First Edition Cycling News, Tuesday, November 24, 2009

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Date published:

November 24, 2009, 12:00

• Bosisio repeats innocence at CONI hearing

  

  Article published:

  November 23, 2009, 16:22

  By:

  Gregor Brown

  Italian and former Di Luca teammate denies EPO use, faces two-year ban

  Italy's Gabriele Bosisio denied at an Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) hearing in Rome today that he used the blood booster Erythropoietin (EPO). He tested positive in an out-of-competition control two months ago.

  "I have never taken EPO and I repeat that I am innocent," he said, according to L'Equipe.

  The International Cycling Union (UCI) tested Bosisio September 2 at his home in Rogeno, Italy. Bosisio's case was the second EPO case for Fabio Bordonali's LPR Brakes team this season.

  Danilo Di Luca finished second overall in this year's Giro d'Italia, but tests later revealed he used third generation EPO, CERA. LPR Brakes suspended Di Luca in August after counter-analysis confirmed the test results.

  Bosisio won a stage and wore the leader's maglia rosa at last year's Giro d'Italia. In 2007, he won the Olympic test race in Beijing, China.

  He faces a possible two-year ban from cycling. CONI will likely make its recommendation to the Italian anti-doping tribunal (TNA) in the coming month.

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• Eeckhout signs up for two more years

  

  Article published:

  November 23, 2009, 17:18

  By:

  Susan Westemeyer

  Belgian will be rider and/or manager at AN Post-Sean Kelly Team

  Niko Eeckhout turns 39 in a few weeks, but is not ready to stop riding. The Belgian has extended his contact with the Continental-ranked AN Post-Sean Kelly Team for two years, as either a rider, team manager or both.

  “In 2010 Niko is riding in any event,” said team manager Kurt Bogearts to Sporza.be. “After the season we will continue to evaluate matters and Niko may ride again in 2011, but he will decide that himself.”

  If Eeckhout decides to stop riding, “then he moves from the bike to the team car and becomes a team manager with us,” according to Bogaerts.

  Eeckhout had five wins this past season: two stages in the Vuelta a Extremadura, a stage at the FDB Insurance Ras, the GP Stad Zottegem, and the Memorial Rik Van Steenbergen. He turned pro with team Collstrop in 1992.

• Brailsford confident Team Sky can win clean

  

  Article published:

  November 23, 2009, 17:48

  By:

  Richard Tyler

  Sky principal outlines his faith in riders, team

  Team Sky's David Brailsford has outlined his approach to the issue of drugs in the professional peloton as his team heads towards its debut season. In an interview with Paul Kimmage for British newspaper The Times, Brailsford stated his belief that Sky can make good on its plan to deliver a clean British rider to overall victory in the Tour de France within five years.

  Brailsford discussed with Kimmage his memories of David Millar's arrest by French police in Biarritz in 2004 that led to the Briton's admission of the use of EPO. Brailsford had been with Millar at the time and was himself interrogated by the French police. He remained a supporter of Millar throughout his two-year suspension and subsequently successful return to the sport.

  An outspoken critic of doping within professional cycling Kimmage questioned Brailsford's reasons for developing the Team Sky project given his direct experience of doping within the sport.

  "All I can say is ... if there is any doubt or suspicion [of doping] on our team, I’ll expose it. And if I get to the point where I think it can’t be done, I’m walking away," said Brailsford.

  "You ask me why I am doing this. I’m doing it for the likes of Brad Wiggins, because Brad in my mind is clean. I don’t think Brad Wiggins dopes — I could be horribly wrong but I don’t think I am — and that proves to me that nowadays — and maybe not before, but nowadays — you can run in the top four in the Tour without doping. And that’s what makes me think it’s worth doing."

  Brailsford's approach to the management of the Team Sky project has mirrored his guidance of the British track team to a position as one of the top nations in the fixed-gear discipline. Riders, mechanics, soigneurs and management selected for Team Sky have all been exposed to a thorough recruitment process; a unique approach within the context of road cycling's relatively small network of teams and staff.

  Kimmage pressed Brailsford to defend his faith in the Team Sky project by raising a statistic that says 85 percent of Tour de France winners since 1967 have been implicated in doping. Brailsford said that despite the risks, Team Sky is worthy of the devotion he has shown it so far.

  "Well, you’ve got to believe in something, otherwise what’s the point? Let’s all pack up and go home. How far was Brad from being on the podium in last year’s Tour [2009]? Not far. Can he improve on that? Who knows? But he certainly has the ability to and, given the right conditions, it could be done.

  "And if it could be done, somebody should try. ... Everybody thinks it’s ridiculous but being the number one-ranked nation [on the track] when we started in 1998 seemed just as ridiculous."

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• Australia's Roe to Livestrong in 2010

  

  Article published:

  November 23, 2009, 21:02

  By:

  Greg Johnson

  Talented youngster joins Armstrong's U23 squad

  At just 20 years of age, young Australian Timothy Roe faced an unusual problem at the end of his 2009 season. Despite the tough rider market that has developed over the past 18 months, in line with the decline of the global economy, Roe's successful season with Savings and Loans this season left him with a number of opportunities for 2010.

  Roe, from Glenelg in South Australia, has decided to accept the offer that will place him in Lance Armstrong's Trek-Livestrong squad, alongside the likes of Taylor Phinney.

  "Signing with Livestrong wasn't as easy as it seemed as I had other good offers that needed a lot of thought," Roe told Cyclingnews.com. "But in the end I felt that the professional support from Lance and his team, especially with Axel Merckx as the director sportif, was too good a opportunity to miss."

  Roe will meet up with his 2010 teammates for the first time at Trek-Livestrong's training camp in the United States of America next month. "I am looking forward to meeting all the guys and Axel, maybe even Lance," he said.

  Roe's domestic season this year included victory at the Tour of the Southern Grampians, stage wins on his way to third overall at the Mersey Valley Tour and a top five finish at the Tour of Gippsland. His results abroad included stage wins at Jelajah Malaysia and Tour de Korea, where he place third overall, and a second place on the Tour de Slovaquie's second stage.

  Roe expects to learn more about his race program for next season at December's training camp. "At this stage the race schedule has not been decided although I think it will be similar to this year's with a expanded European program," he said.

  Roe is naturally excited by the move to Armstrong's development squad. Like several other Australian riders, Roe has highlighted the Baby Giro as a big target for his 2010 season. A strong showing at the Italian race by Ritchie Porte this year helped the Tasmanian secure a professional contract with Saxo Bank for next year, a progression other youngsters from Down Under hope to emulate.

  "I am really looking forward to doing a proper race program next year and racing the bigger Under 23 races, the Baby Giro will also be a big focus of mine next year," he said.

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• Team RadioShack finalizes 2010 roster

  

  Article published:

  November 23, 2009, 21:03

  By:

  Cycling News

  First training camp to take place in Tucson, Arizona during December

  Team RadioShack, led by seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong, has finalized the team's 2010 roster featuring 26 riders from 16 different countries, manager Johan Bruyneel announced on Monday.

  "It is a well balanced team," said Bruyneel. "We have experienced riders - with some of them I worked already many years in my former teams - but we also have young talents who can develop in the perfect environment. I am happy that our sponsors want to invest in the future of cycling.

  "Our main goal will be the Tour de France and other stage races but I am confident that, with these riders, we can perform very well in the one-day races as well. I look forward to the new season with Team RadioShack and our first training camp."

  The team's first training camp will take place in Tucson, Arizona during the second week of December 2009.

  Team RadioShack roster for 2010

  • Lance Armstrong (USA)
  • Fumiyuki Beppu (Jpn)
  • Sam Bewley (NZl)
  • Jani Brajkovic (Slo)
  • Matthew Busche (USA)
  • Ben Hermans (Bel)
  • Chris Horner (USA)
  • Daryl Impey (RSA)
  • Markel Irizar (Spa)
  • Andreas Klöden (Ger)
  • Levi Leipheimer (USA)
  • Geoffroy Lequatre (Fra)
  • Fuyu Li (Chn)
  • Tiago Machado (Por)
  • Jason McCartney (USA)
  • Dmitriy Muravyev (Kaz)
  • Sérgio Paulinho (Por)
  • Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr)
  • Gregory Rast (Swi)
  • Sébastien Rosseler (Bel)
  • Ivan Rovny (Rus)
  • José Luis Rubiera (Spa)
  • Bjorn Selander (USA)
  • Gert Steegmans (Bel)
  • Tomas Vaitkus (Ltu)
  • Haimar Zubeldia (Spa)

  Management

  • Johan Bruyneel (Bel) - Sports manager
  • Dirk Demol (Bel) - Sports director
  • Alain Gallopin (Fra) - Sports director
  • Viatcheslav Ekimov (Rus) - Sports director
  • José Azevedo (Por) - Sports director

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• Beppu definitely riding for RadioShack

  

  Article published:

  November 24, 2009, 10:10

  By:

  Richard Tyler

  Trek influential in signing of Asian riders Beppu, Li

  RadioShack today confirmed that Japan's Fumiyuki Beppu will ride for the new US-based squad in 2010 despite him also being announced on the roster of his current team, Skil-Shimano.

  A representative of RadioShack confirmed to Cyclingnews that Beppu had signed with RadioShack this month and will now be reunited with a number of his former-Discovery Channel teammates on Lance Armstrong's new team.

  China's Fuyu Li was also announced as part of the RadioShack roster on Monday. Li and Beppu rode alongside one another at Discovery in 2007.

  RadioShack's bicycle sponsor Trek was particularly keen to see the two riders signed to the team because of their potential appeal within the Asian marketplace.

  This year, Beppu became one of the first-ever Japanese riders to finish the Tour de France, while Li has held a long association with Trek through Hong Kong's Marco Polo Cycling Team.

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• Rebellin to resume training

  

  Article published:

  November 24, 2009, 10:26

  By:

  Susan Westemeyer

  Plans schedule for 2010 season despite looming legal problems

  Davide Rebellin is continuing with his preparations for the coming season, despite the threat of a two-year-suspension, fines and the loss of his Olympic medal. He announced this week on Facebook that he is returning to training and planning his 2010 schedule.

  “Since no one has asked for my schedule, I will put it online myself,” he wrote, according to the Dutch press agency dea. “As of Monday I will resume training. The following days I will give more information over my preparations for the new season.

  “Everyone has nailed me to the pillory, but I will return in competition to show everyone who Davide Rebellin is,” he declared.

  The 38-year-old tested positive for the EPO derivative CERA at the Beijing Olympic games. Earlier this month the International Olympic Committee (IOC) said that he was disqualified for doping,and asked the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) to strip him of his silver medal. CONI also said it will ask him to repay the €75,000 it awarded him, as well as damages.

  Rebellin denied the doping charges and said that he would appeal the IOC's decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

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• Zubeldia: RadioShack is the best option for me

  

  Article published:

  November 24, 2009, 10:54

  By:

  Peter Cossins

  Spaniard's denies choosing Armstrong over Contador

  Haimar Zubeldia has confirmed that he will be joining the mass exodus of talent from Astana to RadioShack. The 32-year-old Spanish rider has managed to extricate himself from the final year of a two-year deal he had signed with the Kazakh team in order to follow Johan Bruyneel and Co to the new American team.

  Speaking to Todociclismo.com, Zubeldia admitted that he had thought long and hard about whether to stay at Astana with Spain’s Tour de France champion Alberto Contador or opt to join Bruyneel, who had tempted him away from Euskaltel at the end of 2008.

  "From a sporting point of view, I believe this is the best option for me. When I made the change from Euskaltel to Astana I signed with the team run by Johan Bruyneel. Now, that entire group has gone to this new team, and that was why my first option has always been RadioShack. Johan Bruyneel has always had confidence and shown interest in me," Zubeldia said.

  The Basque rider added that his good impression of the Belgian team boss had only grown after spending this season riding for him. "I’ve always admired Johan Bruyneel, he’s always managed great teams. After spending a season working with him I have seen that the preconceived image I had of him was spot on. He’s got a great capacity for management and fantastic insight into races, amongst many other positive things," said Zubeldia.

  Understanding that his decision could have negative repercussions in Spain, Zubeldia attempted to play down any impression that he had opted for Lance Armstrong over Alberto Contador in his move to RadioShack. "I’m aware that my decision won’t be welcomed by everyone, but I have to look for the best option for me," he said. "I know that some people will try to involve me in the rivalry that exists between Alberto and Lance, but I can only reiterate that I am doing what is best for me."

  The loss of Zubeldia is likely to be keenly felt by Astana. He was one of the team’s key domestiques in the mountains at the Tour de France, where he finished 27th overall. He then went on to lead the team at the Vuelta and finished 14th, having raced almost without a break since the end of February.

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