The National Championships are over, so there really is absolutely nothing else to look forward to until the Tour starts on Saturday. It's like Christmas in July, which means we need at least a week to get really antsy about it starting. First off - a roundup of the Championships, and then lots more. Read on!
A Run-Down Of The National Championships
Sigh, it is with great trepidation that I start into this task.
Belgium
Boonen finally gets his win. Gilbert second. More on that below.
Netherlands
Koos Moerenhout took his second title in three years. He jumped out of the leading group inside the final kilometer, thwarting the best Dutch sprinter at the moment, poor Kenny Van Hummel. Van Hummel must have been tasting the red, white, and blue colors. He had to settle for 2nd.
Italy
Pippo Pozzato picked up his first ever Italian National Championship. He beat out poor, I get second a lot, Damiano Cunego for the title in a select group sprint.
France
Dimitri Champion left his breakmates behind on the final climb about 4k from the finish. He left behind his favored ProTour break companions, BOTH from FdJ to take the win. Ouch.
Germany
Another surprise in Germany - neo-pro Martin Reimer of Cervelo was the happy benefactor of a miserable war between Milram and Columbia. Both teams played a nasty, negative race, and both teams came out utterly empty-handed.
Switzerland
Fabian Cancellara took his first ever Elite Swiss National Championship on the road. BMC was great with 2nd and 3rd.
Norway
Kurt Asle Arvesen got another Norwegian National Championship - this was #3. Hushovd was 3rd.
Russia
Sergei Ivanov took a dominant win to repeat last year's feat.
Spain
Ruben Plaza (Liberty Seguros) continued the ProTour upset ways of the weekend with the win. Zaballa (Fercase) was 2nd, Astarloza was 3rd - first from the ProTour. Valverde was 4th.
Luxembourg
Andy Schleck took a hugely dominant victory with a nearly 2 minute margin over second place Laurent Didier. Frank Schleck rounded out the podium in 3rd.
Denmark
Matti Breschel took his first ever Elite Danish National Championship. As expected, SaxoBank ruled the roost - they swept the podium.
Sweden
Marcus Ljungqvist took the day in Sweden.
Estonia
Rein Taaramae did my Tour predictions good with a double this weekend: he won both the TT and RR. I'm telling you, watch this guy!
Ok, that's enough for me. Sure, there are some other countries to go, but this should suffice.
The Great Teams Rejoice: Part 1
High Road Sports, Inc., the owner of Team Columbia-Highroad and HTC Corporation, a designer of mobile phones, today announced a three-year sponsorship agreement that prominently places the HTC brand at the starting line of the 2009 Tour de France on July 4 in Monaco.
"High Road Sports is elated to be partnering with HTC, a recognized leader and growing global brand in mobile phones," said Bob Stapleton, Owner, Team Columbia-HTC. "Team Columbia-HTC is now sponsored by two leading companies in their related industries and we are ready to show the growing power of our partnership at this year's Tour de France," he added.
The team currently called Columbia-Highroad, and known in 2008 and 2009 as the team with the most victories in professional cycling, will compete as "Team Columbia-HTC" and will present the new team uniform in Monaco on July 3, the day before the start of the 96th Tour de France.
"The HTC High Road Sports partnership is a great match of like minded organizations driven by innovation, excellence and competitiveness and we are excited about the opportunity to communicate HTC's brand value through the great sport of cycling," said Peter Chou, chief executive officer, HTC Corporation. "HTC's sponsorship of Team Columbia-HTC is one step in HTC's commitment to increasing its global brand value and recognition."
Recognized in Business Week's 2009 InfoTech 100 as the 13th best-performing tech company in the world, HTC focuses on putting people at the centre by making their phones work in a more simple and natural way. This drives HTC's choice of partners, product creations and platforms. HTC's global team of designers, researchers and engineers quietly listen and observe people with their phones and in life so they can better understand and anticipate people's needs to create a more personalized experience. This is central to HTC's culture, spanning across its more than 9,000 employees worldwide.
The three-year sponsorship agreement runs through 2011 and includes both the men's and women's professional cycling teams, which are top ranked worldwide and have won over 80 races combined in 2009 - the most wins of any competing team.
The Great Teams Rejoice: Part 2
The Spanish holiday resort, “Playitas”, which is operated by the travel services company “Apollo”, will be a new co-sponsor for Team Saxo Bank with a signed agreement that runs until the end of 2010.
The sponsorship means, among other things, that Team Saxo Bank will run their training camps and team building courses on the Spanish island of Fuerteventura. Meanwhile, Playitas will be given a prominent spot on the team jersey from the Danish national championships this coming weekend, and thus becomes a part of Team Saxo Bank's visual identity at this year',s edition of the Tour de France.
"The agreement is much more than a sponsorship because it is a fantastic example of a concrete and perfect partnership. With Playitas, we will have a superb base for our riders and staff on our team camps which have always been a very important part of our identity and way of working. At the same time, it opens the door to future ventures that both partners can gain from. As a company, we are constantly working to expand our ability to bring sponsors and fans closer to the riders and the team and with Playitas as a base, we get a brand new card to play in that connection, "said team owner Bjarne Riis about the new agreement.
"We are obviously very proud that a top professional cycling team such as Team Saxo Bank has chosen our new sports resort, Playitas, as a base for training activities and teambuilding. It is the ultimate endorsement of Playitas and the island of Fuerteventura, with its mountainous terrain provides cyclists the optimal training conditions. It is also crucial for us through this partnership to get the Playitas brand exposure through one of the best cycling teams in the world - a cycling team that has a good chance of getting an absolute top result in this year',s Tour de France. The collaboration with Team Saxo Bank will give Playitas branding not only in Denmark but also in other European markets and we are very pleased to welcome Team Saxo Bank”,, says CEO at Apollo, Jan Lockhart.
The Most Successful Team On The Planet Goes To France
Columbia-HTC that is. With 49 wins so far this year, Columbia-HTC will be starting in Monaco with some big expectations when it comes to stage wins, but only modest hopes when it comes to the overall. That team can do nothing to surprise me at this point though when it comes to winning, so if Michael Rogers finishes on the podium, I promise, I won't blink twice.
The team: Mark Cavendish, Kim Kirchen, George Hincapie (#14 in a ROW at the Tour), Michael Rogers, Tony Martin, Bernhard Eisel, Maxime Monfort, Mark Renshaw, and Bert Grabsch.
Notably absent: Andre Greipel. How much longer will Greipel be a part of this team? Oh wait, I have an answer - Greipel isn't going anywhere. Cav will be the one leaving...for SKY. Come on, do you really think he's not going to SKY?
Boonen's Happy Day
Tom Boonen managed his long-awaited Belgian National Championship. The Belgian that has won pretty much else there is to win within his skillset, finally got the monkey off his back. After a tough day, the race came down to a bunch sprint, and we all know that's supposed to turn out.
It doesn't take a philosopher to realize that Boonen was working hard to exorcise some recent demons. Boonen confirms: "I used the negatives of the past weeks as extra force."
The Wallonian course in the Liege province definitely had a certain Walloon in mind: "The course was tailored to Gilbert, but it was difficult to get away. The strongest riders were still together in the final lap. After the hard work of my team, I had to finish it."
"I have worked hard in recent weeks, but I was still hoping for a super day. I have always said that I would become Belgian champion at the time that nobody was expecting me."
The Rest Of The Belgians Comment
2nd Place Philipe Gilbert: "This is a small disappointment. I made no mistakes in the sprint. I was beaten by one of the best sprinters in the peloton, that makes sense...It was hard to get away today. After the climb, the wind made it difficult. Now, I take some rest. I will go to the Tour start in Monaco as a spectator."
3rd Place Kristof Goddaert celebrated his best ever result: "It feels like a victory for me. There was, however, a bit more. I was perfectly on Boonen's wheel, but at 50m from the line, I cramped...But anyway, this is the best result of my professional career.
Stijn Devolder: "I was not good enough today, so I cannot blame myself. I have not saved for the Tour, the condition is still not top. I will need a week at the Tour to get to my top form."
Devolder Not Too Optimistic
Five days before the start of the Tour de France in Monaco, Belgium's Other National Champion (winner of De Ronde) Stijn Devolder, isn't too cheery about his chances.
"Can three peaks in one season be attained?" questions the two-time winner of the Ronde Van Vlaanderen.
From the words of Devolder, we shouldn't expect to see too much, if anything, we should hope for something "maybe in the last week."
"Last year I was stressed before the start of the Tour, not this year. This is already an advantage. But perhaps three peaks in one year is not possible? Maybe I should decide now that I am only a one-day rider?"
"The World Championships in Mendrisio is becoming more important to me. So important, in fact, that I want to come out of the Tour as fresh as possible with a view on what's to come later."
I never put much stock in Devolder as a Grand Tour champion, but this uncertainty seems like it could be leading Devolder out of the QuickStep door. Devolder knows he is a one-day Classics rider with the capabilities to do well across all terrains. He should be a full-on leader. Is there room for both Boonen and Devolder on QuickStep come Holy Week next April?
One Spot Open For QuickStep
Two riders looking to take it: Tom Boonen and Allan Davis. Boonen should find out his fate on Tuesday. If he's in, he's going. If he's not in, Allan Davis is going. Seems pretty simple.
QuickStep is sending a solid squad to France: Barredo, Chavanel, Devolder, De Jongh, Pineau, Rosseler, Tosatto, and Van De Walle.
Tour Rosters
As for the other Tour rosters? Please don't make me do that. CyclingStartlists.com has everything you could ever want to know, right HERE!
Good Quote To Get The Tour Started PodiumCafe.com is always a great place to get the blood flowing in the morning. This weekend was no exception. In an article in the Sydney Morning Herald from a new book by John Wilcockson about, well, read the title: Lance Armstrong - The World's Greatest Champion, Lance has some choice words.
In a conversation with Wilcockson soon after the Tour, Mr. Armstrong was feeling a bit expansive: "I'll kick their asses. The Tour was a bit of a joke this year. I've got nothing against Sastre...or Christian Vande Velde. Christian's a nice guy, but finishing fifth in the Tour de France? Come on!"
That just tastes of a Gob Bluth, COME ON, to me. It's just too perfect. On a sidenote, if you haven't seen Arrested Development, take a moment to order all four seasons, like now.
Anyhow, those are some fightin words, and yes, my first instinct was not fit for typing, but after a few minutes...if you're Lance Armstrong and you were used to throttling the likes of Sastre and Vandevelde for double digit minutes in the Tours de France that you won, it would be a bit silly looking in from the outside, wouldn't it? I will speak nothing of doping, clean sport, or supposed clean sport.
I'm sure these words, presented at such an annoying time, but so perfect for the journalist who wrote them, will inspire the likes of Sastre and Vandevelde and any number of Lance haters. I have a hard time respecting out of context quotes, even if they're so damn enjoyable to read.
Speaking Of Lance
If his words from last summer were a bit premature, his current words are a bit more eyebrow raising. The cautionary words from all who saw Lance at the Giro must be proving true, because even Lance is talking big now. This is a rarity for even Lance.
Armstrong has made it clear that he is going to the Tour de France with victory in his sights.
"From Day One it will all become clearer. If Alberto is the strongest, I will sacrifice for him. It is the tradition of cycling."
His next comments are more interesting, more telling, especially if they're true.
From Todociclismo: "It's not like before, in 2005, 2005, or 2001, when I came and I was sure of winning. Now the trust is not the same, but I feel good, physically capable of winning. I'm like I was in 2003 when I was just barely able to win, but not like in 2005, 2004, or 2001. Let's say you bet 3-1.
Those are pretty good odds. Those are really good odds. I can't wait to see what he does come Saturday.
One More Lance Moment
He's been in the Alps training for a little while. We almost crossed paths, just missed him by a week. Oh well. Anyhow, just found this video on Sporza, which probably means it's on Livestrong or something. Anyhow, check it OUT!
Ricco Set To Return
I'm all for second chances. I really am. If a sport like bike racing tries to clean itself up, some of the riders are going to come up dirty. If they get a good washing and come back clean - great. That sounds good. Riccardo Ricco returning in March of 2010 just seems too early for me. His 20-month suspension will come good just days before Milano-Sanremo. He has signed with the Pro Continental squad of Ceramica Flaminia.
He should have gotten the full 24-month suspension. I don't care what he fessed up to. He strutted his way through at least two dirty Grand Tours, talked way too much shit, and generally just made an ass of himself, and he's rewarded with just over a year and a half vacation? He should not get the chance to race the Giro and Milano-Sanremo next year. This is probably a moot point, because Flaminia hasn't gotten much in the way of invites so far in 2009, but meh, that just doesn't seem like it would be right for him to be racing the Giro so soon.
Then again, he served his time. He deserves his second chance. Just please be nicer this time around, ok Riccardo?
A Little Medal Controversy In The UK
British Cycling has over-ruled the decision of the Chief Commissaire not to award Lizzie Armitstead two medals following her success in the Women’s Elite and Under 23 National Road Championships on Saturday 27 June held in Abergavenny, Wales.
Lizzie Armitstead secured the Under 23 Championship and finished second in the Women’s Elite category but was refused the silver on the instructions of the Chief Commissaire on the basis that a rider could not be eligible for both categories.
As all National Championships are under control of the British Cycling Board, it over-ruled the decision after consulting the Commissaires Commission and the Road Commission ahead of the Men’s Elite race on Sunday 28 June.
It was agreed that the rule interpretation of the Chief Commissaire was not shared by the Board which confirmed that any rider in the Under 23 category capable of finishing in a medal position among elite riders is entitled to a medal in both categories.
The medals in the Men's Elite and Under 23 Championship were awarded on the correct basis. As a result, Peter Kennaugh was awarded both Bronze in the Elite category and Gold in the Under 23 category.
The only exceptions to this ruling were Ben Swift and Jonny Bellis, who, as members of UCI ProTour teams, are clearly excluded from the Under 23 category.
Brian Cookson, President of British Cycling, commented: “The decision of the Chief Commissaire caused considerable distress to the riders who competed in the race on Saturday and created confusion among spectators.
“We received a number of complaints on the day and acted swiftly to put the situation right and prevent the same mistake from happening in the Men’s race on Sunday.
“We will be reviewing our technical regulations governing national championships at the next Board Meeting with the view to publishing clearer guidelines for future races.
“On behalf of British Cycling I would like to apologise to Lizzie Armitstead and the other riders competing on the day for the distress caused by this incident.”
Ride Levi's Gran Fondo
You've all dreamt of riding with Levi Leipheimer and his pals. Now's your chance in Levi's very own King Ridge GranFondo--October 3, 2009. Departs and finishes in cycling-friendly Santa Rosa. 100-65-35 mile options in a fully supported premium ride through some of the USA's finest cycling country. Pro, amateur and recreational riders come together to enjoy the romance and adventure of fall in Sonoma County: the layered vineyards, towering redwood trees, ridgetop climbs, soft grassy meadows and stunning coastal panoramas.
The Gran Fondo is a celebrated tradition in Italian cycling culture. A Gran Fondo is a long distance, mass-participation cycling event – not a race – that welcomes professional, amateur, and recreational cyclists of all abilities . While not strictly competitive, these rides are timed to ensure cyclists complete the entire course and provide some scoring for quick completion of unique sections of the route. We offer three fully-supported routes to suit a wide range of riding levels, from occasional riders to seasoned racers. (distances subject to minor change):
·GrandFondo - 103 miles on a challenging mountainous course with outstanding coastal views.
·MedioFondo - 65 miles on a picturesque hilly course with fine coastal views.
·PiccoloFondo - 35 miles on a flat valley-floor course that passes redwood forests and vineyards.
We have negotiated with CHP to have closed intersections to help keep you moving! Rest stops are located approximately every 12 miles. Fully-supported means if you can’t make it back, we will drive you and your bike back to the start. We provide mechanical support, as well as food and beverages at rest stops, and all rest stops include toilet facilities. An emergency medical team is attached to the event if needed. Back in Santa Rosa, thanks to Gerard’s, there will be a well deserved paella feed ready on your arrival.
Not a Race. Levi Leipheimer’s King Ridge Gran Fondo is not a race. There will be no prizes for being the fastest person back to Santa Rosa. However, we have designs on offering all riders an opportunity to test their climbing power on at least one major hill climb section of the event. Riders will be fitted with a timing chip that will precisely measure your time over certain sections of the course. This means anyone can participate, and it doesn’t matter if you’re at the front or the back of the pack–you still get a chance to give it your all!
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