Second Edition Cycling News, Saturday, December 5, 2009

• Previous Edition
• Next Edition

Date published:

December 5, 2009, 16:00

• Bettini confirms tax investigation

  

  Article published:

  December 5, 2009, 09:24

  By:

  Cycling News

  Former cycling champ "very serene"

  In a statement, Paolo Bettini has confirmed yesterday's news that he is under investigation for alleged tax evasion by Italian fiscal authorities. "I can confirm that I have been, for about one year, the object of a fiscal investigation," he stated, nevertheless denying the amount he reportedly evaded from Italian income tax.

  "The figure, however, [11 million Euro - ed.] I learned of in the media."

  The double World champion and Olympic gold medallist remained positive about the case. "In my life, I have always confronted everything remaining very serene and keeping my head high. I am fully available to meeting the magistrates to explain my point of view and clarify the whole case," he added.

  Bettini is suspected to have falsely claimed his primary residence to be in Monaco. During the last year of investigation, Italian financial police have gathered "undeniable" evidence that the centre of the former cyclists' life is in fact Italy, where he owns several properties and company shares.

  Bettini is not the only high-profile sportsman to have tried to evade Italian income tax. Davide Rebellin, Formula One driver Vitantonio Liuzzi and former Rallye driver Tiziano Siviero are also currently under investigation.

• Boonen leads cyclo-cross charity race

  

  Article published:

  December 5, 2009, 09:59

  By:

  Hedwig Kröner

  43 road cyclists to compete in Belgian fundraiser

  Tom Boonen and 42 other pro cyclists will be competing in a charity cyclo-cross race this Saturday in Mol, home of the three-time Paris-Roubaix winner and organiser of the event. Together with his sports director at Quick Step, Wilfried "Fiete" Peeters, Boonen created the cyclo-cross to continue his long-time support of a Belgian charity association that helps children suffering from motricity diseases.

  "It's hard to see the enormous difficulties that these children have to endure in day-to-day life," Boonen told the media on Wednesday at the event presentation. "After surgery, rehabilitation takes very long, and the necessary machines are very expensive for the families concerned."

  The double World Champion hopes to make the event a yearly fundraiser, and was optimistic looking at the high profiles of the cyclists that responded his call: Alessandro Ballan, Carlos Barredo, Stijn Devolder, Filippo Pozzato, Rinaldo Nocentini to name but a handful of the participating field of road cyclists that have little - or no - experience riding cyclo-cross races.

  Boonen himself admitted that he did not think the race was going to be a piece of cake. "Personally, it will be tough, as I have only three weeks of training in my legs until now," he said. "We know the capabilities of all these riders on the road, but for a cross, it's different!"

  Follow Cyclingnews on Twitter for the very latest coverage of events taking place in the cycling world - twitter.com/cyclingnewsfeed.

• Two-year suspension requested for Biondo

  

  Article published:

  December 5, 2009, 11:03

  By:

  Susan Westemeyer

  Italian rider positive for EPO

  The Italian Olympic Committee has requested a two-year suspension for Maurizio Biondo. The Ceramica Flaminia rider tested positive on August 12 for EPO.

  The 28-year-old rider won the time trial at the Tour of Denmark and placed second overall. The doping control took place out-of-competition in Concorezzo, close to Milan, Italy.

  In September, the WADA laboratory in Lausanne declared an Adverse Analytical Finding for the synthetic EPO NESP (Novel erythropoiesis stimulating protein) in Biondo's blood sample.

  A hearing before the National Anti-doping tribunal is scheduled for January 25. In addition to the suspension, a monetary fine will be sought.

  The International Cycling Union (UCI) has announced the rider suspended on Friday.

  Follow Cyclingnews on Twitter for the very latest coverage of events taking place in the cycling world - twitter.com/cyclingnewsfeed.

• Dismay at collapse of Skyter sponsorship

  

  Article published:

  December 5, 2009, 11:23

  By:

  Susan Westemeyer

  Company now blames team for insufficient information

  Riders and management expressed their dismay at the news that Skyter GmbH will not sponsor Equipe Nürnberger Versicherung in the coming year, as previously announced. The team announced last night that Skyter would not fulfill its financial obligations. The company has responded that the team had not provided it with sufficient information as to the amount of money required.

  “This is a catastrophe. We were in the middle of our planning and had our first races planned,” said sports director Jochen Dornbusch to rad-net.de. “We need a miracle to happen, or else the only German women's team is history – and I don't believe in miracles.”

  “How can we pull a sponsor out of the hat now? I really don't know now how things can work out. Some of the girls will find a new team, but at this point certainly not all of them.”

  “What should I say, that we're thrilled?” asked German time trial champion and team co-captain Trixi Worrack. Udo Springer, Vice President of the German Cycling Federation, was also shocked. “It is dramatic for cycling in Germany if the only professional women's team won't exist. Now it will be very difficult for the management to compensate for the loss of the main sponsor.”

  The team announced Friday evening that Skyter was withdrawing from its agreement to sponsor the team, due to failing co-sponsors. But also, “Skyter continues to produce new excuses as to why it must not pay the agreed-upon money,” the team said, and indicated it would take the company to court.

  Skyter, a yacht-chartering agency whose German branch is headquartered near Nürnberg, put the blame back on the team. “The still incomplete information we have received, leaves, in Skyter's view, significant gaps in funding for the upcoming 2010 season, which would endanger a normal race operation,” it said.

  “Because of the passage of time and the poor flow of information, a satisfactory explanation of the open financial questions and a further patient waiting by Skyter are no longer possible,” the company said.

  The team was to have been known as the Skyter World Team, with the nickname “Speed Queens.” Newly signed for the 2010 season were British Olympic Champion Nicole Cooke, Tiffany Cromwell of Australia, Jennifer Hohl of Switzerland and Germans Angela Hennig and Tina Liebig Big names already on the team include former World time trial Champion Amber Neben of the US, and Germans Worrack and Charlotte Becker.

  Follow Cyclingnews on Twitter for the very latest coverage of events taking place in the cycling world - twitter.com/cyclingnewsfeed.

• Milram's Voss and Schröder tackle cross race

  

  Article published:

  December 5, 2009, 12:44

  By:

  Richard Tyler

  German duo prepare for 2010 season with Frankfurt Rad Cross on Sunday

  Milram riders Paul Voss and Björn Schröder will add some variety to their pre-season training when they compete at the Frankfurt Rad Cross in Germany on Sunday.

  Voss returns to the event after he finished second to BKCP-Powerplus rider Philipp Walsleben, who later claimed the title of under-23 World cyclo-cross Champion. Walsleben will also be in action in Frankfurt and Voss today played down expectation of squaring the ledger this year.

  "I am looking forward to my first 'cross race this season, but my training hasn't gone so well the last few days," he said, "so I don't know how I will do. But I'll still try to bring in a good placing."

  Schröder, a former cyclo-cross specialist, will start the race after a week of intensive training in Majorca, Spain. Schröder hopes a return to the dirt will pay dividends in his early-season objectives for next year.

  "I don't know whether I can stay up with the specialists after such a long absence from the 'cross scene," he said. "I had the chance to train very hard last week, so I'll have a 40-hour week in the legs. The form is good and I am going to Frankfurt motivated.

  "I wouldn't have anything against a good placing this weekend, but I'm using these winter races as intensive preparation for the first road races of the coming year."

  Follow Cyclingnews on Twitter for the very latest coverage of events taking place in the cycling world - twitter.com/cyclingnewsfeed.

• Fränk Schleck pain-free after surgery

  

  Article published:

  December 5, 2009, 13:12

  By:

  Hedwig Kröner

  Off-season over as Schleck returns to training

  The knee problems of Team Saxo Bank's Fränk Schleck seem to be finally over. After a crash in the Amstel Gold Race, the Luxemburger was experiencing pain in his knee during almost the whole 2009 season, and underwent surgery in September.

  In an interview on the team sponsor's website, however, he said that since he resumed training, he didn't feel any pain in his knee anymore.

  "I'm really happy with it," Schleck explained. "I had surgery, then I spent five weeks off the bike. I started training slowly again, just cruising around, and today, I have no pain on the bike. So it should be alright."

  Although the knee injury did not prevent him from winning stage 17 of the Tour de France and finishing fifth on general classification, Schleck did have to drop out of the Vuelta later in the season to get the problem fixed.

  "I had problems since April," he continued. "It kept coming and going, we pushed it through the Tour and afterwards I went to see yet another specialist who said that it was a soft tissue problem. I asked him if I could damage it more by continuing to ride, and he said 'no', that I only had to stand the pain.

  "So I wanted to ride the Vuelta and the Worlds before having my surgery. But in the Vuelta I was in a lot of pain again, and decided to stop it right there. I think that was the right decision."

  Now, both of the Schleck brothers are well underway in their preparation for the 2010 season, with their big goals again being the Ardennes Classics and of course the Tour de France. "It's going to be pretty easy," added Fränk when being asked what the brothers' objectives were in the spring of next year. "I won Amstel, so now Andy can win it. He won Liège, so now I will aim for that! And we're good at this sort of thing... At least, that's the plan!"

  Follow Cyclingnews on Twitter for the very latest coverage of events taking place in the cycling world - twitter.com/cyclingnewsfeed.

• Hermans to miss RadioShack training camp

  

  Article published:

  December 5, 2009, 14:58

  By:

  Cycling News

  Young Belgian breaks toes in accident at home

  Ben Hermans will not be attending the Team RadioShack training camp in the US this coming week. The young Belgian injured himself yesterday in a domestic accident.

  “I had just finished breakfast when I tripped and hit my foot against a cupboard,” the 23-year-old told Het Belang van Limburg. “I have two broken toes.”

  At first it was thought he would need an operation, but that is probably not necessary. “I would have more problems from the pins than from the fracture itself.”

  Hermans was scheduled to fly to the US on Sunday for RadioShack's first training camp, but now will not go. “The trip doesn't make much sense, since I can't ride right now.” He expects to be back on the bike in two to three weeks, “maybe even sooner”.

  Follow Cyclingnews on Twitter for the very latest coverage of events taking place in the cycling world - twitter.com/cyclingnewsfeed.

• Bruyneel criticises Contador

  

  Article published:

  December 5, 2009, 15:01

  By:

  Hedwig Kröner

  Belgian fuels animosity between RadioShack and Tour winner

  In a recent interview with Belgian Knack magazine, Johan Bruyneel has hit out at 2009 Tour de France winner Alberto Contador. Even though Bruyneel was the Spaniard's team manager at Astana this year, it seems the rift between them continues to grow since the Tour de France and Bruyneel's confirmed departure to Lance Armstrong's team RadioShack next season.

  Asked what he made of Contador's comments after the Tour de France that he did not have admiration for Lance Armstrong on a personal level, the Belgian said, "Alberto has to learn that fame is temporary. His feet have to come back to the ground."

  Bruyneel, the mastermind behind Armstrong's seven Tour de France victories, was caught in the middle of a power struggle between Contador and the American during this year's Tour, where both aspired to victory. However, on several occasions, it became clear that the Belgian's allegiance to the cancer survivor was stronger than his support of the Spaniard whom he directed to victory in 2007.

  "Contador hit the summit like a rocket," Bruyneel explained. "In 2007 he won the Tour when nobody expected it. Suddenly, he became a superstar, a product, a God in the eyes of all Spaniards. And he has money, as much as he wants, since then. It is not easy to deal with all of this when you're just a 26-year-old rider from the suburbs of Madrid."

  The Belgian added that he tried to counter this change of character. "I wasn't able to slow it down, or not enough, anyway, in my point of view. That is another reason why I found it easier to part ways," he stated.

  Bruyneel will direct RadioShack's charge for Armstrong's eighth Tour de France victory next year, and admitted that Contador was "the strongest rider in the peloton at the moment". It also has to be conceded that he Spaniard may not only have powerful legs but also a great strength of mind to have won the power struggle that opposed him to Armstrong last July - a rivalry that must have been intimidating, to say the least, for the 26-year-old rider from Pinto on the outskirts of Madrid.

  Follow Cyclingnews on Twitter for the very latest coverage of events taking place in the cycling world - twitter.com/cyclingnewsfeed.