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Tour de Suisse Cycling News for June 12, 2006

Edited by Jeff Jones

Contrini takes stage two, Bennati in yellow

By Shane Stokes in Einsiedeln

Daniele Contrini (LPR)
Photo ©: AFP

Italian rider Daniele Contrini took the best result of his career today when he won the second stage of the Tour de Suisse in Einsiedeln. The Team L.P.R rider broke away after approximately 40 kilometres and with race leader Tom Boonen's Quick.Step squad unwilling to chase, his advantage stretched right out to almost 15 minutes with 35 kilometres remaining. While the Gerolsteiner, T-Mobile, Milram and Lampre teams did some work, he had more than enough time to race home for victory.

Daniele Bennati (Lampre-Fondital) repeated his second place of yesterday, outsprinting Erik Zabel (Team Milram) 5 minutes and 2 seconds later. With race leader Boonen finishing back in 61st place, a further six seconds down, and Contrini having crossed the line 5 minutes and 33 seconds in arrears yesterday, the Italian sprinter now takes over at the top of the general classification. Boonen is eight seconds back in second place, while one of yesterday's breakaway riders Michael Albasini (Liquigas) is third.

"My team didn't go out thinking about going for the yellow jersey but were rather targeting a stage win," said Bennati. "To take the lead is very satisfying, particularly as the Tour de Suisse is such a big race."

"Tomorrow Daniele will try to honour the jersey with a victory", commented his sport director Maurizio Piovani.

No attacking in the peed zone

By Shane Stokes in Einsiedeln

At the press conference after Sunday's second stage of the Tour de Suisse, LPR team manager Orlando Maini said that the day's winner Daniele Contrini is "a very, very correct rider. As an example, just before he attacked today, he got on the radio to make sure no riders had stopped to go to the toilet. That's very fair."

Indeed Contrini showed further grace when referring to his former team Gerolsteiner. Although they didn't renew his contract, he stressed that he was very happy with his time in the team. He also thanked LPR for taking him on.

"I had two great years with Gerolsteiner," he stated. "I found things to be very good there and thank the team for that time. I had problems with my knees and had two operations because of that, but also did some good work for them. When I didn't have a contract I got talking to LPR and they showed enough confidence in me to offer me a place when one became available. I'm therefore very happy to pay them back in this way."

Nice guy Contrini also said that he was pleased that LPR could repay the wild card given to the team by the organisers by winning a stage.

An interview with Tom Boonen

Winning is easy when you are having fun

It's been quite a year for Tom Boonen. World champion's jersey, lucrative contracts, countless victories and the adoration of a devoted Belgian public. That blend is a potent mix and makes it all the more likely he'll keep racking up the wins. Shane Stokes reports from Baden, Switzerland, after Boonen won the first stage of the Tour de Suisse.

Boonen gives his press conference
Photo ©: Shane Stokes

Sports psychologists call it the 'inverted U hypothesis of arousal,' and while this sounds like a bizarre extract from a Kama Sutra manual, it actually refers to the optimum level of stress for sports performance. The theory is that too little motivation hampers the chances of doing well, but so too does too much pressure. Striking the right balance between the two is crucial.

Tom Boonen has another word for it. It's called having fun. When he spoke to the press after his victory on the opening stage of Saturday's Tour de Suisse, it is clear that he is very much in that mindset. "It is easy to win a race when you are having fun," he stated, with a smile. "If you are too focused, too stressed, thinking too much about preparing for the Tour and obsessing about winning the green jersey – if you think like that, it is hard to go well. But if you regard it all as a game, it makes it a bit easier."

The Belgian is certainly in the right situation to feel that way. Since the start of the year he has topped the podium 17 times, exceeding the 14 wins he took in the whole of 2005. Previous world champions may have been hampered by poor post-World's seasons; however Boonen has been one of the most impressive wearers of the maillot arc-en-ciel in a long, long time.

Click here for the full interview

Good news for McGee

By Shane Stokes

After frustrating times in the past few seasons when back problems made things tough for him in stage races such as the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France, Française des Jeux rider Brad McGee seems confident that a solution is in sight. The Australian placed second in the Giro d'Italia prologue but then had to withdraw from the race on stage 10 due to a sciatic nerve problem. He says some important work has been done since then.

"I took ten days off as I had to get some problems fixed up after stopping the Giro. It was my back, the sciatic nerve was flaring up. They fixed it up and now I am pedaling correctly, once again using my two legs. So that is good!

"We think the problem was caused by a combination of things including the position I was riding in - especially on my time trial bike. We've changed that. They injected directly into my spine to stop the inflammation, to settle it down. That basically reset the whole thing. And then treating it was down to building a bit of core strength and monitoring my position on the bike to make sure I am not over-extending the problem parts. It is going well, I just have to keep an eye on it."

McGee says that the issue has been there for quite a while. "It is something that built up from many problems, including crashes, over the past few years. I had it in the Tour before. All these things have been building up and it finally just went too far. I had to stop, but we seem to have got it fixed up. It is going to be an ongoing process, though."

The good news is that he can expect an improvement in form, and that may prove crucial when it comes to July. "I must have been suffering with this a long time because the difference I am feeling now is incredible. I am just missing some form. But I have managed to build up a bit. I did a training camp last week, training at 50%, and this week I am back to 100% effort. So it is just a matter of time."

McGee had a strong Tour de Suisse last time round, placing second in the stage two time trial behind Jan Ullrich, winning a sprint against quite a few riders to take stage three and then finishing eighth overall, 4 minutes and 13 seconds behind winner Aitor Gonzalez. This year he is still building form, but he would like to do something nonetheless.

"There are some nice stages here," he stated. "The GC would be unrealistic but there are some nice stages to go for. The young Swede Thomas Lövkvist is up here with the team so I will give him a hand, too. That should give me some very strong legs for the Tour. I will see what I can do in the time trial here, and keep building towards the prologue in the Tour."

Schleck hoping for strong ride

By Shane Stokes

Frank Schleck
Photo ©: Shane Stokes

CSC rider Frank Schleck comes to the Tour de Suisse after a strong fourth place in 2005. He was just five seconds off the podium place time of Jan Ullrich then, and if he finds the right form the Amstel Gold winner could be a dark horse for the overall.

Speaking to Cyclingnews before the start of stage one, he said that he was a little in the dark as to how the race would go. "I don't know what my form is like, I have no idea," he stated. "I was going okay in Luxembourg, I was good there, but the following week I didn't feel so good. I will see how I get in the first couple of days and then I will tell you more.

"I'd like to do well here all right. This is a great race. There are good roads, good hotels and it is very well organised. I really like to come here. Every year it is very, very hard, but that is part of the game. If I can get a good result then that is good, but if not then it is no problem. I am here without any pressure to prepare for the Tour de France. That is the most important thing."

Schleck says that the selected riders will go to France in July certain the team can do very well. "The mood is very good at the moment. We know we can win the Tour, so the morale is great!"

Rasmussen building form

By Shane Stokes

Michael Rasmussen (Rabobank)
Photo ©: Shane Stokes

Danish rider Michael Rasmussen impressed greatly during last year's Tour de France, winning a stage and dominating the king of the Mountains competition. He's had a quiet spring but says that things are all going to plan so far.

"I am keeping well, I am feeling alright," he said prior to the start of stage one of the Tour de Suisse. "My preparation has been going well. I have been doing steady rides since I came out of the Giro [he withdrew before the start of stage 12 due to a back problem – ed]. This is the last big test here and it will give me a good indication as to whether I am on the right road or not."

The Rabobank rider says at the same point in 2005, his form was perhaps a little hotter. However he says he is not worried, having time to sharpen up before the Tour hits the big mountains.

"I am probably a little bit behind compared to the same time last year," he states. "But I hope this race will give me the final edge. You still have to keep in mind that the Pyrenees are one month from now, so I have 20 hard race days before then. There is still time for a lot of improvement."

As regards the Tour de Suisse and his targets here, Rasmussen says that the road will decide that for him. " We will see how things go," he stated. "It all depends on how it goes on the stage to Leukerbad on Wednesday, whether or not I go for stages or the general classification. But I will take it day by day and not be too stressed about the results."

Evans: Last big test before the tour

By Shane Stokes

The last time Cadel Evans raced in Switzerland he scorched to a welcome but somewhat unexpected victory, coming from 28 seconds back to dominate the final time trial and the snatch the overall win in the Tour de Romandie.

When Cyclingnews spoke to him prior to the race start in Baden, he wasn't saying a whole lot about his goals here. Even if we've a hunch he'll try something when the race moves into the mountains, he steered clear of any talk of going for the overall.

"I am feeling pretty good – we will see," he stated. "I will play things by ear and see how things go. I have no big expectations or anything. I rode well in the Tour de Romandie but it is a while ago now. I backed off and I am starting to build back up again now. I did the Tour of Catalunya and now this is the last big test before the Tour."

Vuelta for Beltrán

By Shane Stokes

Discovery Channel's Spanish rider Manuel Beltrán was, like so many of his compatriots generally are, relaxed and open at yesterday's start of the Tour de Suisse. The friendly rider says that he is once again aiming to do two Grand Tours in 2006 but that the Vuelta rather than the Tour de France is on his schedule.

"This year my programme is the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España," he said. With two Tours it is okay, I am happy. I have done two big Tours each season for a long, long time – in my twelve years as a professional, I have done 20 of them."

As regards his goals for the Tour de Suisse, Beltrán said he'd work that out depending on his form. "I did the Giro and now I am not sure what my condition is like. I hope that I will have good legs in the climbs, starting with the fifth stage. But I don't know…I will try to do the best possible race that I can do."

"I will be one of the GC riders for the team but Janez (Brajkovic) is a good guy. He is young, but he can go fast in the climb and the time trials too, so I think he will do a good race."

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