Is it really already November? On the upside, that means there are less than two months to go before we start gaining light everyday. I digress. There's business to attend to this bright and shining Monday - cross racing, contract signin, Lance TTing, press the life pause button for a moment and have a gander at some end of season harvest.
Big Cross Weekend In Euroland
The GVA Trophy opened its season this weekend with the Koppenbergcross on Saturday. Sven Nys had won the past four editions, and in atrocious conditions triumphed for the fifth time in a row. He got rid of World Champ Lars Boom late and crossed the line solo...not that you could tell if it was Nys or not. Nys was a happy winner on the line, but he suffered a nasty spill during the race - dislocating a finger and apparently giving his back a good ding as well. At least that's what his excuse was on Sunday at the second Superprestige race. Niels Albert ran away in the second lap and never looked back. He gave everyone a solid drubbing, and in the process took over the Superprestige overall lead to go along with his World Cup overall lead. He already has five wins in 2008/2009.
Koppenbergcross
1 Sven Nys (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner 56.25
2 Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank 0.05
3 Niels Albert (Bel) Palmans Cras 0.42
4 Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb Pro Job 1.07
5 Bart Wellens (Bel) Fidea Cycling Team 1.15
Superprestige #2 - Veghel-Eerde
1 Niels Albert (Bel) Palmans - Cras 1.01.35
2 Lars Boom (Ned) Rabobank 0.39
3 Sven Nys (Bel) Landbouwkrediet-Tönissteiner 0.42
4 Klaas Vantornout (Bel) Sunweb Projob Cycling Team 0.52
5 Bart Wellens (Bel) Fidea Cycling Team 0.58
Simeoni To Astana?
Ok, very unlikely, but one that Italian cycling journalist Gian Paolo Porreca posed to Lance Armstrong recently on tuttobiciweb.it.
Apparently, the Italian National Champion is having a hard time finding a team for 2009, and well, Porreco figured that the olive branch should be extended to Simeoni after Lance's well-publicized beef with the Italian in the 2004 Tour de France.
“It seems natural to come up with a proposal and not a provocation. Why doesn't Lance Armstrong invite his former enemy Simeoni to ride for his new team? It would be a magnificent gesture of solidarity and respect. He's already been invited to the centenary edition of the Giro d'Italia so why not invite Simeoni so that cycling, just like life, returns to being about real feelings and not about revenge.”
CyclingWeekly was interested in the question and forwarded it along to Mr. Armstrong.
Davide Rebellin Finds A Home For 2009
The 37 year old one-day superstar, Davide Rebellin, has one less question mark in his life. He has signed for a team for next season and the team is...
Drums roll...suspense builds...oh the drama!
Gianni Savio's Serramenti Diquigiovanni scored Rebellin's signature and will certainly be a fair bit stronger as a result of it.
The teams involved in the Rebellin sweepstakes? ISD-Danielli, Knauf-Amica Chips, Liquigas, LPR, TelTek-H20, and Mauro Gianetti's new team. That's quite the list to choose from.
Lampater/Zabel Lead In Dortmund
After four nights, Erik Zabel and Leif Lampater are in the lead and can be cautiously hopeful of the big win in two nights time. They have a lap and a slim lead on points over the Grenoble winners Rasmussen/Morkov. Only five teams are within two laps - the 6th place team? Eight laps back. Ouch.
1 Erik Zabel (Ger)/Leif Lampater (Ger) Rügenwalder 250 pts
One lap behind
2 Alex Rasmussen (Den)/Michael Morkov (Den) Corny 247 pts
3 Robert Bartko (Ger)/Andreas Beikirch (Ger) Sparkasse 235
Katyusha Wants A GT Rider
So if you think you have what it takes to win a Grand Tour, just give the boys at Katyusha a call. At the moment, Vladimir Karpets and Alexandre Botcharov are the two best options, but that's apparently not good enough. The team, according to WielerUpate, has an emphatic interest in Rabobank's Denis Menchov. They were hot for Cadel for awhile, but that didn't work out so well for them. They've got the one-day stuff pretty well covered with Steegmans, McEwen, and Pozzato.
Armstrong Wins
Lance Armstrong did in fact win the two time trials this weekend in Gruene, Texas.
He won the first one solo style and the second with partner John Korioth in a two-up TT.
Armstrong commented to the San Antonio Express after his effort: "Overall I would say I was moderately pleased. I wasn't ecstatic. I wasn't really sure what to expect," Armstrong said. "Oh man, the crowds were super. It's hard suffering through the race but when you have people there being supportive, it makes the suffering a little more bearable."
Saturday TT
1 Lance Armstrong 33.14 (46.489 km/h)
2 Erick Benz 1.43
3 Stefan Rothe 1.54
4 Cord Offermann 2.20
5 John Coppin 2.50
Sunday 2-man TT
1 John Korioth / Lance Armstrong 56.37
2 David Wenger / Steven Wheeler 2.34
3 Philip Wikoff / Patrick Mccarty 2.58
Larsson Stays With Saxo Bank - IT Factory
One of the more interesting transfer stories of the Fall season has been that of Gustav Larsson. Initially it seemed that he would be moving to Caisse D'Epargne in 2009, but Bjarne Riis managed a solid counter-offer, which led Larsson back to the drawing board and a call for a time out. After much deliberation he decided to stay with Riis' squad. The release from Riis (well, SaxoBank, but it sounds better the other way):
One of the biggest profiles in the current season - Gustav Larsson from Sweden - has signed a contract for three more years with Team Saxo Bank – IT Factory.
The 28 year old allrounder was delivering results from the very beginning of the season and he kept doing so with great regularity throughout the season.
The high point was probably the Olympic time trial silver medal and he also placed in the overall Top-10 in Tour of California, Criterium International, Tirreno-Adriatico, and Tour of Denmark and in Giro d'Italia he finished 14th.
Rabobank Confirms 2009 Line-Up
30 riders will comprise the Rabobank team in 2009. 23 of whom will return from 2008 plus seven new additions: World Champion Lars Boom (from the Rabobank Continental team), Clement (Bouygues Telecom), Garate (Quick Step), Nuyens (Cofidis), Stamsnijder (Gerolsteiner), Tjallingi (Silence Lotto) and Van Emden (Rabobank Continental).
There will also be a new kit for 2009...we wait with baited breath. Who wants to bet me that orange is a part of the kit? Bet me here: jered@pezcyclingnews.com.
HealthNet Team Continues With New Sponsor
The uber-strong domestic squad, formerly known as HealthNet, has found a new sponsor to carry on with in 2009 and beyond - OUCH.
Bicycling.com has the in-depth on the development:
"Floyd Landis's longtime personal physician, Dr. Brent Kay, confirmed to Bicycling.com that his medical practice, the Occupational Urgent Care and Health group (OUCH), has taken over the sponsorship of the Health Net presented by Maxxis team. The team, one of the most successful on the USA Cycling National Racing Calendar in recent years, will now be called OUCH presented by Maxxis. One of the team's newest signings is none other than Landis, who is eligible to return to racing on January 30, 2009."
The news of the new sponsor plus Floyd Landis' return is big enough, but a couple of other tidbits are worth noting as well: Tim Johnson, Karl Menzies, and Rory Sutherland have all re-upped with the team, and then there's a very interesting one...
USA Cycling revoked Nathan O'Neill's points from his ill-fated Tour of Elk Grove level. These points were super important because they were the difference in HealthNet's overall team NRC classification win in 2007...guess that kind of messes this picture up a little bit...well, just makes the four-times NRC team champ thing this year and not 2007, so no big deal really. Anyhow, so let it be known, Toyota-United was the 2007 NRC Team Champ...see how not effective that is? The whole recanting of past titles won just doesn't work so well.
The Venice Lido Kicks Off 2009 Giro D'Italia
Twelve years after its last appearance and once again on the occasion of a departure - the third one in Venice, in the "pink race" history - the Giro resumes with the Doges' capital.
Such renewal takes place on a very special edition, the Centennial one, which opening stage will cover the whole Venice Lido Island. The same Lido hosted the online departure leg of the 1997 Giro, featuring Mario Cipollini's successful final sprint.
On Saturday May 9, the Giro is due to cover the Lido streets towards Malamocco and back, in an individual time trial to be run on a 21 km distance. The marked course is absolutely flat, showing only 5 curves, perfect for sprints, which are expected to reach a minimum of 51 and a maximum of 53 km per hour.
The Centennial Giro will depart from the Lido's Piazzale Ravà, taking D'Annunzio and then Marconi sea front road, until the Casino Place. Then a turn to the right in Via Colombo, to the right in Via Gallo, and straight in Via Malamocco. From there a left turn from Via della Droma taking Via Alberoni and back on Via Malamocco on the right. Further on, straight to Via Gallo until Piazzale S.M. Elisabetta, Riviera San Nicolò, Via Selva to the right towards the finishing line, again in Piazzale Ravà, in Venice's Lido.
The official presentation of the Giro d'Italia of the Centenary will be held on Saturday December 13, 2008 on the premises of the Venice "La Fenice" Theater. Massimo Cacciari, Venice Mayor, and Angelo Zomegnan. Director of the Giro d'Italia, officially announced the presentation of the Centennial edition due to take place from May 9 to May 31, 2009, in the course of a Press Conference which was held in Venice's town hall at Ca' Farsetti. The event is scheduled in the afternoon of Saturday December 13, 2008, at the "La Fenice" Theater.
Lancaster Latest Edition To Cervelo
Former Giro Prologue winner and Maglia Rosa wearer, Brett Lancaster, has found a new home with the Cervelo Test Team.
Team manager Thomas Campana is pleased with the addition: "With the signing of Lancaster, we have another important rider for Hushovd. Together with Andreas Klier and Roger Hammond they will play a decisive role in the Flemish Classics."
Swamp Rabbit Trail Greenway Celebrates Hincapie!
Greenville, SC— The City of Greenville, SC is conducting a dedication ceremony for the Hincapie Path on Saturday, November 1 at 11am. The newly completed section of the Swamp Rabbit Trail is being named the Hincapie Path in recognition of the contributions that George Hincapie has made to the cycling and business communities in South Carolina. Tour de France Stage Winner and 5-Time US Olympian, George Hincapie will lead the ceremonial first ride on the Hincapie Path following the dedication ceremony.
"I'm proud to have the trail named after me," said George Hincapie, 2-Time US Professional Road Race Champion. "I love living in Greenville, and I'm really proud of the city for developing these trails. People want a safe place to ride and be outside, and trails like this are an important part of our community."
Once completed, the Swamp Rabbit Trail will be a 22-mile greenway that parallels the Reedy River from Travelers Rest to Lake Conestee. Some portions of the trail follow abandoned railroad corridors while other sections meander through wooded flood plains. The Hincapie Path section of the Swamp Rabbit Trail is a continuation of the trail system south of downtown Greenville, Falls Park and Cleveland Park. The City has partnered with neighborhood groups, business owners, churches, private property owners and several other organizations to construct this section of the Swamp Rabbit Trail.
The Hincapie Path dedication will take place at the Woodland Way trail entrance near the intersection of Woodland Way and Fernwood Lane. The ride will begin immediately following the ceremony.
USA Cycling Expands Track Racing Program
Colorado Springs, Colo. (October 31, 2008)-On the eve of the opening round of the 2008-09 UCI Track Cycling World Cup Classics in Manchester, Great Britain, USA Cycling announced today a revamped track program designed primarily to expand international track racing opportunities for emerging talent. With an emphasis on cultivating the next generation of U.S. track racers, the program will closely align itself with existing European-based development programs currently utilized by USA Cycling.
USA Cycling aims to identify and develop a deeper pool of track racing talent by providing increased exposure to world-class competition at various non-traditional events. Traditionally, U.S. track riders have been exposed to limited international competition with national teams competing at just four World Cup races annually. Instead, the new program will expand its scope to provide opportunity at UCI Track Calendar events, including European Grand Prix races and Six-Days. Additionally, USA Cycling will also conduct several domestic-based track training camps.
"We've already built a successful model for athlete development," said USA Cycling Director of Athletics, Pat McDonough. "Now it's just a matter of specifically applying it to track riders. We've shown in other disciplines that consistent exposure to international competition is the most effective way to develop world-class athletes, so we needed to expand upon that idea for our track athletes. In the past, sending a team to four World Cups a year didn't provide our athletes with the amount of high-level racing necessary to improve. We expect this new endeavor to address that."
The initial emphasis will be placed on men's and women's endurance programming, followed by a long-term sprint program scheduled to be implemented in 2010. Both the men's and women's endurance programs will focus its efforts on developing athletes who are relatively new to track cycling at the international level. Both programs will utilize the infrastructure and resources already established by USA Cycling for its U-23 National Team in Izegem, Belgium and its Women's National Team in Lucca, Italy.
Currently, the U.S. boasts athletes who are capable of being very competitive in specific endurance-oriented events on the track. For these athletes, consistent exposure to international-level track cycling will complement the acquired skill set and physiology that are necessary for endurance cycling as a whole.
Under the new program's philosophy, USA Cycling will also work closely with American-based UCI-registered track trade teams to field squads for the five World Cup events this season. The trade team structure, which complements the national team's efforts, provides athletes with additional support to attend World Cup races. For the 2008-09 season, the United States has six UCI-registered track trade teams which feature a total of 18 athletes. The six squads are the most by any one country as both Great Britain and Spain have the second-most with four each. American trade teams include Hawk Relay Cycling, Ouch Pro Cycling, Proman Racing Team, Rock Racing, South Bay Wheelmen and Verducci Breakaway Racing. The World Cup opener in Manchester will feature two U.S. riders - Shelly Olds (Scotts Valley, Calif./Proman) and Becky Quinn (Escondido, Calif./South Bay Wheelmen).
USA Cycling will not field a national team for the season's first three World Cup events in Manchester, Melbourne, Australia and Cali, Colombia. However a national team comprised of development athletes will represent the United States at round four in Beijing and the fifth and final race in Copenhagen this winter.
"Because of the support of several track trade teams, many of our top athletes will continue to compete at World Cup races," continued McDonough. "The alliance we've created allows us to better invest our resources by redirecting them into the development of the next generation."
2nd TOUR-Trans-Austria Is A Go For 2009
The date for the 2nd TOUR-Trans-Austria is fixed: It will taking place from the 13th till the 19th of September 2009. The registration starts on the 17th of November 2008, 12 a.m.: www.tour-transaustria.de. The early bird catches the worm.
An extraordinary racing event for ambitious hobby cyclists in seven different stages through the stunning scenery of Austria: Tyrol, Salzburg Country, Styria and Carinthia. A great challenge for everyone!
Some more facts:
The individual scoring will be divided into 4 different categories: Men, Women, Masters (Men, 40 years and older) and Grand Masters (Men, 50 years and older).
The team scoring will be divided into 5 different categories: Men, Women, Mixed, Masters (prerequisite for consideration in that category is a cumulative age of both team members that exceeds 80 years) and Grand Masters (prerequisite for consideration in that category is a cumulative age of both team members that exceeds 100 years).
Stage locations: Kirchberg, Neukirchen am Großvenediger, Lienz, Hermagor, St. Michael im Lungau, Ramsau am Dachstein, Murau, Velden am Woerthersee.
For more information about the event please visit the official website Tour-Transaustria.de
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