After crashing during last year's World Championships and during last week's Tre Valli Varesine, Vincenzo Nibali has apparently changed the tyres on his race bike for the World Championships, switching from Veloflex to Specialized tyres as he had done before the Tour de France. According to today's Gazzetta dello Sport, the Italian rider has also switched to electronic components, finally abandoning the Campagnolo mechanical components he used to win the Tour de France.
“I can't be scared of wet roads. I think my crashes were caused by my tubulars and so I've changed supplier and now my grip seems better,” Gazzetta quotes Nibali as saying.
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New Mortirolo climb named after Contador
Instead of preparing for the World Championships, Alberto Contador spent the weekend in Italy, riding a new road to the summit of the Mortirolo that is expected to be included in the route of the 2015 Giro d'Italia.
The climb has been officially named the 'Recta Contador' after local authorities reopened the road that climbs from Aprica and then the village of Monno. The new road climbs directly up the side of the mountain at 15% before joining the original road. The Mortirolo was first included in the Giro d'Italia in 1990 and has often played a decisive role in deciding the race.
Contador has confirmed that he will ride the 2015 Giro d'Italia and he will attend the presentation of the race route in Milan on Monday October 6.
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Euser to be awarded the Jack Kelly Fair Play Award
Euser was riding in the wheel of Phinney, as the newly crowned US time trial champion led him down a sweeping descent. Phinney crashed hard and hit a guardrail on the side of the road after confusion with a race motorbike. The result was a broken leg for Phinney. With his friend in obvious agony, Euser decided to stick with Phinney until the ambulance arrived – effectively ending his own race.
The award will be presented during the Olympic and Paralympic Assembly, which takes place between September 25-26.
Bennett extends with Bora
Sam Bennett has added two more years to his contract with the NetApp-Endura team (due to be called Bora next season). The Irishman turned professional with the German team this year, after a strong performance at last year’s Tour of Britain.
Bennett’s contract was set to end in 2015, but the extension confirms his future with the team until 2017.
“I am delighted to stay with my team for the next three years,” Bennett said in a statement released by the team. “The start to my professional career has been great with the team and I am already looking forward to next season. Having this year under my belt and also the experience I gained, I want to step up another level to bring the team even more success next year.”
In his first year, Bennett has taken victories at the Clásica de Almería, Rund um Koln and a stage of the Bayern Rundfahrt. He was on the long-list for the Tour de France team, but missed out on the final selection.
