved, except for Kohl, have consistently denied all charges and any involvement in the matter. Kohl confessed to his role and cooperated with authorities in the continuing investigation.

• Vuelta time trial: Konovalovas last Worlds' test

  

  Article published:

  September 5, 2009, 13:38

  By:

  Gregor Brown

  Lithuania's Ignatas Konovalovas tests himself in Vuelta, one last time prior to Worlds time trial

  Lithuania's Ignatas Konovalovas will gauge himself in the Vuelta a España's time trial in Valencia, Spain, today. It is the last test prior to the World Championships for Konovalovas, winner of Giro d'Italia's time trial in Rome.

  "I want to finish with a good result and be happy with myself," Konovalovas (Cervélo TestTeam) told Cyclingnews.

  Konovalovas, 23, made himself known this year when he won ahead of riders like Lance Armstrong and Bradley Wiggins on the final day of the Giro d'Italia. Denis Menchov fought to defend his classification lead on wet roads around Rome's Colosseum, but Konovalovas posted an early unbeatable time that won the day and concluded his first Grand Tour.

  He won the national time trial title June 24 and finished seventh overall in the Tour of Denmark in August. He finished 18th place in the Vuelta's opening 4.8-kilometre time trial seven days ago, 22 seconds off of two-time World Champ Fabian Cancellara.

  "I don't think it is possible [to win Worlds] this year," said Konovalovas. "I am not thinking about the win, I just want to do it and come away satisfied with my job. I want to give 100 percent, if I do that then I will be happy. If I give 100 percent and I am the last five, then I won't be happy, of course. I think a top-10 would be a really good result for me."

  The World Championship time trial is in Mendrisio, Switzerland in two and a half weeks, September 24. The elite men cover three 16.6-kilometre circuits, 49.8 kilometres. The 650-metre long Rancate climb is the main difficulty with sections of 10 percent.

  Konovalovas has seen the course on the internet, but he will preview the course after he leaves the Vuelta around stage 12. He prepared for the Worlds time trial course prior to the Vuelta with specific high-cadence training at his home in Marseille, France. He is using the Vuelta as his last preparation for the Worlds, he said.

  He finished 37th at the Worlds time trial last year in Varese, his first at the elite level. He finished 12 in 2007 and 2006, both in the Under 23 ranks.

  Konovalovas receives advice from his dad, director of the national team. He sends messages and calls his parents often in the Vuelta, and will speak up to an hour on the phone with his dad if he has a bad day. As Konovalovas develops he asks for advice more infrequently.

  He is still trying to decide if he will develop into a rider for stage races or one-day classics. Konovalovas will decide by the end of next season, he said.

• Vuelta's Valencia stage start times

  

  Article published:

  September 5, 2009, 11:23

  By:

  Gregor Brown

  Vuelta a España start times for Valencia time trial: Ruiz to Greipel

  The Vuelta a España overall classification will change in today's 30-kilometre time trail in Valencia, Spain.

  Spaniard José Ruiz (Andalucía-Cajasur) will be the first of 192 riders to start the stage at 13:24. Race leader André Greipel (Columbia-HTC) will start his ride to defend the leader's gold jersey, at 17:04.

  Germany's Greipel will see his gold jersey pass to one of the contenders for the overall classification. Today's stage, and the next two in the mountains, will directly affect the final overall classification.

  The Vuelta started August 29 in Assen, Netherlands, and ends September 20 in Madrid.

  Riders will start today's time trial at one-minute intervals. The last 30 riders, starting with USA's Tom Danielson (Garmin-Slipstream), start at two-minute intervals.

  Swiss Fabian Cancellara (Saxo Bank) won the opening 4.8-kilometre time trial in Assen. He led the race for four days.

  Start times:
  1 13:24 José Ruiz (Spa) Andalucía-Cajasur
  2 13:25 Damien Gaudin (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom
  3 13:26 Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin-Slipstream
  4 13:27 Alberto Fernández Sainz (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia
  5 13:28 Mikel Gaztañaga Echeverria (Spa) Contentpolis-Ampo
  6 13:29 Matthé Pronk (Ned) Vacansoleil
  7 13:30 Julián Sánchez (Spa) Contentpolis-Ampo
  8 13:31 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Milram
  9 13:32 Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Columbia-HTC
  10 13:33 José Antonio López (Spa) Andalucía-Cajasur
  11 13:34 Giovanni Bernaudeau (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom
  12 13:35 Marco Marzano (Ita) Lampre-NGC

  13 13:36 Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Vacansoleil
  14 13:37 Francesco Tomei (Ita) Lampre-NGC
  15 13:38 Jens Mouris (Ned) Vacansoleil
  16 13:39 Kurt-Asle Arvesen (Nor) Saxo Bank
  17 13:40 Vincent Jérôme (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom
  18 13:41 Timothy Gudsell (NZl) Française des Jeux
  19 13:42 Ignas Konovalovas (Ltu) Cervélo TestTeam
  20 13:43 Massimiliano Mori (Ita) Lampre-NGC
  21 13:44 Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale
  22 13:45 Anthony Roux (Fra) Française des Jeux

  23 13:46 Tom Leezer (Ned) Rabobank
  24 13:47 Christian Meier (Can) Garmin-Slipstream
  25 13:48 Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank
  26 13:49 Franck Bouyer (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom
  27 13:50 Maciej Bodnar (Pol) Liquigas
  28 13:51 Stijn Devolder (Bel) Quick Step
  29 13:52 Sergio Dominguez Munoz (Spa) Contentpolis-Ampo
  30 13:53 Francisco José Martínez (Spa) Andalucía-Cajasur
  31 13:54 Julien El Farès (Fra) Cofidis
  32 13:55 Aitor Pérez Arrieta (Spa) Contentpolis-Ampo

  33 13:56 Matthias Russ (Ger) Milram
  34 13:57 Vicente Reynes (Spa) Columbia-HTC
  35 13:58 Aitor Hernández (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
  36 13:59 Maarten Wynants (Bel) Quick Step
  37 14:00 Xabier Zandio (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
  38 14:01 Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil
  39 14:02 Arnaud Gerard (Fra) Française des Jeux
  40 14:03 Karsten Kroon (Ned) Saxo Bank
  41 14:04 Javier Ramírez (Spa) Andalucía-Cajasur
  42 14:05 José Vicente Garcia (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne

  43 14:06 Vitaliy Buts (Ukr) Lampre-NGC
  44 14:07 Maxim Iglinsky (Kaz) Astana
  45 14:08 Emanuele Bindi (Ita) Lampre-NGC
  46 14:09 Matthew Lloyd (Aus) Silence-Lotto
  47 14:10 Adrián Palomares (Spa) Contentpolis-Ampo
  48 14:11 Rubén Pérez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
  49 14:12 Paul Voss (Ger) Milram
  50 14:13 Pierrick Fédrigo (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom
  51 14:14 Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Liquigas
  52 14:15 Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Française des Jeux

  53 14:16 Francisco Jose Pacheco Torres (Spa) Contentpolis-Ampo
  54 14:17 John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
  55 14:18 Jean Eudes Demaret (Fra) Cofidis
  56 14:19 Ludovic Turpin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
  57 14:20 Julian Dean (NZl) Garmin-Slipstream
  58 14:21 Bingen Fernández (Spa) Cofidis
  59 14:22 Javier Benitez (Spa) Contentpolis-Ampo
  60 14:23 Rein Taaramäe (Est) Cofidis
  61 14:24 Jürgen Roelandts (Bel) Silence-Lotto
  62 14:25 Wouter Weylandt (Bel) Quick Step

  63 14:26 Martin Velits (Svk) Milram
  64 14:27 Matthieu Sprick (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom
  65 14:28 Olivier Kaisen (Bel) Silence-Lotto
  66 14:29 Dominique Rollin (Can) Cervélo TestTeam
  67 14:30 Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
  68 14:31 Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Lampre-NGC
  69 14:32 Julien Loubet (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
  70 14:33 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank
  71 14:34 Sébastien Chavanel (Fra) Française des Jeux
  72 14:35 Matteo Carrara (Ita) Vacansoleil

  73 14:36 Iñigo Cuesta (Spa) Cervélo TestTeam
  74 14:37 Gregory Henderson (NZl) Columbia-HTC
  75 14:38 Antonio Piedra (Spa) Andalucía-Cajasur
  76 14:39 David De La Fuente (Spa) Fuji-Servetto
  77 14:40 Sébastien Hinault (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale
  78 14:41 Kjell Carlström (Fin) Liquigas
  79 14:42 Matti Breschel (Den) Saxo Bank
  80 14:43 Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin-Slipstream
  81 14:44 Mickaël Buffaz (Fra) Cofidis
  82 14:45 Gabriel Rasch (Nor) Cervélo TestTeam

  83 14:46 William Bonnet (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom
  84 14:47 Michael Albasini (Swi) Columbia-HTC
  85 14:48 Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Slipstream
  86 14:49 Adam Hansen (Aus) Columbia-HTC
  87 14:50 Allan Davis (Aus) Quick Step
  88 14:51 José Luis Arrieta (Spa) AG2R La Mondiale
  89 14:52 Rémy Di Gregorio (Fra) Française des Jeux
  90 14:53 Svein Tuft (Can) Garmin-Slipstream
  91 14:54 Jesús Rosendo (Spa) Andalucía-Cajasur
  92 14:55 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana

  93 14:56 Oliver Zaugg (Swi) Liquigas
  94 14:57 Michael Schär (Swi) Astana
  95 14:58 Amets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
  96 14:59 Björn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil
  97 15:00 Dominik Roels (Ger) Milram
  98 15:01 Manuel Calvente (Spa) Andalucía-Cajasur
  99 15:02 Bert Grabsch (Ger) Columbia-HTC
  100 15:03 Olivier Bonnaire (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom
  101 15:04 Jesús Hernández (Spa) Astana
  102 15:05 David Moncoutié (Fra) Cofidis

  103 15:06 Jesús Del Nero (Spa) Fuji-Servetto
  104 15:07 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Liquigas
  105 15:08 David López García (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
  106 15:09 Christophe Brandt (Bel) Silence-Lotto
  107 15:10 Andy Schleck (Lux) Saxo Bank
  108 15:11 Igor Antón (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
  109 15:12 Fredrik Kessiakoff (Swe) Fuji-Servetto
  110 15:13 Amaël Moinard (Fra) Cofidis
  111 15:14 Alan Pérez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
  112 15:15 Françis De Greef (Bel) Silence-Lotto

  113 15:16 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-NGC
  114 15:17 Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Saxo Bank
  115 15:18 Gustavo Dominguez (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia
  116 15:19 Beñat Intxausti (Spa) Fuji-Servetto
  117 15:20 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Lampre-NGC
  118 15:21 Joaquím Rodríguez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
  119 15:22 Egoi Martínez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
  120 15:23 José Luis Rubiera (Spa) Astana
  121 15:24 Kevin De Weert (Bel) Quick Step
  122 15:25 Mickaël Chérel (Fra) Française des Jeux

  123 15:26 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas
  124 15:27 José Angel Gomez Marchante (Spa) Cervélo TestTeam
  125 15:28 Sandy Casar (Fra) Française des Jeux
  126 15:29 Simon Gerrans (Aus) Cervélo TestTeam
  127 15:30 Fränk Schleck (Lux) Saxo Bank
  128 15:31 Markel Irizar (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
  129 15:32 Oscar Freire (Spa) Rabobank
  130 15:33 Marco Velo (Ita) Quick Step
  131 15:34 Alexander Efimkin (Rus) AG2R La Mondiale
  132 15:35 Serafín Martínez (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia

  133 15:36 David Millar (GBr) Garmin-Slipstream
  134 15:37 Juan Manuel Gárate (Spa) Rabobank
  135 15:38 Xavier Florencio (Spa) Cervélo TestTeam
  136 15:39 Carlos Barredo (Spa) Quick Step
  137 15:40 Eduard Vorganov (Rus) Xacobeo Galicia
  138 15:41 Iñaki Isasi (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
  139 15:42 Paul Martens (Ger) Rabobank
  140 15:43 Daniel Moreno (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
  141 15:44 Thomas Rohregger (Aut) Milram
  142 15:45 Bram Tankink (Ned) Rabobank

  143 15:46 Laurent Lefèvre (Fra) Bbox Bouygues Telecom
  144 15:47 Xavier Tondo (Spa) Andalucía-Cajasur
  145 15:48 Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Vacansoleil
  146 15:49 Mickaël Delage (Fra) Silence-Lotto
  147 15:50 Davide Viganò (Ita) Fuji-Servetto
  148 15:51 Johnny Hoogerland (Ned) Vacansoleil
  149 15:52 Philip Deignan (Irl) Cervélo TestTeam
  150 15:53 Eros Capecchi (Ita) Fuji-Servetto
  151 15:54 Alexander Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana
  152 15:55 Ezequiel Mosquera (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia

  153 15:56 Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
  154 15:57 Gustavo César Veloso (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia
  155 15:58 Damien Monier (Fra) Cofidis
  156 15:59 Juan José Cobo (Spa) Fuji-Servetto
  157 16:00 Gonzalo Rabuñal (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia
  158 16:01 Arkaitz Durán (Spa) Fuji-Servetto
  159 16:02 Mathieu Ladagnous (Fra) Française des Jeux
  160 16:03 Daniel Navarro (Spa) Astana
  161 16:04 Alessandro Ballan (Ita) Lampre-NGC
  162 16:05 Manuel Váquez (Spa) Contentpolis-Ampo

  163 16:06 Tom Danielson (USA) Garmin-Slipstream
  164 16:08 Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Saxo Bank
  165 16:10 Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Milram
  166 16:12 Tadej Valjavec (Slo) AG2R La Mondiale
  167 16:14 Christian Knees (Ger) Milram
  168 16:16 Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Quick Step
  169 16:18 Björn Schröder (Ger) Milram
  170 16:20 Koos Moerenhout (Ned) Rabobank
  171 16:22 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Astana
  172 16:24 Leonardo Duque (Col) Cofidis

  173 16:26 Francisco Pérez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
  174 16:28 Roger Hammond (GBr) Cervélo TestTeam
  175 16:30 Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank
  176 16:32 Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas
  177 16:34 Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Caisse d'Epargne
  178 16:36 Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Silence-Lotto
  179 16:38 Imanol Erviti (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
  180 16:40 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Saxo Bank
  181 16:42 David Herrero (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia
  182 16:44 Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Columbia-HTC

  183 16:46 David Garcia (Spa) Xacobeo Galicia
  184 16:48 Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence-Lotto
  185 16:50 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
  186 16:52 Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas
  187 16:54 Borut Bozic (Slo) Vacansoleil
  188 16:56 Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Saxo Bank
  189 16:58 Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Slipstream
  190 17:00 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Liquigas
  191 17:02 Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step
  192 17:04 André Greipel (Ger) Columbia-HTC
   

• Hamilton doping appeal dropped by WADA

  

  Article published:

  September 4, 2009, 20:10

  By:

  Cycling News

  Eight-year ban stands

  On Friday, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) withrew its appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport for Tyler Hamilton. In June, Hamilton had accepted an eight-year suspension as punishment for what was his second doping positive offense.

  "Following receipt of the background information that was not available to WADA when the appeal was launched, WADA has determined that the eight-year sanction imposed by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) was appropriate in the particular circumstances of this case," read a statement on the organization's website.

  Hamilton tested positive, his second offense, for the banned steroid Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). His ban began on March 17, the date of the provisional suspension.

  Following news of the positive test, Hamilton announced his retirement. He admitted to knowingly taking the substance which was an ingredient in a vitamin supplement he took in an attempt to alleviate depression.

  He previously served a doping offense lasting two year for blood doping after testing positive for a transfusion in the 2004 Vuelta a España.

  The second offense and subsequent ban effectively ended the career of the 38-year-old pro.

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