It's hard to believe that it has been 20 years since the Fall of the Berlin Wall, not so hard to believe that Niels Albert won another cross race or Alberto Contador won again in Curacao. It's Monday boys and girls, it's time to cut through the Rochefort and see what we find as we head ever closer to December. Read on!
Adageo Energy Team Goes Pro
Hot off the telex today is news from PEZ's long time ToolBox contributor Josh Horowitz on heading up his new Continental Team:
Los Angeles – The new Adageo Energy Pro Cycling Team aims to build on the foundation of its highly successful grassroots programs, the Southern California-based Liquid Fitness/Adageo Energy Elite Team and the 400-member Liquid Cycling Club.
Adageo Energy, an Austin, Texas-based investment firm that capitalizes on high-growth, high-return opportunities in the energy sector, will sponsor the U.S.-registered, UCI continental professional team.
Team Director Josh Horowitz said Adageo Energy Founder and Managing Director Clay Womack has a long-term vision of success, as well as a firm commitment to run a clean program.
“A lot of the growth of this team to date – and moving forward – stems from his passion to promote the sport of cycling,” Horowitz said. “Clay and I have been developing this program for several years now and we have a long term plan to see it grow into 2011 and beyond.”
Horowitz said the squad continues to pursue a co-title sponsor. Ideally, it would be one that will benefit from the program’s long-standing reputation in Southern California.
“For the past 10 years, the Liquid Cycling program has attracted a diverse, international community of cyclists,” Horowitz said. “So we already have a built-in demographic of recreational riders, triathletes, commuters and beginning riders that any sponsor would love to get their hands on.”
Supporting sponsors of the team include Wonderful Pistachios and the law firm of Gordon, Edelstein, Krepack (geklaw.com), as well as Exustar, Skins, American Classic, Twinlab, Dr. Richard Hyman, Ultimate Sports Psychology and Liquid Fitness Coaching. The team will ride Leopard Cycles and wear Pactimo clothing.
The Adageo Energy roster for 2010 comprises a mix of American and international talent that includes Australian Cody Stevenson (winner of Stage 1 of the 2009 Tour of Wellington), American Tommy Nelson (stage winner at the Southern Nevada Stage Race), Swiss national (Under 23) team member Tobias Eggli and accomplished American track talents Bennet van der Genugten and Danny Finneran.
Horowitz said the team also continues to negotiate with several riders who were contenders on the National Racing Calendar (NRC) circuit in 2009.
“Our roster is being carefully put together with team synergy in mind,” Horowitz said. “Some of the young guys are riders I have been scouting for several years. Pairing them with some of our more experienced racers will set a good tone and help them reach and exceed their potential.”
Horowitz, 34, will serve a dual role as director and racer. He has been racing competitively since 1989 and is a 10-time California state champion.
The team’s preliminary race calendar includes a mix of regional and national-level events, including the San Dimas and Redlands Classic stage races in March, the Ventura County Stage Race in May, the International Championship in Philadelphia in June, the Bend Memorial Clinic Cascade Cycling Classic in July and the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah in August.
“While we will be racing all over the country, it’s important that we also have a strong presence in the Southern California cycling community in local races and rides,” Horowitz said. “Most of the riders on this team are based in SoCal and we don’t want to forget our roots.”
Astana Reaches Deep Into Its Pockets
How much are Grand Tour victories worth to Astana? About 8 million euro per year. Astana isn't too excited about the prospect of losing Alberto Contador. In fact, they're so not eager to lose Contador, they've (according to Het Nieuwsblad) offered him a jaw-dropping eight million euro deal if he agrees to remain with the team for the next four seasons. That's a pretty solid amount of time considering that Contador will most likely win at least four Grand Tours in that time.
That is substantially better than the previously offered four million deal and will most likely be somewhat difficult to turn down unless the other suitors from Garmin, Caisse d'Epargne, and QuickStep come up with something very special.
Contador: No Vino At Le Tour
Contador has not ruled out staying with Astana. The two-time Tour de France champ has the above mentioned monetary lure, and he is now seeking to cover his bases.
Contador has asked for a clause in his contract that states that he can leave the team if anyone on Astana tests positive.
He has also asked for a written guarantee that Alexandre Vinokourov will not take part in next year's Tour de France.
Two clever add-ons from Contador. He knows that either of these could keep him out of next year's Tour. If Vino tries to race the Tour next year, the ASO could well uninvite Contador's team. If anyone on the team tests positive, the Grand Tour invites could go the way of the woolly mammoth.
These seem to be the words of a rider looking to stay, not leave. I'm thinking we'll see Contador in Astana blue and yellow in 2010.
Cunego Aiming For What He Does Best
After far too many years of tilting at windmills, it appears that Damiano Cunego will set about focusing on what he does best: one-day races.
Well, he didn't say it, but his manager, Giuseppe Saronni did whilst speaking to Italian media outlet, Tuttosport: "The Damiano Cunego who won the Giro d'Italia in 2004 no longer exists. The Lampre-Farnese staff and I consider him predominantly a rider for the Classics and we are satisfied with this new approach."
The only question is: what took them so long? It will be six years in May since Cunego stunned the world with his first and probably only Giro d'Italia victory. I just don't see what the big deal is? Grand Tours are cool and all, but why not take a leaf from the book of the ridiculously successful Paolo Bettini? The man is a legend. There's no shame in being a one-day man, Damiano.
O'Grady OK After Collapse
Sporza is reporting that Aussie Stuart O'Grady collapsed at a corporate event in Valencia this weekend.
The former Paris-Roubaix winner was at the MotoGP World Championship in Valencia as a guest of Casey Stoner's. After a hot lap with Stoner, Stoner "started to interview Stuart and introducing him to these people. Stuart couldn't answer the questions and then he collapsed. They called the medical team and luckily he had the doctors on standby for the race," says Cycling South Australia executive manager, Max Stevens.
O'Grady is in the hospital and is currently undergoing tests to figure out what went awry.
Best wishes to Stuey for a quick recovery.
Hondo Returns To The ProTour
The former podium finisher at Milano-Sanremo, Danilo Hondo, has finally returned to the ProTour after a number of years in the 'Wilderness'. The fallen sprinter star has been bouncing around amongst lesser teams after a doping sanction saw him fired by Gerolsteiner a number of years ago.
Hondo will leave his Czech PSK-Whirlpool squad and move to the friendlier climes of Italy to race for Lampre in 2010.
The 35-year-old signed a one year deal with an option for a second. Hondo confirmed the news on Monday.
Hondo is seen as an ideal leadout for their other big signee: Alessandro Petacchi. Of course, Hondo will have his own opportunities, but you have to think that the two big sprinters should form a successful pairing.
Cross Compote
Niels Albert is on a torrid hot streak - he netted another win this weekend. This time the venue was Nommay, France for the third round of the World Cup, this time his victim was Zdenek Stybar in a lurching, lunging sprint for the line. Albert and Stybar got away very early on in the race and were never bothered again by the chasing field. Nys threatened to come across in the final lap, but there was nothing doing - he had left it too late, and the leading two were too strong.
1. Niels Albert
2. Zdenek Stybar s.t.
3. Sven Nys 0:09
Albert is, of course, on top of the men's overall World Cup standings. He has won each of the three rounds.
1. Niels Albert 240
2. Zdenek Stybar 205
3. Francis Mourey 165
7. Sven Nys 135
On the women's side, American Katie Compton rampaged to a half minute gap over second place and a great win.
1. Katie Compton
2. Marianne Vos 0:35
3. Sanne Van Paassen 1:27
Compton is on top of the World Cup standings by a solid 30 points after two rounds.
1. Katie Compton 120
2. Daphny Van Den Brand 90
3. Sanne Van Paassen 85
Vila Returns
After a doping suspension for high testosterone values back in March of 2008, the Basque Francisco Javier 'Patxi' Vila, will make his return to the highest level of the sport in 2010.
Vila is currently talking with a number of teams, but the two most earnest seem to be Lampre and Astana.
"I know it will not be easy to return back in a big team to make my comeback. Maybe I should start back in a smaller team, like Alessandro Petacchi did with LPR."
There's no end of interest into the able-bodied climbing domestique: Xacobeo-Galicia, Andalucia-Cajasur, Carmiooro, Caisse d'Epargne, and Euskaltel, were all linked with the tainted rider's return. I guess that's a good indication as to how valued he is as a rider. I have nothing to say about his cleanliness.
Cioni Back In The ProTour
PEZ-Fave, Dario Cioni, is stepping back up to the ProTour ranks in 2010. After a year with the ISD squad, Cioni is headed back to the highest level with Team Sky.
In 2010, the 34-year-old Italian will be racing his tenth season as a professional. The 4th overall rider from the 2004 Giro has ridden previously for Mapei, Fassa Bortolo, Liquigas, Silence-Lotto, and ISD.
Best of luck to Dario in 2010!
Another Rider Nailed For EPO
When are riders going to start believing that they will be caught if they use EPO? The testing is getting better and better, the number of tests too. And yet, riders are still turning to detectable methods to dope. I know it's possible to get away with it, but if it were your livelihood on the line and you were going to cheat, wouldn't you at least try and do stuff a little less detectable? I'm not condoning it...ever, but it's just getting annoying at this point.
Anyhow, the most recenty dummy is Alberto Fernandez De La Puebla, formerly of Fuji-Servetto. The aforementioned rider (no way in hell I'm writing that again) was tested in an out of competition control in October and voila positive.
See you never, Senor De La Puebla.
Questions? Comments? Happy? Sad? Send me an email.
There's always the trusty JeredGruber.com if you ever get really bored.
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