First Edition Cycling News, Sunday, February 19, 2012

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Date published:

February 19, 17:00

• Nibali searching for first win on Green Mountain

  

  Article published:

  February 17, 22:50

  By:

  Barry Ryan

  Ardennes Classics the early aim for Sicilian

  Without a victory since he sealed the Vuelta a España in September 2010, Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) is aware that he has an early opportunity to get back in the winning habit on stage five of the Tour of Oman on the slopes of Jabal Al Akhdhar.

  In spite of his season-long consistency in 2011, Nibali remarkably failed to notch up a win over the course of the campaign. While the Sicilian is undoubtedly keen to put that statistic to rights as soon as possible, he is also mindful that there are greater prizes on offer later in the spring, including the Ardennes Classics.

  "In one way, it would be a bit of a liberation to get a win, but I know that there are bigger races coming and I need to do well there too," Nibali told Cyclingnews in Bidbid on Thursday. "It's very important to try and do well here because when I get back to Italy, the big races like Tirreno-Adriatico and Milan-San Remo won't be long in coming. I do want to get a good classification here, but at the same time I don't want to go mad chasing the win."

  Nibali began 2012 with a solid showing at the Tour de San Luis in January, but he recognises that the ascent of the "Green Mountain" in Oman on Saturday is an opportunity both to break the deadlock and to gauge his early condition. He fired an early warning shot by going off the front of the bunch in the testing finale of stage four.

  "That summit finish will be a good test, so we'll get an idea of things there," he said. "In any case, the season has started well and we're hoping we can pick up something along the way."

  The first objective of Nibali's spring campaign is Tirreno-Adriatico in March. While the route, which includes a tough summit finish to Prati di Tivo in Abruzzo, should ensure Nibali is in contention, he admitted that he often struggles to be at his best in central Italy in March.

  "At Tirreno I look to do well every year, but it's always hard, partly because at the early in the season it's quite cold there and I go better when it's hot," he said.

  The Race Between the Two Seas provides the prelude to Milan-San Remo, where Nibali was part of the winning break twelve months ago after forcing the pace on the Poggio. Given that a crash eliminated a number of the sprinters early on in 2011, however, Nibali is aware that it was a rather atypical edition of La Primavera.

  "Two years ago, I tried to attack as well, but without success," he said. "Milan-San Remo is a very hard race, and that's partly because the route itself isn't especially difficult. With the exception of last year, it's ended up in a bunch sprint the last few years."

  More suited to Nibali's talents are the Ardennes Classics, and he hinted that he will be aiming to arrive at Liège-Bastogne-Liège in a more advanced state of form than last season, when he finished 8th.

  "It's always been a bit of an objective, and in the last two years I've done the Classics and then gone to the Giro," he said. "This year, perhaps I'll go to the Classics with a bit more ambition and then I'll see whether I'll do the Giro or the Tour."

  With Ivan Basso pencilled in to lead Liquigas-Cannondale at the Giro d'Italia, Nibali acknowledged that he is unlikely to ride the corsa rosa this season, even if he stressed that a final call will not be made until the end of April.

  "I'll decide afterwards, but there's definitely a bigger chance that I'll go to the Tour de France," he said.

  Contador

  The recent CAS decision to sanction Alberto Contador for his positive test for clenbuterol in 2010 saw him stripped of his Giro d'Italia title of last year, an action which will see Nibali upgraded to second in the record books. The Sicilian admitted that he was nonplussed by the news.

  "It's a strange thing, because like I said before, Contador rode the Giro d'Italia and did all the tests and everything was perfectly regular. Now they've disqualified him and given me second place but in reality it doesn't change anything," he said.

  "He certainly altered the race by being there, but there isn't much else to say beyond that the sporting justice took too long to deliver a verdict."

• Pon Holdings buy Cervélo

  

  Article published:

  February 18, 10:01

  By:

  Cycling News

  Dutch company adds to growing cycling portfolio

  This article originally appeared on BikeRadar
  

  Pon Holdings have announced that they have acquired Cervélo Cycles after successfully concluding negotiations that began last December. Cervélo will continue to operate independently, retaining its unique identity, innovation and premium brand positioning.

  This is the same strategy Pon employ with their other PBG properties. They also own the Royal Dutch Gazelle brand and the German manufacturer Derby Cycle of which Pon is a major shareholder. "Cervélo is a unique brand that we are very pleased to bring into Pon Bicycle Group [PBG]," said Janus Smalbraak, CEO Pon Holdings, via press-release. “The Canadian based company's state of the art technology and passion for pushing the limits of engineering has captured the imagination of cyclists around the globe. With Cervélo we believe there is great potential for growth and we are looking forward to working with them to achieve these goals."

  Cervélo co-founders Phil White and Gerard Vroomen will both remain with the newly formed Pon Bicycle Group.

  White will continue in his present role as Cervélo CEO. Vroomen will assume a part-time role as business development manager within PBG, focusing on special projects for the group. "The opportunity for Cervélo within Pon Bicycle Group, is tremendous," said White, continuing CEO, and co-founder Cervélo. "The combination of Pon's considerable resources and expertise and Cervélo's cutting edge technology will make us stronger and more competitive as we continue to engineer the best bikes on the planet."

   

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• Cummings fractures pelvis at the Volta ao Algarve

  

  Article published:

  February 18, 10:47

  By:

  Cycling News

  Crash set to keep him out of action for a month

  BMC's Steve Cummings suffered a fractured pelvis at the third stage of the Volta ao Algarve on Friday afternoon and is likely to be out of action for a month. The British rider came to grief after a collision with another rider who was suffering from mechanical problems. It meant that he was unable to repeat his 2011 victory in the stage, which came in the colours of Team Sky.

  "As we came down a small hill the other rider caught my handlebars," Cummings said. "I did not see it coming but that which does not kill us makes us stronger."

  BMC team doctor Giovanni Ruffini confirmed the fracture and the length of time that Cummings is expected to be sidelined.

  "Having consulted with the other physicians we have concluded that he will be off his bike for two weeks and out of competition for a month," he said.

• Pellizotti eyes return to cycling

  

  Article published:

  February 18, 12:38

  By:

  Cycling News

  Rider's ban comes to an end in May

  Franco Pellizotti is approaching the end of his doping ban and the Italian is looking for a rapid return to the sport when he is allowed to compete again. CAS gave Pellizotti a two-year ban in March 2011 for blood irregularities, which was backdated to the previous May. With the ban set to finish on 5 May this year, the climber is hoping for a quick route back into cycling - possibly in time for the Giro d'Italia.

  "There is interest in me from both Lampre-ISD and Liquigas-Cannondale and both of them have spoken to my agent," he said. "I would love to be at the Giro if it's possible though I would obviously have to find my race pace very quickly."

  Pellizotti's agent elaborated on the possibilities that may become available to Pellizotti, claiming that there are other teams interested too.

  "Lampre asked about Franco's physical and mental condition and also asked for clarification on when his ban expires," Alex Carera told biciciclismo.com.

  "The possible revocation of Saxo Bank's World Tour licence could reopen the door of the Giro to Acqua & Sapone, who, together with Farnese, has always shown some interest. It is clear that for these two teams Franco would have a leading role while with Lampre he would be working for [Michele] Scarponi in the Giro and could be the leader in the Tour. But it is still premature to talk about this. We are confident that Franco will have a contract in his hand in early March."

• Schleck confident of success at 2012 Tour de France

  

  Article published:

  February 18, 19:53

  By:

  Cycling News

  Claims that course will suit him and Bruyneel can bring improvement

  Having been awarded the 2010 Tour de France title in a courtroom earlier this month following the CAS ruling on Alberto Contador, Andy Schleck (RadioShack-Nissan) is confident that he can win it on the road in 2012. Much has been made of the fact that Schleck's chances this year will be increased by Contador's absence, but the 26-year-old from Luxembourg reckons he is well placed to win regardless of what anyone else does or doesn't do.

  Despite having more time trial kilometres than last year - a discipline that is seen as one of his major weaknesses - Schleck insists that the other stages will suit him even more than in recent years. He also predicted that new team boss Johan Bruyneel, who has masterminded nine wins in the Tour de France in his managerial career, would extract an extra one or two percent from him, which could prove crucial.

  "Compared with 2011, we anticipate more stages where I can where I can try something. I am a runner that can resist for 40 to 50 kilometers ahead as I proved when I won Liege-Bastogne-Liege 2009. In this sense, the Tour is perfect for me this year. It will be like running a classic every day," he told Luxembourgish newspaper Wort.

  "If Bruyneel helps me progress a little against the clock and some also in the mountains, then I'll be better. But be realistic, this change of director will not improve my performance by 10%. If I gain 1% or 2%, that would be enough to be happy. I have to keep my qualities of climber. If you want to win the Tour, it is in the mountains where I'll make it."

• Bouhanni packs a punch in Oman

  

  Article published:

  February 18, 22:45

  By:

  Barry Ryan

  Frenchman mixes boxing and cycling in winter training

  The Tour of Oman boasts a line-up of sprinters worthy of a Grand Tour, but second-year professional Nacer Bouhanni (FDJ-BigMat) has shown few inhibitions in the bunch finishes on the Arabian Peninsula to date.

  The 21-year-old Frenchman placed third in the grandstand finish behind Marcel Kittel and André Greipel on stage 3, and the following day he was one of the few fast men to survive the tough finishing circuit en route to fourth place.

  After beginning his season with victory on stage one of the Étoile de Bessèges, Bouhanni was already on a high before his arrival in Oman. Yet while earning his right to go toe to toe with Cavendish, Greipel et al is surely a further boon to his confidence, he admitted that a sprinter is never truly happy unless he is winning.

  "Yes, there's certainly a strong field of sprinters here and I've beaten a few of them, but as a sprinter, you think about crossing the line first," Bouhanni told Cyclingnews in front of Muscat's Royal Opera House on Saturday.

  Early-season bunch gallops are often disorganised affairs, as newly-formed lead-out trains slowly learn to coordinate their movements. The Tour of Oman has been no exception in that regard, but Bouhanni has thus far had the guile to sidestep his way through the carnage.

  "Greipel's team has been controlling things a little for him, and he's been led out well, but behind that, it's hard, you have to fight for your place," he said. "I don't have a lead-out train either, but I try and stay sheltered during the stage and then in the finale I either try alone or with William Bonnet as my lead-out man."

  The sweet science of sprinting

  Of course, Bouhanni's continued dalliance with his other sporting passion during the off-season may also be of benefit to him amid the cut and thrust of bunch sprinting. A keen boxer in his youth, he continues to practice the sweet science over the winter months, and had some particularly high quality sparring partners for company last November.

  "I did some boxing in winter training, about six to eight hours per week," he said. "I've always boxed, and I did a training camp with the French boxing team this winter. They had pros and all that with them, including Hassan N'Dam, who is world champion [WBA middleweight champion - Ed.] I did a week in Bazeilles with them, and then from the start of December, I was back on the bike seriously."

  It seems facile to suggest that boxing and sprinting complement each other, with each discipline requiring quick wits and a combative spirit, but Bouhanni pointed out that there are less abstract reasons for his chosen form of cross-training.

  "It's great for your explosiveness, and it's a great cardiovascular work-out," he said. "You also work on your whole body. As cyclists, we don't really ever do a lot of upper-body work, but I find it does me a lot of good. It allows me to work muscle groups that I couldn't do on the bike."

  Once the cycling season gets underway, however, Bouhanni's pugilistic endeavours come to an abrupt halt, even if some of the principles of a boxer's training remain part of his regimen.

  "I only box in the winter, in case I get injured," he said, doubtless assuaging the concerns of manager Marc Madiot. "You could only do contact stuff during the winter," he said. "During the season, I concentrate on the bike. While I still try and do some upper body work, I don't do any more boxing during the season."

  Already off the mark with that win at Étoile de Bessèges, and after some impressive jousts in Oman, Bouhanni's season is off to a fine start. Rather than target particular races, however, the youngster's simple aim is to win early and win often on the French and Belgian calendar over the coming months.

  "Above all, for me it's about winning races," Bouhanni said. "I don't have specific objectives. Whatever comes my way, if I have a chance, then I'll try to win."

  The title fight will come in its own time.

• "Calm" Evans is the perfect teammate, says Hincapie

  

  Article published:

  February 19, 11:34

  By:

  Cycling News

  Tour de France veteran compares reigning champ with Armstrong

  Having been part of a winning team nine times, George Hincapie is ideally placed to identify what is required from a Tour de France winner. Hincapie was side by side with his compatriot Lance Armstrong for all seven of his victories in the race and he also assisted Alberto Contador in 2007 and Cadel Evans last year in the colours of BMC.

  Hincapie knows Armstrong and Evans extremely well, and stated that the two men are very different on and off the bike. Hincapie will be looking to be part of a winning team for a record tenth time this summer, when Evans will look to successfully defend the title he won in 2011. If he gets to the start line in one piece it will be the 38-year-old Hincapie's 17th Tour - a statistic that offers proof of his longevity and his durability.

  "Cadel is definitely a little bit more relaxed. He doesn't get so much involved in the team tactics, at least in front of the riders. I'm sure he does with John (Lelangue) but he relies a lot more on what I think about the team tactics especially on the road and what John thought in the car. To me this year, he was just a lot different."

  "He was a lot calmer and seemed really happy with the people he was around that were surrounding him in the team and with the staff. He seemed calm where Lance was always very intense during the Tour and always ready to attack the race. Where Cadel wanted many times to let things go and see what happened. As long as he was in the front and out of trouble he was OK."

   

• Velits continues Omega Pharma-QuickStep winning streak

  

  Article published:

  February 19, 16:39

  By:

  Barry Ryan

  Slovak comes out on top in Oman

  Peter Velits continued Omega Pharma-QuickStep’s remarkable beginning to the 2012 season by taking overall victory at the Tour of Oman after holding off the challenge of Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) on the final stage to Matrah Corniche on Sunday.

  Velits had taken hold of the leader’s red jersey by one second the previous day on the unforgiving slopes of Jabal Al Akhdhar, but his tenuous grip risked being loosened completely at the first intermediate sprint on stage 6 when Nibali was incorrectly adjudged to have picked up a two-second bonus by taking second place at the first sprint.
  
  Several kilometres passed before the commissaires reviewed the pictures and realised that they had mistaken Nibali for his teammate Peter Sagan, and Velits could breathe a little more easily.
  
  “The one second lead was not enough,” a relieved Velits explained before climbing onto the podium. “It was quite tense before the sprint and even more so after the sprint when we didn’t know what was happening.”
  
  Omega Pharma-QuickStep controlled affairs from there on in to seal the win for Velits, the twelfth triumph of the year for the team. After a trying campaign last year, the addition of a co-sponsor and slew of new riders has heralded something of a renaissance for the squad.
  
  Velits himself was part of a platoon of riders who joined from the now-defunct HTC-Highroad outfit, but he believes the team’s overhaul has had a motivating effect on all concerned. The Slovak joins Levi Leipheimer, Andy Fenn, Tom Boonen, Francesco Chicchi and Gerald Ciolek on the squad’s list of winners to date.
  
  “The change for the team was really big and a lot of things changed,” he said. “The guys who were former Quick Step riders were very motivated and worked really hard over the winter. Now it brings the results. I don’t think it’s a big surprise.
  
  “The team is strong and it’s always been strong. Maybe they just missed a bit of motivation, a little bit of luck. But now with more and more victories, everybody is more and more confident and the team is working really well together.”
  
  While Tom Boonen’s classics campaign remains one of the centrepieces of the team’s season, Velits believes the addition of stage racers such as Levi Leipheimer, Tony Martin and himself has widened a hitherto one-dimensional repertoire.
  
  “There are still a lot of races we can win, the classics are coming up and Tom will be very motivated there, but now we’ve also shown that we can be competitive in the stage races so we have more options now,” Velits said.

  Like Nibali, whose win at Jabal Al Akhdar on Saturday was his first since the 2010 Vuelta a España, Velits had not triumphed since taking the final time trial of that same race en route to third place overall in Madrid. Understandably, his morale will be high as his thought to turn to the main objective of his spring, Tirreno-Adriatico.

  “It’s quite early to say what’s going to happen on Tirreno, but with I’m quite happy with my form now,” Velits said.

  Beyond that, Velits has one eye on July and the Tour de France, where he will form a solid trident with Leipheimer and Tony Martin. “I want to try to be as good as possible on GC, but it’s early to say,” he said. “We have good guys on the team and we can go to the race with a lot of options, but it’s early to talk about the Tour.”