While many of the top time trial specialists have eschewed the idea of making an attempt on the UCI Hour Record, six-time French national time trial champion Sylvain Chavanel has put his hat in the ring. According to L’Équipe, Chavanel, who will ride for Jean-Rene Bernaudaeu’s Direct Energie team next season, was set to take on that challenge between October 10-15, but problems with scheduling have prevented it. Bradley Wiggins currently holds the current record of 54.526.
The Frenchman has not been deterred and is determined to find a new date. “If this idea crossed my mind, it is because this is serious... We must now find the appropriate time,” he said. “This kind of project requires special preparation, and I did not want to take that record lightly. I do not really know what I am capable of, but I really love this idea.”
Giant-Alpecin hoping to tie Dumoulin down through to 2017
After a remarkable performance at the recent Vuelta a Espana, Tom Dumoulin has his Giant-Alpecin bosses scrabbling to secure his services for at least an extra year.
The Dutchman, who led the Vuelta into the penultimate day before fading to sixth, has a contract that expires at the end of 2016. However, the German team has been so convinced of the 24-year-old’s GC potential that they are trying to get a deal done now to keep him through to the end of 2017, according to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.
Giant are also reportedly looking to bring on more climbing support to rally behind Dumoulin as they eye up GC success – something that has always been of secondary importance for the sprint-oriented team.
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Dumoulin is one of the favourites for the elite men's time trial event at the World Championships on Wednesday.
Landa to end season and Astana career at Il Lombardia
With 2015 already the best season of his career to date, Mikel Landa is aiming to put the icing on the cake with victory at Il Lombardi, the final major Classics of the season.
After missing out on selection for Spain’s World Championships squad, the 25-year-old will bring the curtain down on his season – and on his time with Astana – with a trio of hilly Italian one-day races, culminating with Lombardia, Biciciclismo reports. First up for the man who will ride for Team Sky for 2016 will be Milan-Turin on October 1, followed by the Gran Piemonte the next day, and finally Lombardia two days after that.
“I’m really motivated for it. Lombardia is my favourite race, and this year I finished the Vuelta in good shape,” said Landa, who has ridden the monument every year since 2011, yet has only finished it once – when he was 21st in 2013.
The Basque rider has enjoyed a breakthrough season, winning two stages and finishing third overall at the Giro d’Italia before winning the brutally mountainous Andorran stage at the Vuelta a Espana. He has been training at home since the conclusion of the Vuelta.
Phil Gil on his bill as Belgians room up at Worlds
Sharing a hotel room with a teammate is second nature for all professional cyclists. Yet, with an odd number of riders in Belgium’s squad for the World Championships, one rider has been afforded the luxury and privacy of a room all to himself.
Whether by luck of the draw of assertion of authority, Philippe Gilbert is the man who has landed the single room at the Wyndham Virginia Crossings Hotel in Richmond. Quite what the implications are upon team morale is open to debate, but Het Nieuwsblad has revealed who’s sharing with whom in the Belgian camp this week.
With Gilbert is on his own, fellow former world champion Tom Boonen is in with his Etixx-QuickStep teammate Stijn Vandenbergh, while Greg Van Avermaet, Belgium’s other main card for Sunday’s road race, is with road captain Iljo Keisse. Elsewhere, Sep Vanmarcke and Jens Keukeleire have teamed up, and Tiesj Benoot and good friend Nikolas Maes have been paired together, as have the team’s two men for the individual time trial, Yves Lampaert and Jurgen Van de Broeck.
Dwars door Drenthe axed
Dutch one-day race Dwars door Drenthe will not feature on next year’s race calendar, according to RTV Drenthe. The one-day race was introduced in 2010 and has formed part of the Classics season throughout March and April. Manuel Belletti (Southeast) won the last edition this year.
The women’s Novilon Damesronde van Drenthe, which has been running since 1998 and was won by Kirsten Wild this season, has also been cut by the organisers. Stagnating sponsorship revenue and rising rates have been cited as the reasons behind the decision.
The men’s and women’s Ronde van Drenthe will both remain on the calendar as will the Drentse 8.
