First Edition Cycling News, Wednesday, December 2, 2009

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December 2, 2009, 02:00

• Columbia-HTC riders visit Right to Play programmes in Peru

  

  Article published:

  December 1, 2009, 11:45

  By:

  Cycling News

  Teutenberg, Lewis and Stevens travel to South America

  Three riders from Columbia-HTC have visited Peru to see the effect of the charity supported by the team, Right to Play, and to help raise awareness for its programmes. Ina-Yoko Teutenberg, Craig Lewis and Evelyn Stevens, along with team doctor Helge Riepenhof, visited Lima and a number of remote areas of the South American country.

  The three pro riders not only toured the area and inspected the facilities, but also played with the children and joined in the sports activities.

  Sixty-five percent of Peru's populations lives in extreme poverty, including 2.7 million children. Only seventy percent of the children in rural areas complete their primary schooling, and the country's literacy rate is one of the world's lowest.

  "It was great to have Team Columbia-HTC team member’s travel to Peru to visit the children in our programs,” commented Martin Barnard, Right To Play’s Manager of Global Sports Partnerships.  “The riders shared smiles, laughter, and learning with hundreds of children in remote villages, and saw how sport and play can make a huge impact on their daily lives."

  "The trip was an amazing experience,” said Teutenberg. “We had such warm welcomes wherever we went. Thousands of people came out to greet us in the towns and villages. Going into these remote villages and seeing the sparks in the kids’ and teachers’ eyes when we arrived was overwhelming.”

  The programme was introduced to Peru a year ago, and now works with 26 schools and has reached 33,000 children. It helps to develop physical education programmes in primary and secondary schools.

  “Team Columbia-HTC has been working with Right To Play for the past two years, but I was still a little unsure of how important Right To Play is to the communities it supports,” said Lewis. “It is one of those things you have to see to believe. Being in Peru was certainly life-changing for me as well as all of those the Right To Play program reaches. It was amazing to see how much of a positive impact Right To Play has had on those lives.”

  Stevens, who is new to Columbia for the 2010 season, was equally impressed. “Sport has always played a major role in shaping my life and I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel with Right to Play to Peru to share my love of sport with the children and to see how sport and play is having a positive impact on their lives,” she said.

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• Belgium to renew bid for UCI World road Championships

  

  Article published:

  December 1, 2009, 11:50

  By:

  Richard Tyler

  Hooglede-Gits organisers to pitch West Flanders for 2013 or 2014 Worlds

  Representatives of the Belgian town of Hooglede-Gits have restated their intention to host the International Cycling Union (UCI) World road Championships, and will aim to secure rights to the event in 2013 or 2014.

  Hooglede-Gits and the Italian city of Genova missed out on the right to host the 2012 World Championships, which were awarded to the Dutch region of Limberg at the UCI's annual conference in September. Organisers of the renewed Hooglede-Gits bid today told Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws that they would adapt their pitch to encompass a broader area of Belgium.

  "We invested too much to let this fall by the wayside," said organiser Rik Debeaussaert. "But unlike our first bid, we are not going just focus on the towns of Oostende and Hooglede, but as the entire Province of West Flanders; much like the approach taken by Limburg for 2012."

  The broader, provincial approach will better suit the expansion of the World Championships from a five-day to a nine-day format that will be rolled out from 2012 onwards. The UCI's announcement of Limburg as host city for the 2012 World Championships was accompanied by plans to re-introduce a team time trial and incorporate the junior road Worlds into the same event.

  Debeaussart said the organising committee had learnt from the failure of their earlier submission and would be better prepared for their new presentation. He is also confident of securing high level support for the new bid.

  "We're hoping some lobbying work by [Belgian] Prime Minister Yves Leterme, European Union President Herman Van Rompuy and International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge," he said. "We already have the support of the Belgian cycling federation. All help we can get will be welcome, because Italy and Spain are also candidates."

  Genova have also stated their intention to re-bid for the 2013 Worlds, while fellow Italian city Florence announced plans to pitch for the same event late last year. Ponferrada, in northwestern Spain, have received the endorsement of their national federation for their 2013 bid.

  Belgium last hosted the UCI World road Championships in 2002, when Italy's Mario Cipollini claimed the World title in Zolder, located in the Belgian sector of Limberg.

  Hooglede-Gits, which will host the Belgian national Championships in 2011, has already begun to re-draw plans for the road race course to meet the demands expected of the World Championships. Debeaussart said that a number of sites in South-west Belgium have been proposed as possible finish towns.

  "The local circuit [in Hooglede] was not difficult enough," he said "We'll now opt for a local circuit in the hills. The Monteberg could be a good option, but we've ruled out the Kemmelberg because of the cobblestones. A finish in Ypres or Poperinge is entirely possible."

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• Nibali to lead Liquigas at the Tour of California

  

  Article published:

  December 1, 2009, 13:05

  By:

  Gregor Brown

  US stage race to fill important gap between Classics, Tour de France

  Vincenzo Nibali will lead team Liquigas at the Tour of California, May 16-23. The 25 year-old Italian says he will be in perfect form for the race after the Ardennes Classics and will use the American event to build for the 2010 Tour de France.

  "It's an important race for our bike sponsor, Cannondale," said Nibali. "I will aim to win a stage and if there is chance I will try to win the overall. It will be hard with rivals like Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer and David Zabriskie."
  
  California became part of Nibali's plans after the team met at a camp in Moena, Italy. Liquigas asked that he skip the Giro d'Italia to focus on the Classics, race California and continue to develop at the Tour de France.
  
  Nibali finished 18th overall in his debut Tour de France last year. This season, he rode steadily to claim a seventh place, 7:35 behind winner Alberto Contador.
  
  "I'm ready for the pressure at the Tour. I've already had to deal with it for many years here in Italy. To help me deal with it, I am working on the small details to better myself, like in the time trial. I've suffered in the time trials as I've become a better climber."
  
  Nibali will be one of Liquigas' three captains - with Ivan Basso and Roman Kreuziger - at the Tour, July 3 to 25.
  
  "The road will decide who the captain is," he continued. "But we won't be like Astana, with the infighting between Armstrong and Contador.
  
  "Kreuziger and I will give Basso more space. He's had more experience and demands respect because he's older."
  
  Basso finished second overall at the Tour de France in 2005 and third in 2004.
  
  Nibali will start his season in Argentina at the Tour San Luis, January 18 to 24. He decided to begin early since a crash and fractured collarbone forced him to end his season early and skip the Vuelta a España this year.
  
  The Vuelta will be Nibali's second Grand Tour of the year next season.

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• Euskaltel-Euskadi announce anti-doping programme

  

  Article published:

  December 1, 2009, 14:31

  By:

  Richard Tyler

  Basque team introduce internal controls to protect squad's future

  Euskaltel-Euskadi has announced that they will conduct a programme of internal doping controls throughout the 2010 season. Spanish newspaper Marca reported that the Basque team would aim for greater transparency after two of its riders returned positive doping tests in 2009.

  Euskaltel riders Iñigo Landaluze and Mikel Astarloza both returned positive tests during the 2009 season. Landaluze tested positive for EPO-CERA during the Dauphiné-Libéré and Astarloza returned a positive result for EPO in a test carried out prior to the 2009 Tour de France, where he won stage 16 of the race.

  The squad's newly appointed team manager Igor González de Galdeano and his predecessor Miguel Madariaga explained that the extra measures had been designed to protect the future of the team.

  "We want to have real data of what may be happening on specific moments in order to make decisions - drastic decisions if necessary - before we reach the edge," said González de Galdeano.

  "We had two dark spots this season. Our riders were subject to 700 tests this season; this gives us an idea, but we cannot be certain of what the cyclists may be doing. So we've decided, together with our sponsors, to pursue a new project to give us control, though we feel it will also help the riders."

  Although the team did not release full details of the programme, the new anti-doping measures will begin on January 1 next year with "an independent laboratory to take responsibility for internal controls."

  José Antonio Ardanza, President of the team's sponsor Euskaltel, said the measures were necessary to ensure trust between the two organisations. However, he confirmed that the telecommunications company had no plans to withdraw their now 17-year support for the ProTour team. "We still have full confidence, we remain and will continue to do so," he said.

  Euskaltel team captain Samuel Sánchez expressed his support for his team's new anti-doping programme, but took the opportunity to challenge other sports to match cycling's efforts to combat doping.

  "There are already very comprehensive programs such as the Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (ADAMS) [an online system that incorporates athletes' whereabouts information – ed], but all teams want their own data and I understand that" said Sánchez. "Cycling is the most controlled sport and I think other sports need to match us. We should be proud of the effort cycling is making; there is no need to hide anything."

  The announcement of Euskaltel's new anti-doping measures came as part of the team's first meeting for the 2010 season at their headquarters in Derio, Spain. The entire squad will remain together until December 3.

  Euskaltel-Euskadi roster for 2010

  	Igor Antón
  	Javier Aramendia
  	Jorge Azanza
  	Sergio de Lis
  	Koldo Fernández de Larrea
  	Aitor Galdos
  	Aitor Hernández
  	Iñaki Isasi
  	Egoi Martínez
  	Mikel Nieve
  	Juanjo Oroz
  	Alan Pérez
  	Rubén Pérez
  	Samuel Sánchez
  	Amets Txurruka
  	Pablo Urtasun
  	Iván Velasco
  	Gorka Verdugo
  	Jonathan Castroviejo
  	Miguel Mínguez
  	Daniel Sesma
  	Romain Sicard
  	Beñat Intxausti
  	Gorka Izagirre

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• Pellizotti ready to share Giro leadership with Basso

  

  Article published:

  December 1, 2009, 15:02

  By:

  Gregor Brown

  Basso will ease the pressure, provide second option for Liquigas

  Franco Pellizotti is pleased to split the Liquigas team leadership at the Giro d'Italia with former winner Ivan Basso. The Italian explained at a Liquigas training camp yesterday in Moena, Italy, that Basso's presence will ease the pressure on both himself and the team.
  
  "For our team the Giro is very important, and all eyes will be on us without all the big names that we had this year," said Pellizotti.
  
  "It is better to go to the Giro with two captains because you never know what will happen. One of us could crash or have a flat on those tough days in The Netherlands or the gravel stage in Siena."
  
  The Giro d'Italia, May 8 to 30, will begin with three stages in The Netherlands, before it continues in Italy. It ends with mountain stages in the Dolomites and Alps. Organiser RCS Sport will take the riders up the Zoncolan, Plan de Corones, Mortirolo and Gavia climbs in the final week.
  
  "If Alberto Contador or Andy Schleck returned next year they would find a Giro designed for them," Pellizotti continued.
  
  Pellizotti finished third this year and won the mountain stage to Blockhaus. He will not have to face the 2008 Giro winner Contador nor 2007's best young rider, Schleck. US rider Lance Armstrong has already confirmed he will skip return to the Giro in order to race at the Tour of California.
  
  The lack of big stars will put more pressure on Pellizotti and team Liquigas. Pellizotti, 31, says he's glad to welcome back Basso to help share the load.
  
  "This year, all the champions raced and I was able to still finish on the podium. It will be different next year; all the teams will look to Liquigas to do the work. It will be even more important to have Ivan, with his experience, back alongside me.
  
  "With everyone looking at me it can give him a chance to ride free, or the other way around."
  
  A winner of the Giro in 2006, Basso finished fifth this year upon his return from a two-year suspension for his involvement in the Operación Puerto blood doping investigation. His chance for sole leadership could come at the Tour de France.
  
  Pellizotti won the Tour de France climbers' classification this year's Tour. He also finished second and third on stage nine and stage 12, respectively. He will race the 2010 Tour, July 3 to 25, to support Basso and help the team's other classification leaders, Roman Kreuziger and Vincenzo Nibali.
  
  "My goal will be to win a stage, which I could not do this year," said Pellizotti. "If the mountains' jersey is within reach then all the better, but I will be available to help my other teammates race for the classification.
  
  "I know Roman placed ninth and Vincenzo seventh this year, but that is a long way from the win. It takes a big effort to get into the first five places. Ivan has done it twice, he has the experience."
  
  Basso finished second at the Tour de France in 2005 and third in while racing for Team CSC.
  
  Pellizotti will begin his season at the Giro del Friuli, March 3. He will include Monte Pachi Eroica, March 6, in his early season schedule to help prepare himself to ride on the same gravel roads that the Giro's stage seven.

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• 2010 Vuelta to open with evening team time trial

  

  Article published:

  December 1, 2009, 17:29

  By:

  Cycling News

  Seville hosts opener for Tour of Spain's 65th edition

  The 2010 Vuelta a España will open August 28 with an evening team time trial in Seville, Spain, making the first ever Vuelta stage to be held at night.

  According to Marca.com the team time trial will be run from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m., and will follow an 18-kilometre route through the Andalucían capital starting at the Teatro Maestranza and ending next to the Torre del Oro.

  In their bid to capture the Vuelta's first leader's jersey, teams will take in Seville's Paseo de Colón, Puente de Triana, San Jacinto, Pagés del Corro, Puente del cachorro, Avenida de Torneo, Puenet de La Barqueta, Isla de la Cartuja, Torneo, Puente del Alamillo, Resolana and Parque de María Luisa along the circuit.

  The start in the Andalucían capital of Seville will be the fifth to take place in the region this decade. Seville was host to the start of stage 12 in the first edition of the Vuelta a España in 1935 and in recent year's Andalucía has played host to four Vuelta starts (2000, 2005, 2006 and 2008).

  The complete route of the Vuelta a España, August 28-September 19, will be announced in Seville on December 16.

• De Fauw's family deny rider accused Quick Step of doping

  

  Article published:

  December 1, 2009, 17:33

  By:

  Richard Tyler

  Mother says Belgian newspaper 'twisted' his words, simply wants son to rest in peace

  The mother of the late Dimitri De Fauw has accused Belgian journalists of 'twisting' her son's words in order to link Quick Step manager Patrick Lefevere with doping in a 2007 newspaper report.

  De Fauw, a road professional with Quick Step from 2003-2005 and a well known six-day rider, took his own life last month.

  Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws published an article in January 2007 entitled '30 years of doping', which cited anonymous sources in its accusation of Lefevere and his team in alleged long-term doping practices. Lefevere vehemently denied the allegations and launched subsequent legal action. The newspaper issued a retraction, but a Belgian court last month ordered the three journalists responsible for the article to pay 500,000 Euros in damages to Lefevere and 100,000 Euros to Quick Step doctor Yvan Van Mol.

  It was revealed shortly after De Fauw's death that the Het Laatste Nieuws article was based on a recorded conversation between De Fauw, politician Jean-Marie Dedecker, whistleblower Jef d'Hont and HLN journalist Martin Michielsens.

  In an interview with Humo published today, De Fauw's mother and uncle refute suggestions that he provided any information about doping at Quick Step.

  "He was angry when he read the newspaper article," said De Fauw's mother, Claudine Verhoeven. "'I did not say that at all!' [he said], they had totally distorted his words.

  "He was impressed by [politician and anti-doping crusader Jean-Marie] Dedecker, I think. Some famous people who came to interview him and said they would do anything for him: that meant something to him."

  De Fauw's family claims that he was coaxed into an interview with the newspaper's reporters three months after the 2006 death of six-day rider Isaac Gálvez at the Gent Six-Day. De Fauw had collided with the Spaniard during the accident and had been deeply affected by his fellow competitor's passing.

  "Dimitri completely tied up with emotion at that time. They let him say what they wanted to hear, and then used it to discredit Lefevere," said his uncle Mark De Fauw. "I've listened to a tape of the interview in the cafe of Dimitri's father, who had a copy. I can tell you, they've put a lot of words in his mouth. In his eyes it was a confidential conversation among friends, rather than a plan to attack somebody."

  Mark De Fauw gave an example of the questions asked of his nephew during the Het Laatste Nieuws interview. "In the interview they had asked if the riders in the Quick Step team had to dope. 'No', Dimitri replied, 'they just say that you should be in good condition.' Then he gave the example of the Dauphiné [Libéré]: 'you must ensure that you do perform well if you want to go to the Tour [de France]'.

  "Dimitri never said anything about doping."

  "Look, Dimitri is gone," said De Fauw's mother. "He deserves peace. They have abused him. All I want is for it to stop now, please."

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• Sanchez anticipating a 2010 Tour appearance

  

  Article published:

  December 2, 2009, 01:07

  By:

  Cycling News

  Euskaltel Euskadi placing its eggs in Olympic champion's basket

  Samuel Sanchez has joined the chorus of riders talking about next year's edition of the Tour de France, the Olympic road race champion saying the French grand tour will be his main goal for the 2010 season.

  With the likes of countryman and defending Tour champion Alberto Contador, Lance Armstrong, Andy Schleck and Ivan Basso all vying for the title, Sanchez will need to be in stellar form. It's why he's already looking at his priorities next July. "It seems that I will do the Tour as a priority," Sanchez told Europa Press. "Last year it seemed as though I would go, but in the end we changed the schedule, so nothing is certain. There is much [preparation required] for the Tour," he added.

  This season, Sanchez focused on the Vuelta a España, finishing second overall behind countryman Alejandro Valverde, who has also stated that next year's Tour de France will be his number one goal. While Sanchez admitted that he would have preferred more wins in 2009, Euskaltel Euskadi team manager Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano remained positive about the season's outcomes.

  "We started the year strong, winning in the Algarve with Koldo [Fernandez de Larrea]. The first victory at home came in [GP]Llodio with Samuel, who then got on the podium at the Vuelta al País Vasco, behind Contador, who is number one in the world.

  "At the Tour [de France] we set out to win a stage and earn the team some respect, and got both. In the Vuelta a lot of people doubted the ability of Samuel to win, but we were to win and was second," said Gonzalez de Galdeano.

  As for Sanchez's plans next year, "Samuel is excited to ride the Tour," admitted Gonzalez de Galdeano. It's been noted that the race may be decided through the Pyrenean stages - days that Sanchez says he will anticipate thanks to the proximity to home territory and the fans who will undoubtedly turn out in full force to cheer on their local heroes.

  "There are four stages of an extremely high level, with a gruelling mountain, and a spectacular finale in the Tourmalet, which will be a big party for the Basque cycling," said Sanchez. "The road will be full of orange and we will feel like we're riding back in the Basque Country," he said.