First Edition Cycling News, Tuesday, August 4, 2009

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August 4, 2009, 04:00

• Aussies dominate final podium in Elk Grove

  

  Article published:

  August 3, 2009, 15:10

  By:

  Kirsten Frattini

  Menzies takes overall, Cantwell the final stage

  Karl Menzies (OUCH-Maxxis) capped off a successful weekend for Australians racing in the USA by capturing the overall title in the 2009 Tour of Elk Grove this weekend. For his efforts, he earned a $25,000 prize which he will share with his team.

  The Tasmanian sprinter congratulated his teammates on a job well done in their efforts to maintain the race lead in the final stage, a criterium held in Elk Grove Village, Illinois on Sunday.

  "All the fastest guys in the country were here and all the best teams," Menzies said. "It's just a shame you don't get this at every race. This is the best field assembled and it's amazing. Everyone comes here because there is good prize money but there is also great racing. The prize money was a bonus because we came here to win the race."

  Menzies started the weekend by taking third place after the opening time trial. He moved into the race lead by virtue of capturing a time bonus for his second placed finish in the stage two road race on Saturday, and maintained it through the final criterium on Sunday.

  Menzies' compatriot Jonathan Cantwell (Fly V Australia) finished off a long month of racing in the Great Lakes region with a win in the final criterium in Elk Grove. The Australian maneuvered his way through a cagey 200-metre dash to the line, outpacing runner-up Ken Hanson (Team Type 1) and Sebastian Haedo (Colavita-Sutter Home), who placed third.

  "Well, Karl's not really Australian because he's from Tasmania," laughed Cantwell. "The win today is really for my team, who did a lot of work. My guys rode for me and [Bernard] Sulzberger to get the win. It was a good weekend. The stage wins were our number one priority after we knew we weren't up there in the overall. Today we had the legs and it worked."

  Cantwell and his teammate Bernard Sulzberger arrived to compete in the Tour of Elk Grove after a successful week at the International Cycling Classic, a 17-day string of races that concluded in last Sunday in Whitefish Bay, Milwaukee. Sulzberger, the Australian national criterium champion, won the overall there, maintaining his lead from the first race to the last. Cantwell placed third overall.

  "I felt like these races in Elk Grove were stages 18, 19 and 20," laughed Cantwell. "We had a really good string of racing. There's no better way to prepare for a race like Elk Grove than to race 17 fast criteriums beforehand."

• Napolitano extends with Katusha

  

  Article published:

  August 3, 2009, 15:36

  By:

  Cycling News

  Two more years for Sicilian sprinter

  Italian sprinter Danilo Napolitano has extended his contract with Team Katusha through 2011, the team announced Monday. Team director Andrei Tchmil was satisfied with the Sicilian's performance this season.

  Napolitano won four races this year - one stage each in the Ruta del Sol, Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen, Settimana Coppi e Bartali and Tour of Luxembourg. He has also been the primary lead-out man for Robbie McEwen.

  "He showed his quality and he was able to take the responsibility when it was needed," said Tchmil. "We also knew his good character and we appreciated it."

  “I’m happy to renewal my contract with Team Katusha," said Napolitano. "I found a good team and thanks to it I was be able to get good results. I hope to continue to improve so I can thank them for the confidence they've shown."

• Johansson holds narrow World Cup lead

  

  Article published:

  August 3, 2009, 15:53

  By:

  Cycling News

  Vos trails by just three points after Vargarda round

  Swede Emma Johansson held onto a slim three-point lead in the UCI Women's Road World Cup after Sunday's Open de Suède Vargarda. Johannsson won the third round, the Ronde van Drenthe, in the Netherlands in April. She has finished on the podium of every race in the series except the Tour de Berne, where she was fifth.

  Johansson lost ground on former World Champion Marianne Vos, who won the Swedish round. Vos claimed her third World Cup victory yesterday. She also won the Trofeo Alfredo Binda and Fleche Wallonne.

  Johansson knew exactly where she had to place in order to keep the World Cup leader's jersey going into the next round at the GP Plouay on August 22. "I knew I had to be third if Marianne won to keep the jersey. Three points, its not much, but I still get to ride in the jersey one more time."

  The Cervelo TestTeam moved into third overall with Dutch rider Kirsten Wild after her second place finish in Sweden. The team also extended its lead in the teams classification with a win in the Open de Suède Vargarda team time trial on Friday.

  World Cup standings after round 8

  1	Emma Johansson (Swe) Red Sun Cycling Team	336	pts
  2	Marianne Vos (Ned) DSB Bank - LTO	333
  3	Kirsten Wild (Ned) Cervelo TestTeam	173
  4	Kristin Armstrong (USA) Cervelo TestTeam	149
  5	Loes Gunnewijk (Ned) Team Flexpoint	139
  6	Ina Teutenberg (Ger) Team Columbia HTC Women	126
  7	Trixi Worrack (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung	121
  8	Andrea Bosman (Ned) Leontien.nl	95
  9	Eva Lutz (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung	87
  10	Sarah Düster (Ger) Cervelo TestTeam	82
  11	Martine Bras (Ned) Selle Italia Ghezzi	76
  12	Emma Pooley (GBr) Cervelo TestTeam	75
  13	Grace Verbeke (Bel) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam	73
  14	Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Team Flexpoint	73
  15	Regina Bruins (Ned) Cervelo TestTeam	72
  16	Noemi Cantele (Ita) Bigla Cycling Team	71
  17	Chantal Blaak (Ned) Leontien.nl	66
  18	Nicole Cooke (GBr) Vision 1 Racing	65
  19	Linda Melanie Villumsen (Den) Team Columbia HTC Women	64
  20	Christiane Soeder (Aut) Cervelo TestTeam	61
  21	Carla Ryan (Aus) Cervelo TestTeam	50
  22	Julia Martisova (Rus) Gauss RDZ Ormu - Colnago	45
  23	Monica Holler (Swe) Bigla Cycling Team	45
  24	Amber Neben (USA) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung	41
  25	Claudia Häusler (Ger) Cervelo TestTeam	38
  26	Kimberly Anderson (USA) Team Columbia HTC Women	35
  27	Mirjam Melchers-Van Poppel (Ned) Team Flexpoint	33
  28	Mara Abbott (USA) Team Columbia HTC Women	31
  29	Eleonora Van Dijk (Ned) Team Columbia HTC Women	30
  30	Ruth Corset (Aus)	30
  31	Chantal Beltman (Ned) Team Columbia HTC Women	30
  32	Sara Mustonen (Swe) Team Hitec Products Uck	29
  33	Suzanne De Goede (Ned) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung	27
  34	Annemiek Van Vleuten (Ned) DSB Bank - LTO	25
  35	Iris Slappendel (Ned) Team Flexpoint	25
  36	Catherine Cheatley (NZl)	24
  37	Tiffany Cromwell (Aus)	21
  38	Madeleine Sandig (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung	20
  39	Bianca Knoepfle (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung	20
  40	Nicole Brändli (Swi) Bigla Cycling Team	20
  41	Charlotte Becker (Ger) Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung	20
  42	Erinne Willock (Can)	18
  43	Liesbeth De Vocht (Bel) DSB Bank - LTO	17
  44	Madeleine Olsson (Swe)	16
  45	Liesbeth Bakker (Ned) DSB Bank - LTO	16
  46	Irene Van Den Broek (Ned) Leontien.nl	15
  47	Karin Thürig (Swi) Bigla Cycling Team	15
  48	Marina Jaunatre (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope	15
  49	Elizabeth Armitstead (GBr) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam	15
  50	Mascha Pijnenborg Red Sun Cycling Team	14
  51	Ludivine Henrion (Bel) Red Sun Cycling Team	14
  52	Alessandra D'ettorre (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo Raxy Line	14
  53	Paulina Brzezna (Pol) Red Sun Cycling Team	14
  54	Latoya Brulee (Bel) Red Sun Cycling Team	14
  55	Lucinda Brand Leontien.nl	14
  56	Modesta Vzesniauskaite (Ltu) Bigla Cycling Team	12
  57	Jennie Stenerhag (Swe)	12
  58	Catrine Josefsson (Swe) Bizkaia - Durango - Champion System	12
  59	Karin Aune (Swe) Fenixs	12
  60	Marta Vila Josana Andreu (Spa) Team Cmax Dila'	11
  61	Nina Ovcharenko (Ukr)	11
  62	Valeriya Kononenko (Ukr)	11
  63	Lesya Kalitovska (Ukr)	11
  64	Svitlana Galyuk (Ukr)	11
  65	Emma Skjerstad (Nor)	10
  66	Kristine Saastad (Nor)	10
  67	Cecilie Johansen	10
  68	Elin S. Fylkesnes (Nor)	10
  69	Catherine Delfosse (Bel) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam	10
  70	Tania Belvederesi (Ita) Gauss RDZ Ormu - Colnago	10
  71	Alexandra Wrubleski (Can) Team Columbia HTC Women	9
  72	Marta Tagliaferro (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo Raxy Line	9
  73	Laura Pisaneschi (Ita) Top Girls Fassa Bortolo Raxy Line	9
  74	Tina Mayolo Pic (USA)	9
  75	Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam	9
  76	Jennifer Fiori Top Girls Fassa Bortolo Raxy Line	9
  77	Valentina Carretta Top Girls Fassa Bortolo Raxy Line	9
  78	Svetlana Bubnenkova Fenixs	9
  79	Giorgia Bronzini (Ita) Safi -Pasta Zara Titanedi	9
  80	Valentina Bastianelli Top Girls Fassa Bortolo Raxy Line	9
  81	Luisa Tamanini (Ita) Selle Italia Ghezzi	8
  82	Lorena Foresi (Ita) Selle Italia Ghezzi	8
  83	Nikki Egyed (Aus)	8
  84	Sophie Creux (Fra) ESGL 93 - GSD Gestion	8
  85	Alexandra Burchenkova (Rus) Petrogradets	8
  86	Laura Bozzolo (Ita) Selle Italia Ghezzi	8
  87	Elena Novikova (Rus) Petrogradets	7
  88	Joanne Kiesanowski (NZl)	7
  89	Maria Kazachenko Petrogradets	7
  90	Yulia Iliynikh (Rus) Petrogradets	7
  91	Emmanuelle Merlot (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope	6
  92	Fabiana Luperini (Ita) Selle Italia Ghezzi	6
  93	Catherine Hare Willianson (GBr) Fenixs	6
  94	Giuseppina Grassi Herrera (Mex) Selle Italia Ghezzi	6
  95	Florence Girardet (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope	6
  96	Karine Gautard (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope	6
  97	Audrey Cordon (Fra) Vienne Futuroscope	6
  98	Adrie Visser (Ned) DSB Bank - LTO	6
  99	Vicki Whitelaw (Aus) Vision 1 Racing	5
  100	Isabelle Söderberg (Swe) Team Hitec Products Uck	5
  101	Joelle Numainville (Can) ESGL 93 - GSD Gestion	5
  102	Line Foss Team Hitec Products Uck	5
  103	Janneke Ensing Team Hitec Products Uck	5
  104	Natalia Boyarskaya (Rus) Fenixs	5
  105	Daniëlle Bekkering (Ned) Team Hitec Products Uck	5
  106	Alona Andruk (Ukr) Safi -Pasta Zara Titanedi	5
  107	Anne-Marie Schmitt (Lux) Lointek	4
  108	Edwige Pitel (Fra)	4
  109	Christine Majerus (Lux) ESGL 93 - GSD Gestion	4
  110	Nathalie Lamborelle (Lux) Team Uniqa - ELK	4
  111	Chantal Hoffmann (Lux)	4
  112	Christel Ferrier-Bruneau (Fra) Vision 1 Racing	4
  113	Amy Dombroski (USA)	4
  114	Carla Swart MTN Cycling	3
  115	Alexis Rhodes (Aus)	2
  116	Janel Holcomb	2
  117	Alexandra Greenfield (GBr)	2
  118	Alice Marmorini (Ita) Fenixs	1
  119	Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (Fra)	1
  120	Heather Logan (Can)	1

  Teams

  1	Cervélo TestTeam	630	pts
  2	Red Sun Cycling Team	328
  3	DSB Bank - LTO	320
  4	Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung	316
  5	Team Columbia HTC Women	295
  6	Team Flexpoint	270
  7	Bigla Cycling Team	163
  8	Netherlands	134
  9	Leontien.nl	133
  10	Lotto-Belisol Ladiesteam	107
  11	Selle Italia Ghezzi	106
  12	Sweden	102
  13	Vision 1 Racing	74
  14	Gauss RDZ Ormu - Colnago	55
  15	Team Hitec Products UCK	44
  16	Ukraine	44
  17	Top Girls Fassa Bortolo Raxy Line	41
  18	Norway	40
  19	Australia	30
  20	France	28
  21	Petrogradets	28
  22	Vienne Futuroscope	24
  23	Fenixs	21
  24	Luxembourg	16
  25	Team Cmax Dila'	11
  26	Italy	7
  26	Safi	7
  28	Mexico	6
  29	ESGL 93 - GSD Gestion	5
  30	MTN Ladies	3
  31	United States	2
  31	Great Britain	2
  33	Russia	1

   

• Ceramica Flaminia says no UCI pressure in Rasmussen negotiations

  

  Article published:

  August 3, 2009, 16:28

  By:

  Gregor Brown

  Team Manager denies statements in Danish article

  Italy's team Ceramica Flaminia confirmed today that there was no pressure from the International Cycling Union (UCI) in its negotiations with cyclist Michael Rasmussen. Team Manager Roberto Marrone said statements by his sports director, Giuseppe Petito, in a Danish newspaper were false.

  "I have never had pressure from anyone, including the UCI," Marrone told Cyclingnews. "We asked them specifically, 'Could there be problems with riders that had been disqualified?' They told us, 'Once the sporting sanction is over all riders can return.'"

  Petito said the UCI was unhappy about the team talking to Rasmussen, according to Denmark's Ekstra Bladet newspaper.

  "Words were attributed that were never given. We will be forced to refer [this] to our lawyers in order to protect our business," Marrone told Cyclingnews.

  Rasmussen's former team Rabobank forced him out of the 2007 Tour de France while in the race leader's yellow jersey. The team made its decision after discrepancies were discovered in Rasmussen's whereabouts declarations to anti-doping authorities.

  He served a two-year ban for violating anti-doping rules that ended on July 25, 2009.

  Rasmussen and admitted doper Bernhard Kohl previously shared a manager, Stefan Matschiner. Austrian investigators have named Rasmussen in an investigation of organised blood doping that they said Matschiner facilitated.

  The Ekstra Bladet also said the UCI warned of the Austrian investigation, Humanplasma, when its ProTour Manager Alain Rumpf met Marrone on June 5.

  "In a meeting held with Roberto Marrone, Rumpf never mentioned the Humanplasma affair," said the UCI in a statement Saturday.

  Ceramica Flaminia eventually decided against signing Rasmussen because it had already signed Riccardo Riccò last month. Riccò is currently on suspension for testing positive for blood booster EPO during the 2008 Tour de France and will join the team in 2010.

• Vinokourov returns in France, but not for Astana

  

  Article published:

  August 3, 2009, 16:31

  By:

  Richard Tyler

  Kazakh rider's future still undecided

  Alexander Vinokourov is expected to return to racing on Tuesday at the Castillon-la-Bataille criterium in France, but will not race for Astana, the Kazakh team informed Cyclingnews on Monday.

  Vinokourov will take part in the 45km criterium in Western France on Tuesday evening. The event will mark Vinokourov's first race since he completed a two-year ban for blood doping in the 2007 Tour de France. The 35-year-old's ban ended on July 23.

  Vinokourov announced prior to this year's Tour de France that he expected to return to competition with Astana. However, the team's press officer Phillipe Maertens said on Monday that Vinokourov would not be racing under the team's name on Tuesday.

  "When he [Vinokourov] is racing tomorrow, it will not be for Astana,"  said Maertens.

  He added that Vinokourov had not yet reached any agreement to ride for the Astana squad. "I know he [Vinokourov] wants to come to our team but for the moment nothing is decided, nothing is done yet," he said.

  "It can change in a few days, but for now [he is not a member of the team]."

• Kreuziger moves up in world rankings

  

  Article published:

  August 3, 2009, 16:49

  By:

  Cycling News

  Contador, Astana remain in the lead after San Sebastián

  The San Sebastián Classic provided Czech rider Roman Kreuziger with an important opportunity to move up in the UCI's World Rankings this weekend. The Liquigas rider, who placed second to Spaniard Carlos Barredo, moved into third overall in the standings behind Tour de France winner Alberto Contador and Saxo Bank's Andy Schleck.

  Kreuziger moved up from fifth overall and now, with 310 points, trails Contador by 217. He is only 24 points behind Schleck, who crashed out of the race and injured his back.

  
  

  Sprint star Mark Cavendish (Columbia-HTC) fell from third to fourth, while Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d’Epargne) moved down to fifth.

  Kreuziger has gained points in the last three World Calendar races - the Tour of Switzerland, the Tour de France and the Clásica San Sebastian. His strong performance helped move the Liquigas team into third overall behind Astana and Saxo Bank.

  Results

  1	Alberto Contador (Spa) Astana	527	pts
  2	Andy Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank	334
  3	Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas	310
  4	Mark Cavendish (GBr) Team Columbia - Highroad	304
  5	Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne	295
  6	Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana	232
  7	Cadel Evans (Aus) Silence-Lotto	219
  8	Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank	218
  9	Heinrich Haussler (Ger) Cervelo Test Team	217
  10	Thor Hushovd (Nor) Cervelo Test Team	216
  11	Frank Schleck (Lux) Team Saxo Bank	212
  12	Allan Davis (Aus) Quick Step	205
  13	Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C.	202
  14	Davide Rebellin (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli	194
  15	Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne	189
  16	Danilo Di Luca (Ita) LPR Brakes - Farnese Vini	188
  17	Philippe Gilbert (Bel) Silence-Lotto	187
  18	Mikel Astarloza (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi	178
  19	Stefano Garzelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo	170
  20	Serguei Ivanov (Rus) Team Katusha	164
  21	Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Team Katusha	157
  22	Franco Pellizotti (Ita) Liquigas	156
  23	Filippo Pozzato (Ita) Team Katusha	154
  24	Lance Armstrong (USA) Astana	150
  25	Fabian Cancellara (Swi) Team Saxo Bank	148
  26	Antonio Colom (Spa) Team Katusha	145
  27	Robert Gesink (Ned) Rabobank	145
  28	Michele Scarponi (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli	139
  29	Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas	138
  30	Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas	135
  31	Carlos Sastre (Spa) Cervelo Test Team	134
  32	Samuel Sanchez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi	133
  33	Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Garmin - Slipstream	130
  34	Tony Martin (Ger) Team Columbia - Highroad	125
  35	Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Team Columbia - Highroad	116
  36	Michael Rogers (Aus) Team Columbia - Highroad	115
  37	Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Quick Step	107
  38	Stijn Devolder (Bel) Quick Step	104
  39	Tom Boonen (Bel) Quick Step	104
  40	Alessandro Petacchi (Ita) LPR Brakes - Farnese Vini	102
  41	Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne	98
  42	Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Astana	94
  43	Thomas Lövkvist (Swe) Team Columbia - Highroad	90
  44	Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne	89
  45	Joaquin Rodriguez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne	87
  46	Stuart O'Grady (Aus) Team Saxo Bank	87
  47	Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin - Slipstream	87
  48	Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Team Saxo Bank	82
  49	Carlos Barredo (Spa) Quick Step	80
  50	Simon Gerrans (Aus) Cervelo Test Team	80
  51	Levi Leipheimer (USA) Astana	79
  52	Christian Vande Velde (USA) Garmin - Slipstream	78
  53	Tadej Valjavec (Slo) AG2R La Mondiale	77
  54	Martin Elmiger (Swi) AG2R La Mondiale	74
  55	Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin - Slipstream	73
  56	Martijn Maaskant (Ned) Garmin - Slipstream	64
  57	Aleksandr Kuschynski (Blr) Liquigas	61
  58	Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team Saxo Bank	60
  59	Leif Hoste (Bel) Silence-Lotto	60
  60	Christophe Le Mevel (Fra) Française Des Jeux	58
  61	Matti Breschel (Den) Team Saxo Bank	57
  62	Sandy Casar (Fra) Française Des Jeux	54
  63	Matthew Goss (Aus) Team Saxo Bank	53
  64	Peter Velits (Svk) Team Milram	51
  65	Lars Ytting Bak (Den) Team Saxo Bank	51
  66	Mickael Delage (Fra) Silence-Lotto	50
  67	Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Slipstream	50
  68	Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Silence-Lotto	50
  69	Rigoberto Uran (Col) Caisse d'Epargne	50
  70	Angel Gomez (Spa) Fuji-Servetto	50
  71	Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Française Des Jeux	50
  72	Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Quick Step	49
  73	Daniele Bennati (Ita) Liquigas	47
  74	Marcus Burghardt (Ger) Team Columbia - Highroad	45
  75	Juan Antonio Flecha (Spa) Rabobank	44
  76	Oscar Freire (Spa) Rabobank	44
  77	Jens Voigt (Ger) Team Saxo Bank	42
  78	Mathew Hayman (Aus) Rabobank	40
  79	Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Team Columbia - Highroad	40
  80	Marzio Bruseghin (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C.	39
  81	Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team Saxo Bank	33
  82	David Arroyo (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne	33
  83	Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom	32
  84	Thomas Voeckler (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom	32
  85	Andreas Klier (Ger) Cervelo Test Team	30
  86	Linus Gerdemann (Ger) Team Milram	30
  87	Aitor Galdos (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi	30
  88	Alexsandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Astana	30
  89	Koldo Fernandez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi	26
  90	Rinaldo Nocentini (Ita) AG2R La Mondiale	26
  91	Brice Feillu (Fra) Agritubel	26
  92	Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Skil-Shimano	25
  93	Enrico Rossi (Ita) Ceramica Flaminia - Bossini Docce	22
  94	Jose Serpa (Col) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli	22
  95	Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Silence-Lotto	22
  96	Xavier Tondo (Spa) Andalucia Cajasur	21
  97	Juan Manuel Garate (Spa) Rabobank	21
  98	Mauro Santambrogio (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C.	20
  99	Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) Française Des Jeux	20
  100	Björn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team	20
  101	Nicki Sørensen (Den) Team Saxo Bank	20
  102	Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Team Milram	20
  103	Michael Albasini (Swi) Team Columbia - Highroad	19
  104	Yury Trofimov (Rus) BBox Bouygues Telecom	18
  105	Kim Kirchen (Lux) Team Columbia - Highroad	17
  106	Mikhail Ignatiev (Rus) Team Katusha	17
  107	Manuel Quinziato (Ita) Liquigas	16
  108	Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr) Astana	16
  109	Leonardo Bertagnolli (Ita) Amica Chips - Knauf	16
  110	Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu) Cervelo Test Team	16
  111	Graeme Brown (Aus) Rabobank	16
  112	David Millar (GBr) Garmin - Slipstream	15
  113	Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale	15
  114	Mark Renshaw (Aus) Team Columbia - Highroad	15
  115	Christophe Riblon (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale	14
  116	Stéphane Goubert (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale	14
  117	Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C.	14
  118	Marco Pinotti (Ita) Team Columbia - Highroad	12
  119	Greg Henderson (NZl) Team Columbia - Highroad	12
  120	Fredrik Kessiakoff (Swe) Fuji-Servetto	11
  121	Luca Paolini (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo	11
  122	Frantisek Rabon (Cze) Team Columbia - Highroad	11
  123	Ben Swift (GBr) Team Katusha	11
  124	Nick Nuyens (Bel) Rabobank	10
  125	Tom Leezer (Ned) Rabobank	10
  126	Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) Française Des Jeux	10
  127	Laurent Lefevre (Fra) BBox Bouygues Telecom	10
  128	Christophe Kern (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne	10
  129	Robert Hunter (RSA) Barloworld	10
  130	Amets Txurruka (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi	10
  131	David De La Fuente (Spa) Fuji-Servetto	9
  132	George Hincapie (USA) Team Columbia - Highroad	9
  133	Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Française Des Jeux	9
  134	Francesco Masciarelli (Ita) Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo	8
  135	Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana	8
  136	Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Team Katusha	8
  137	Jérôme Pineau (Fra) Quick Step	8
  138	Fabio Sabatini (Ita) Liquigas	8
  139	Serge Pauwels (Bel) Cervelo Test Team	8
  140	Félix Cardenas (Col) Barloworld	8
  141	Rubens Bertogliati (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli	8
  142	Johannes Fröhlinger (Ger) Team Milram	7
  143	Jérémy Roy (Fra) Française Des Jeux	7
  144	David Moncoutie (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne	7
  145	Ruben Perez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi	6
  147	Hayden Roulston (NZl) Cervelo Test Team	6
  148	Stef Clement (Ned) Rabobank	6
  149	Nikolay Trusov (Rus) Team Katusha	6
  150	Bert Grabsch (Ger) Team Columbia - Highroad	6
  151	Cyril Lemoine (Fra) Skil-Shimano	6
  152	Bernhard Eisel (Aut) Team Columbia - Highroad	6
  153	Niki Terpstra (Ned) Team Milram	6
  154	Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Liquigas	6
  155	Julien El Fares (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne	6
  156	Angelo Furlan (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C.	6
  157	Julian Sanchez (Spa) Contentpolis-Ampo	6
  159	Robbie McEwen (Aus) Team Katusha	6
  160	Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Liquigas	6
  161	Romain Feillu (Fra) Agritubel	6
  162	André Greipel (Ger) Team Columbia - Highroad	6
  163	Leonardo Duque (Col) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne	5
  164	Maxime Monfort (Bel) Team Columbia - Highroad	4
  165	Bert De Waele (Bel) Landbouwkrediet - Colnago	4
  166	Mikael Cherel (Fra) Française Des Jeux	4
  167	Egoi Martinez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi	4
  168	Gustav Larsson (Swe) Team Saxo Bank	4
  169	Danny Pate (USA) Garmin - Slipstream	4
  170	Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) Silence-Lotto	4
  171	Markus Fothen (Ger) Team Milram	4
  172	Lloyd Mondory (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale	4
  173	Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne	4
  174	Maxim Iglinsky (Kaz) Astana	4
  175	Pavel Brutt (Rus) Team Katusha	4
  176	Vladimir Efimkin (Rus) AG2R La Mondiale	4
  177	Timothy Duggan (USA) Garmin - Slipstream	4
  178	Jurgen Van De Walle (Bel) Quick Step	4
  179	Ludovic Turpin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale	4
  180	Markus Zberg (Swi) BMC Racing Team	4
  181	Vladimir Duma (Ukr) Ceramica Flaminia - Bossini Docce	4
  182	Mirco Lorenzetto (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C.	4
  183	Oliver Zaugg (Swi) Liquigas	3
  184	Jeremy Hunt (GBr) Cervelo Test Team	2
  185	Sebastian Langeveld (Ned) Rabobank	2
  186	Evgeny Petrov (Rus) Team Katusha	2
  187	Dario Cataldo (Ita) Quick Step	2
  188	Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) BBox Bouygues Telecom	2
  189	Christian Knees (Ger) Team Milram	2
  190	Christophe Moreau (Fra) Agritubel	2
  191	Sébastien Minard (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne	2
  192	Grégory Rast (Swi) Astana	2
  193	Thomas Dekker (Ned) Silence-Lotto	2
  194	Xavier Florencio (Spa) Cervelo Test Team	2
  195	Davide Vigano (Ita) Fuji-Servetto	2
  196	Sébastien Joly (Fra) Française Des Jeux	2
  197	Murilo Fischer (Bra) Liquigas	2
  198	Sébastien Hinault (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale	2
  199	Pablo Urtasun (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi	2
  200	Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana	2
  201	Baden Cooke (Aus) Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team	2
  202	Mauricio Soler (Col) Barloworld	2
  203	Marco Marzano (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C.	1
  204	Marco Bandiera (Ita) Lampre - N.G.C.	1
  205	Rémi Pauriol (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne	1
  206	Sébastien Rosseler (Bel) Quick Step	1
  207	Stéphane Auge (Fra) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne	1
  208	Eros Capecchi (Ita) Fuji-Servetto	1
  209	Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Silence-Lotto	1
  210	Adam Hansen (Aus) Team Columbia - Highroad	1
  212	Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Française Des Jeux	1
  213	Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli	1
  214	Philip Deignan (Irl) Cervelo Test Team	1
  215	Dmytro Grabovskyy (Ukr) ISD	1
  216	Alessandro Bertolini (Ita) Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli	1
  217	Nico Sijmens (Bel) Cofidis, Le Credit En Ligne	1
  218	Dominique Rollin (Can) Cervelo Test Team	1
  219	Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Team Columbia - Highroad	1
  220	Tom Veelers (Ned) Skil-Shimano	1
  221	Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Liquigas	1

  Teams

  1	Astana	1082	pts
  2	Team Saxo Bank	863
  3	Liquigas	800
  4	Team Columbia - High Road	750
  5	Caisse d'Epargne	710
  6	Cervelo Test Team	697
  7	Team Katusha	637
  8	Quick Step	600
  9	Silence - Lotto	566
  10	Rabobank	491
  11	Garmin - Slipstream	432
  12	Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli	379
  13	Euskaltel - Euskadi	377
  14	LPR Brakes Farnese Vini	290
  15	Lampre - N.G.C	281
  16	AG2R La Mondiale	206
  17	Française Des Jeux	192
  18	Acqua & Sapone - Caffe Mokambo	189
  19	Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne	126
  20	Team Milram	114
  21	BBox Bouygues Telecom	94
  22	Agritubel	34
  23	Skil-Shimano	32
  24	Fuji-Servetto	29
  25	Ceramica Flaminia - Bossini Docce	26
  26	Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team	22
  27	Andalucia Cajasur	21
  28	Barloworld	20
  29	Contentpolis-Ampo	6
  30	Landbouwkrediet - Colnago	4
  31	BMC Racing Team	4
  32	ISD	1

   

• Skil-Shimano, Sky, RadioShack to vie for ProTour license

  

  Article published:

  August 3, 2009, 18:53

  By:

  Shane Stokes/Cyclingnews

  21 teams seeking ProTour status in 2010

  The UCI (International Cycling Union) announced Monday that all current ProTour teams who will have their license expire at the end of this season are seeking renewal, and three additional teams have applied for the sport's top status for 2010.

  A total of 21 teams are seeking ProTour status, which could lead to some squads being refused due to the UCI's agreement with Grand Tour organisers to limit the number of top tier teams.

  "This is a situation that we are studying," McQuaid told Cyclingnews over the weekend. "What we are doing is raising the bar for ProTour teams. In doing so, one or two teams which are asking for licences to be renewed or to be granted for the first time will not meet the criteria. The rules state we can have up to 20 teams but, in continuing to raise the bar, it may mean that one or two teams may not get a licence."

  Of the current 18 teams with ProTour status, five teams have licenses which run out at the end of 2009. AG2R La Mondiale, Bbox Bouygues Telecom, Cofidis, Lampre NGC and Milram all are seeking renewal.

  The Dutch Professional Contiental team Skil-Shimano has applied to step up to the next rung in 2010, as have new teams RadioShack and Team Sky (Great Britain).

  The ProTour license requires teams to enter races on the ProTour calendar. In past years, the three Grand Tours were included on that list, but the split between the Grand Tour organisers and the UCI last year saw the teams forge a separate agreement with the race promoters which is good through 2010.

  An agreement made between the UCI and the owners of the Tour de France in late 2008 ties the right to enter the Grand Tours to the UCI World Ranking, starting in 2011. This World Ranking combines the ProTour with the results of the Historical races.

  The UCI's License Commission will begin making decisions on the applications in September.

  Also see our full feature on the ProTour licensing issue.

  Tags:

  UCI vs ASO

  Tour de France

  UCI

• Gesink ready for redemption in Vuelta

  

  Article published:

  August 4, 2009, 03:33

  By:

  Cycling News

  Rabobank names preliminary Vuelta a España squad

  Having withdrawn from the Tour de France after suffering a broken wrist in a crash during stage nine, Robert Gesink will be out for redemption when he starts the Vuelta a España in Assen on August 29. De Telegraaf reports that the Dutch rider will lead Rabobank's push in the year's third grand tour with the team announcing a preliminary lineup yesterday.

  An exciting development is the grand tour debut of Lars Boom, the talented former cyclocross world champion who many believe will feature in the sport's biggest events in the future.

  Six Dutch riders have been chosen for the event by team managers Erik Breukink and Adri van Houwelingen, with Gesink the captain and Boom making the squad in addition to Koos Moerenhout, Tom Leezer, Bram Tankink and Pieter Weening.

  There are three places remaining on the team's race roster, to be selected from four riders, including experienced Spaniards Oscar Freire and Juan Manuel Garate, Colombian domestique Mauricio Ardila and German stalwart Paul Martens.

  Despite recently breaking his wrist in the Clasica San Sebastian, the team is confident Garate can recover in time for his home grand tour. Rabobank will announce the remaining three riders after the Tour of Limousin, which ends on August 21.