Second Edition Cycling News, Tuesday, September 8, 2009

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Date published:

September 8, 2009, 22:00

• Valverde heads home in Vuelta's gold

  

  Article published:

  September 8, 2009, 11:52

  By:

  Gregor Brown

  Alejandro Valverde wears Vuelta's gold jersey to hometown Murcia

  Alejandro Valverde will wear the Vuelta a España's gold jersey today in stage 10, from Alicante to his hometown of Murcia, Spain. He's had the jersey nine times in his career, but it's the first time he will ride with it into Murcia.

  "I am very happy to arrive home, in Murcia, with this golden jersey on my shoulders," said Valverde.

  Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) took the race lead at the end of yesterday's stage to Xorret de Catí. He marked race leader Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto) over the final climb and sprinted ahead to third place, 3.2 kilometres later.

  Valverde took eight bonus seconds and moved into the lead by seven seconds over Australia's Evans. Dutchman Robert Gesink (Rabobank) is 36" back in third, Tom Danielson (Garmin) at 0:51 and Ivan Basso (Liquigas) at 0:53.

  The Vuelta offers bonus seconds of 20, 12 and 8 to the top three finishers at each stage finish.

  "I launched a very powerful sprint," said Valverde. "I told myself yesterday [Sunday] that it was useless to get the gold jersey too early, but considering my position, I had to sprint and take the time bonus."

  Valverde indicated in the first week of the Vuelta that he saw Italy's Basso as his biggest rival in the race for overall victory. After nine stages the Italian sits in fifth place, 53 seconds behind Valverde. In spite of his current advantage, the Caisse d'Epargne captain will look for the right moment to attack or hope that Basso has a bad day, he said.

  Today's stage 10 covers 171.2 kilometres, with the Cresta del Gallo coming 11.5 kilometres before the finish. Valverde should keep the overall lead at least until stage 12 to Alto de Velefique, a mountaintop finish of 13.3 kilometres

  Valverde won stage two to Jaen and wore the Vuelta's leader's jersey for one day last year. He wore it for eight days and finished second overall in 2006.

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• Ballerini travels to Vuelta, clearer idea of Italian Worlds team

  

  Article published:

  September 8, 2009, 13:21

  By:

  Gregor Brown

  Italian director Franco Ballerini visits the Vuelta to finalise Monday's announcement of Worlds team

  Italian National Team Director Franco Ballerini is in Spain to observe the Italian riders at the Vuelta a España. Ballerini has six days to decide on the final line-up, before the announcement of Italy's World Championship team on Monday.

  "Up until a week ago, I could not picture the national team. I am now starting to see it [come together] and I am getting a good feeling," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

  The 76th World Championships take place September 27 in Mendrisio, Switzerland. Italy starts as defending champion, having won the last three editions through Alessandro Ballan (2008) and Paolo Bettini (2007 and 2006).

  Sunday's Giro della Romagna one-day race in Lugo, Italy, helped Ballerini to assess who might be the team's helpers. After the race, Ballerini heard the news of Damiano Cunego's stage win and Ivan Basso's strong ride in the Vuelta a España's eighth stage to Alto de Aitana. Watching yesterday's stage to Xorret del Catí on television he witnessed yet another strong performance by the duo.

  "Valverde and Basso were the strongest. Cunego? He's going well," said Ballerini.

  Cunego finished second behind Ballan at last year's Worlds in Varese, Italy. He will be the Italian favourite this year as the Mendrisio course features more climbing than last year's race. The Swiss parcours will take in 4655 metres of ascent, compared to the 3255 metres a year earlier in Italy.

  Cunego (Lampre-NGC), Ballan (Lampre-NGC), Basso (Liquigas) and Filippo Pozzato (Katusha) should lead the team. Acqua & Sapone riders, Stefano Garzelli and Luca Paolini, will likely be second tier leaders and helpers.

  Marzio Bruseghin (Lampre-NGC) and Michele Scarponi (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni-Androni Giocattoli), according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, should be named as the team's domestiques. Giovanni Visconti (ISD-Neri), winner of the GP Agostoni and GP Melinda, could be a rider for early escapes, and, according to La Gazzetta, should fill the team's ninth spot.

  This year's circuit in Mendrisio is shorter than last year's 17.35-kilometre circuit. It has two climbs, Acqua Fresca and Novazzano, in 13.8 kilometres, repeated 19 times at 262.2 kilometres.

  Mendrisio last hosted the Worlds in 1971, when Belgium's Eddy Merckx beat Italy's Felice Gimondi.

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• Downing close to securing ProTour contract

  

  Article published:

  September 8, 2009, 13:46

  By:

  Richard Tyler

  Decision on Briton's future could be made before Tour of Britain start

  Britain's Russell Downing is close to securing a contract with a ProTour team for 2010. Downing's manager, Phil Griffiths, told Cyclingnews on Tuesday that the 31-year-old was weighing up several offers before making a decision on where he will ride in 2010.

  While he would not be drawn on the names of teams involved, Griffiths confirmed that the Tour of Ireland winner had received offers from ProTour squads. "We've got a few offers on the table and basically, we've just got to make a decision," he said.

  Last month, Griffiths had been hopeful that Downing's performance in Ireland, where he won a stage and the general classification, would attract the attention of the ProTour teams present at the race. At the same time he indicated that Downing himself had hoped for a place on the roster of the British Team Sky, but that the priority was to find a spot on a major team.

  With the forthcoming offers now under consideration, a decision on Downing's future could be made as soon as this Saturday. "We'd like to decide before the Tour of Britain," said Griffiths. "That's what we originally said, because we didn't want to miss out, [as teams confirm their 2010 rosters,] and it's getting late."

  Downing will line-up at the Tour of Britain for what could be one of his final races with the British Continental squad, CandiTV-Marshalls Pasta. He will start the race in Scunthorpe on Saturday, alongside teammates Dale Appelby, Graham Briggs, Malcolm Elliot, James Sampson and Peter Williams.

  Downing has raced the Tour of Britain twice (2006, 2008), although he has yet to win a stage of his home tour.

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• Haussler in Missouri to set-up sprints for Hushovd

  

  Article published:

  September 8, 2009, 15:40

  By:

  Gregor Brown

  Cervélo rider keen for strong season finish at the Tour of Missouri

  Heinrich Haussler is racing to support Cervélo TestTeam's chances of a stage victory this week at the Tour of Missouri. The team is being led in the United States by Norwegian Thor Hushovd, winner of a stage and the points classification at the Tour de France in July.

  "Our goal is to get as many stage wins as possible," Haussler told Cyclingnews. "I would like to finish of the season with a really good race here at the Tour of Missouri. One or two stages wins for Thor would be nice."

  Norway's Hushovd finished second on Missouri's first stage to Tour rival Mark Cavendish (Columbia-HTC), in St. Louis yesterday. Haussler led the team's sprint train through the last corner and gave control to teammate Brett Lancaster.

  Haussler crashed in the final metres of the stage, but was not injured and is and ready to continue. Today's 180.9-kilometre stage to Cape Girardeau should end in a group sprint. Major time differences in the overall classification are expected to come on Friday, during the 30-kilometre time trial in Sedalia.

  "Brett Lancaster could have a chance in the overall if he rides a good time trial. He rode well last week in the Poitou Charentes," continued Haussler.

  Lancaster finished second in the Tour du Poitou Charentes' stage three time trial and third overall in the race. Haussler himself won the race's fifth and final stage.

  The Poitou Charentes win was Haussler's sixth of the season. He won two stages at the Volta ao Algarve and one stage at the Paris-Nice stage race in the spring. Those results were followed by two second-place finishes at two of cycling's monuments: Milan-San Remo and Ronde van Vlaanderen.

  Haussler believes the second part of his season went just as well. He won the Tour de France's thirteenth stage to Colmar after a long escape that saw him ride solo for the final 50 kilometres.

  "I did not expect to win a stage at the Tour de France because we went into the Tour with Carlos [Sastre] and Thor as the two captains," he said. "My stage win was a big bonus, it was my biggest career win so far and meant a lot to me."

  Haussler will travel back to Australia for 10 days to spend time with is family at the end of the season, before he returns to Europe to re-commence training for 2010. Arriving to top form early this spring, Haussler said he will prepare for the Classics with a similar program of winter training to that of last year.

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• Win signed jerseys, help abused dogs in MoDogs raffle

  

  Article published:

  September 8, 2009, 16:09

  By:

  Cycling News

  Leipheimer's Giro jersey up for grabs for charity

  Cycling fans will have a chance to win the jersey that Astana rider Levi Leipheimer was wearing when he crashed out of the 2009 Giro d'Italia and help rescued dogs in the process.

  Cycling photographer Jonathan Devich is spearheading a charity raffle to help benefit the Missouri Humane Society, which is currently dealing with the influx of hundreds of dogs which were rescued when federal authorities busted the largest dog-fighting ring in US history.

  Leipheimer, whose is heavily involved in animal rescue efforts with his wife Odessa, donated the signed Astana jersey he was wearing when he crashed during Stage 11 of the 2009 Giro d’Italia.

  Also up for grabs is a signed OUCH Pro Cycling jersey from Floyd Landis, Tim Johnson's signed 2009-2010 Cyclocrossworld kit and an autographed Italian National Cyclocross Team jersey from Davide Frattini (Colavita/Sutter Home).

  Missouri resident Brad Huff (Jelly Belly) is also contributing a signed team jersey. The Tour of Missouri race organization is also contributing a signed yellow Tour leader’s jersey. Teams committed to signed jerseys for the MODogs raffle include Columbia-HTC and Garmin-Slipstream.

  The Humane Society of Missouri took in over 400 dogs rescued from the fighting ring, but with so many dogs coming into their care at once, the MHS sent out a plea for donations. Devich, the owner of three rescue dogs, set up a fundraising initiative called MODogs which includes the raffle, and is also donating proceeds from any prints he sells from shooting the Tour of Missouri.

  “I have three rescue dogs, two of which are pit bulls,” Devich said. “I thought the breakup of this ring happening around the same time Michael Vick got signed to a new professional contract was auspicious. Knowing that I would be in Missouri for the Tour, I wanted to do what I could to help. This seemed like a great opportunity to mobilize the cycling community to help the Humane Society of Missouri care for these rescued dogs.”

  Devich will be holding the MODogs raffle through his own website, www.epicimages.us, to raise funds for the Humane Society of Missouri’s Animal Cruelty Fund.

  “I’m really happy to have this much support already from the professional cycling ranks,” Devich said. “I want to make this a positive message about what the Humane Society is doing in Missouri, and that those of us associated with the race will be there to support their efforts.

  "I’ve also tried to make this easy to be a part of. Anyone can come to my site and use a credit card to buy $5 raffle tickets, as well as order a ToM print if they want. I'll also have information there about the Humane Society and what they’re doing for the rescued dogs. Hopefully, we can get more support for their efforts from the cycling community, and get information out to fans along the way during the Tour of Missouri, as well.”

  To buy MODogs raffle tickets and purchase Devich’s Tour of Missouri prints, visit www.epicimages.us. For raffle tickets, simply click on the image of the raffle ticket and add as many as you want to your cart. You can purchase raffle tickets throughout the Tour of Missouri. Prizes will be awarded during the week following the Tour of Missouri.

• Mechanical stops Gerdemann in final descent

  

  Article published:

  September 8, 2009, 19:14

  By:

  Susan Westemeyer

  German misses out on good chance at a stage win

  Linus Gerdemann looked to have Milram's second stage win at this year's Vuelta a Espana wrapped up – he was alone in the lead on the descent of the only ranked climb of the day, with only about 10 kilometres to go. But it wasn't to be, as a flat front tyre put an end to his dreams.

  He had already managed to drop the only one who could keep up with him, Contentpolis' Aitor Perez, who also had a mechanical. Gerdemann, an expert descender, was zipping down the Alto de la Cresta del Gallo, when his front tyre flatted. None of the neutral service vehicles was able to get to him quickly on the narrow, twisting mountain road. One finally reached him and gave him the new tyre, but something must have been wrong, as the new tyre caused him to crash on the next curve.

  By the time the 26-year-old finally got going again on the proper equipment, it was too late to do anything. He ended up finishing 8:33 down.

  "If you lose because of such an unlucky material failure, that is of course very tragic," Milram General Manager Gerry van Gerwen told Cyclingnews. "But unfortunately things like that will always happen in sports."

  Van Gerwen pointed out that up until that point everything had gone the way the team had planned. "You could see our plan today very clearly. We wanted to put our mark on the stage, be in the escape group, and if that hadn't worked, we would still have had Gerald Ciolek for a sprint," he said. "Everything worked out perfectly and Linus Gerdemann put in a classy performance."

  Directeur Sportif Ralf Grabsch mourned the loss of "what we believed to be our second stage win." Himself a former rider, he knew that "the important thing now is to build up the team again and continue to motivate the riders".

  Grabsch added that now the team "will do everything we can in the coming stages to get back our lost win".

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• Vande Velde abandons Missouri

  

  Article published:

  September 8, 2009, 20:46

  By:

  Kirsten Frattini

  Race ending crashes plague American

  Defending champion Christian Vande Velde pulled of the Tour of Missouri after a breaking his hand during a crash that took place during the opening stage field sprint in St. Louis yesterday.

  "However painful it was to crash yesterday, riding back to the bus by myself was even more painful," said Vande Velde. "The Tour of Missouri means a lot to me, my team and my sponsors. I would have loved to have been able to finish it."

  Vande Velde crashed into the back of a previous accident with 500-metres to go and hit a fire hydrant at the side of the road. Following the crash he was taken to the hospital in St. Louis where doctors confirmed he had a hairline fracture to his second metacarpal on his right hand.

  He attempted to start stage two's 180-kilometre road race in St. Genevieve. However, the pain of braking and shifting along with the road vibrations was too much to bare and he was force to withdraw from the race during the neutral start.

  This crash was his third race-ending accident this season. His first and most severe accident happened when he crashed during stage three of the Giro d'Italia in May where doctors confirmed he had fractured five vertebrae, his pelvis and one rib. He recovered well enough to place eighth overall in the Tour de France only to go down again at the Vattenfall Cyclassics in Hamburg, Germany on August 15, injuring his hip.

  After some much needed healing time at his home in Illinois, Vande Velde felt recovered enough to defend his title at the Tour of Missouri this week. "Christian's had a hard year, but as he's shown over and over he's an incredibly tough athlete," said team owner Jonathan Vaughters after the accident yesterday. "He's determined to start tomorrow and that says a lot about his character."

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• Valverde keeps gold jersey at Vuelta

  

  Article published:

  September 8, 2009, 21:15

  By:

  Sue George

  Spaniard enjoys podium time with his sons

  Vuelta a España overall leader Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne) crossed the line three minutes and 42 seconds behind stage winner Simon Gerrans (Saxo Bank) of Australia at the end of stage 10 on Tuesday, but he held onto his gold jersey for another day. Valverde sits seven seconds in front of another Australian Cadel Evans in the GC.

  "To enter the city of Murcia with the golden jersey was really something special to me, a great moment of emotion," said Valverde. "And to have the possibility to take my sons Iván and Alejandro in my arms on the podium was lovely."

  While Milram's Linus Gerdemann was knocked out of an almost sure stage win thanks to a flat tire and subsequent crash, Valverde had an uneventful day of racing

  "The stage was relatively quiet because my teammate Fran Pérez was making part of the breakaway and there was nobody dangerous for the general classification, so we had nothing else to do but control the (overall) situation."

  "I forced the pace while climbing the Cresta because I know the descent very well. It is very fast but also very dangerous. It was safer to be ahead of the bunch to go down the hill. I also thought it was a good opportunity for Samuel Sanchez to gain some seconds there, and it was better to be careful."

  "There is only one stage left before the rest day and we will see what happens. There are still many stages left to race."

  Racers will compete in stage 11 over 191km from Murcia to Caravaca de la Cruz on Wednesday before a rest day on Thursday.

  Stay tuned to Cyclingnews for live coverage from the Vuelta.

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