Austrians fly to the Canaries

Austrian riders Bernhard Eisel and Bernhard Kohl have fled the unpleasant winter weather of their homeland and flown to Gran Canaria for training in warmer climes. "Kärnten isn't as cold as the rest of Austria, but we will have much better training conditions on Gran Canaria," said Eisel on his website, eisel.com. "Yesterday it was 28 degrees, today it is a little wet. Ideal for mountain training with 'Kohli'".

Kohl, of Team Gerolsteiner, and Eisel, Team High Road, plan to stay on the island until December 22 before returning home for Christmas.

Eisel isn't real sure where he will be going after that. "In January there will certainly be a team training camp. Where and when is still not clear."