Latest Cycling News for May 9, 2005

Edited by Jeff Jones

Petacchi satisfied with third

Petacchi gives chase
Photo ©: Sirotti

Although Fassa Bortolo did its usual excellent job of controlling the bunch in order to lead out Alessandro Petacchi for a potential victory in Stage 1, the wheels fell off with 800m to go when Paolo Bettini attacked on the climb to win the stage. Petacchi finished up in third place behind Bettini and McEwen, with the latter looking like he has the condition to challenge Petacchi in the coming stages. But Petacchi wasn't too concerned, as he explained afterwards:

"It was a stage made to measure for Bettini and he did not fail. I tried, because in this race, there was not only the stage win, but also the maglia rosa. Unfortunately it went - deservedly - to him. I felt in good form and perhaps I was a bit indecisive when Bettini attacked. It's clear that I didn't have his legs, but if I reacted immediately, his advantage at the end of the climb wouldn't have been as great. Instead, I waited for Velo to come back to the front so he could lead me out. However, the advantage was too big then.

"In the final part of the stage, the possibility of victory vanished and I lost concentration for a moment and McEwen beat me for second place. However, I'm satisfied with my placing because the finish was really difficult and this means that the condition is excellent, likely better than last year. But the routes are varied like the characteristics of the riders."

Petacchi will try to extract revenge in today's second stage from Catanzaro to Santa Maria del Cedro (182 km), which is almost certain to finish in a bunch sprint. Follow the stage live on Cyclingnews from 14:30 CEST

Gerolsteiner tastes success

The first stage of the Giro d'Italia was a successful one for the Gerolsteiner team, which had Sven Krauss in the main break of the day together with Veneberg, Zanini, and Scarselli. Krauss was coming off a solid prologue ride, where he finished 10th at 2 seconds, and thus was the virtual Maglia Rosa until he got caught with 40 km to go after nearly 150 km out in front. But didn't come away empty handed, as he won the Intergiro sprint at km 92 and therefore the first maglia azzurra of the Giro.

It didn't all go Gerolsteiner's way though, as sprinter Robert Förster punctured with 12 km to go, and although he did rejoin the peloton, he was unable to move up to contest the tough finish. "His puncture happened at a very unfortunate time," said Gerolsteiner's DS Christian Henn. "But we mustn't make anything from this, this finale was actually not for a pure sprinter. Nevertheless, we showed our teeth, with Sven Krauss standing on the stage podium, and tomorrow he will have a leader's jersey at the start. That is already quite good."

An interview with Aitor Osa

Basque Pride

He is from the Basque Country, won the Vuelta al Pais Vasco in 2002, was second in the 2003 Flèche Wallonne and is one of Illes Balears' best riders. Cyclingnews' Hernan Alvarez Macias meets Aitor Osa.

Basque pride is at stake
Photo ©: AFP

Osa is a typical Basque man. When he is not on the road, he lives in a town called Deba, a village by the sea with a population of 5,000 people, in the same province as San Sebastian, known as Guipuzcoa. In the inner part of this northern Spain, a common element is mountains. Lots of them. This is where he began riding - and still does.

Cyclingnews: How is the season going for you?

Aitor Osa: So far things are going fine. The only bad thing is that I lack a win. I've been at the front of many races, but I haven't won anything at the moment. I've had good placings, but no victory as yet.

CN: How did you see yourself at Vuelta al Pais Vasco?

AO: I was there at the front, but it was a shame not to reach the podium in the end after so many days with the yellow jersey. Not to get in the top three and not to win the stage where I ended second [Stage 2 - ed.] That's the only thing that makes me disappointed.

CN: However, you were there with the best in the peloton...

AO: Yes, as I told you I was second on the second stage and I wore the yellow jersey until the last day. Then, at the end, I was three seconds away from the podium and that's a real shame.

CN: What did you lack to win this race, which you won in 2002?

AO: I think I lacked a little bit of toughness and strength. Both things. If I had been a bit stronger, I think I would have reached the podium. And also if I had been tougher, I could have ended on the podium.

Click here for the full interview

Rasmussen aiming for a stage win

Danish rider Michael Rasmussen (Rabobank) is leading the young Rabobank team in this year's Giro d'Italia, although he is keeping his GC ambitions fairly modest in light of the Tour de France in a couple of months. Nevertheless, the Rasmussen is targeting a stage win, even though he will not be in top condition.

"I was ok in the Vuelta a Pais Vascom and at Flèche Wallonne I was able to see the winner crossing the line," wrote Rasmussen in his diary at www.feltet.dk/michaelrasmussen. "So it isn't that bad at all. But I'm not strong enough just to ride out and decide a stage for myself. I can't just make it on my own like two years ago in Spain (stage 7 of the Vuelta a España). My form isn't that good. On the other hand, if you are no threat to the best, you can lean on the luck a bit more. I think I have stand a good chance of winning a stage in the Giro although I'm not 100%."

With his ambitions toned down a little Michael Rasmussen hasn't reconnoitred the hardest stages prior to the race. "If I would have gone for the overall classification, I would probably have been out riding them all. My attitude towards the race would have been different. For me, the Giro starts after two weeks. On my behalf it is all about avoiding getting into trouble during the first two weeks."

Unlike many people, Rasmussen isn't sure that the winner of this year's Giro d´Italia will be either Damiano Cunego or Ivan Basso, and warns against underestimating the competition from the others. "Cunego isn't the biggest favourite to me since the quality is much higher this year compared to last year," wrote Rasmussen. "Garzelli met up last year and came 8th, but later he said that if he had started in the same shape as at the Vuelta where he was 11th, he would have been second in the Giro. Now, it is a Pro Tour race and most of the riders start with ambitions to do something. You can see it on Liberty Seguros, who start with Scarponi."

As for Basso, Rasmussen writes, "You have to be at 100%, and perhaps he still has the Tour a bit in the back of his head. At the moment he doesn't look as sharp as last year. But then, last year he also turned on a plate. At that time I rode the back out of him at Dauphiné and three weeks later he practically didn't touch the asphalt in the Tour."

Former winners Gilberto Simoni, Stefano Garzelli and Paolo Savoldelli are Rasmussen's tips for the Giro win.

Orange Smiles all round

By Martin Hardie

David Herrero
Photo ©: Euskaltel-Euskadi

A question on many lips of late has been - what is Iban Mayo doing? With his non-start in Alcobendas, the mystery has been heightened, as it was here last year that he commenced an incredible month with successive victories in Alcobendas and Asturias. Those wins seemed a little tinged with anger as Mayo was under orders at times, such as in Asturias, not to go for the wins but to ride for others. Mayo backed up in June with his win in the Dauphiné, and in so doing achieved an incredible landmark in cycling, something which seems to have been lost if the dust of his Tour failures. That landmark of course was the setting of a new record for the climb of Mont Ventoux at 55'51.49. With all the Mayo mystery, the Euskadi team, stretched to the limit with commitment right now, came to Alcobendas to ride for David Herrero.

David Herrero is a dogged Bilbaino, a quiet but tough fighter. Last year he was an Euskaltel refugee, cast aside by Madariaga and co. in the wake of their 2003 Tour success, he found himself looking for a new home. He like a few other of his compatriots found one in the Paternina-Costa de Almeria squad. Costa de Almeria at times looked more like Costa Bizkaia with its ranks swelling with a string of Euskaltel refugees. And if you cast your mind back to last year's Vuelta, three 'little' teams made the race day after day - Kelme, Cafes Baque and Paternina. Herrero made the most of the opportunity of being cast aside by Euskaltel, often attacking in the closing part of a race and in the process he took some good wins: one of the notable was his stage win in Asturias where he jumped away from the gallopers on the run into the line.

On Sunday in Alcobendas, he did it again. And in some ways his win, although characteristic of his style, recalled the beginning of Mayo's wonderful month of May. Last year Mayo jumped away from a complete peloton, within the final kilometre to surge too the line alone. Yesterday, Herrero did the same, accompanied for a while by Luis Perez of Cofidis, who still attacks in vain in search of his first pro victory.

An emotional Herrero told Cyclingnews via our direct orange line that, "I attacked with Luis Perez. With 500 meters to go I saw that the gap wasn't great and that the peloton was going to come over us. Phonak were coming en masse. So I decided to sit behind Perez and then give it everything. I am very happy, it is the first win of the season and it is very important for all of us.

"I would like to make two very special dedications...On one side, I dedicate this win to all my teammates, because we have confidence in our possibilities and we are all sure that things are going to turn out well for us this year. On the other side I want to dedicate the win to the directors and staff of the team, especially Miguel Madariaga. He turned around and put his trust in me and he has helped me a lot. For me it is something that I can be very proud of, that is to return to this team, and for this I owe a debt to Miguel."

Team director, Julian Gorospe showed his satisfaction with Herrero's win: "We have made the turn around, we have got our first win of the year. Everyone thought it was going to be a sprint finish, but...we intended to launch Herrero, and I think that this ploy unbalanced the sprinter's teams. David was valiant, he attacked, and he kept up a tiny gap right until the finish. Last year we got our second win of the season here, this year our first. Our hope is to continue ascending".

Regarding the Mayo mystery our direct orange line tells us that a certain quiet country boy is planning to take part in the Volta Catalunya and the Euskal Bizikleta, and here he intends to show some progression. But he will likely not seek to defend his Dauphiné title. Mayo is at the moment "tranquilo", training well and just doing the miles, so to speak. Anyone who knows him also knows that he can't resist competition, he has the mind of a winner and seeks to win whenever he races. This year he has decided to take things easier during the first half of the season with one objective only: to arrive at the Tour in optimum condition. And it is here the Orange boys hope to really show the meaning of Gorospe's hope to continue ascending.

Tankink injured

Dutch rider Bram Tankink has injured his carpal bone after crashing into a child riding a scooter. Tankink may have to miss the Volta a Catalunya as a result.

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