And some, year after year, never fail to surprise or to enchant, and where a victory earns cycling immortality. Of the Classics who cannot love de Ronde van Vlaanderen, the glorious Tour of Flanders? And what makes it great is that you have to ride uphill over big rocks to win. This is crazy and you know you want to try it.

“Hellingen: A Road Cyclist’s Guide to Belgium’s Greatest Climbs” is the magic lamp to rub to make that wish come true. Simon Warren, author of a guide to British hills entitled “100 Greatest Cycling Climbs” and its companion volume “Another 100 Greatest Cycling Climbs,” has widened his horizons, crossed the Channel and taken on the famous climbs of cycling-mad Belgium. There are only 50 climbs in this pocket-sized volume but they include many of the most famous climbs in Flanders and Wallonia.

The book opens with his account of luring his family to Belgium in August with the promise of tourism, steak and frites and, obviously, beer. He writes of how cycling is so woven into the fabric of life in Belgium and one of the great joys of the sport: even if you could buy a Formula 1 car you would have no place to drive whereas we can get on our bicycles and ride up the same brutal, painful, tortured climbs as the pros do.

The first thing to do is to figure out how to ride the cobbles as most of us don’t have much of an opportunity. The author has a nice page devoted to technique, which seems counter-intuitive as you have to relax while being pounded by the pavé and trying to be smooth while slamming into the rough surfaces or avoiding gaps. Reducing tire pressure helps and running wider tires too. It is also a good idea to make sure all the fasteners on your bike are tightened before doing this. By the way, the author says that “cobbles” are only naturally occurring stones whereas cut and finished ones are called “setts.” Not that this matters since they generally appear to be dreadfully finished and put in place by drunks.

Reflecting Belgium’s dual nature (Flanders/Wallonia; Flemish/French) the book is divided into two sections covering the climbs in question. The “Hellingen” as the climbs are known in Flemish are short and steep and often cobbled in Flanders while in Wallonia they tend to be longer, almost as steep and generally paved with tarmac of varying quality. Each section covers two pages, with a picture of the road surface on the left and text about the ride, how to get to it and of course a rating out of 10. Apparently “1” is considered “hard,” while “10” is “almost impossible.”

So in Flanders our 25 climbs include a fair number of legends, like the Kemmelberg, Oude Kwaremont, the Paterberg, the Koppenberg (9/10) and the Muur-Kapelmuur in Geraardsbergen (10/10). After you have chosen likely candidates there is a chapter that allows you to pick the climb through its road surface, much like a connoisseur’s guide to wine. Swirl around the idea of the Koppenberg: “Anarchy beneath your tyres. Slippy, steep and utterly random.” Or the Molenberg would be more to your taste? “Stones? They are more like asteroids floating in space. It’s like trying to ride over Stonehenge.”

The Ardennes climbs in Wallonia are spread over a much larger area of the country but are to be found to the southeast and southwest of Liège. The winner in this group is clearly the Mur de Huy of Flèche Wallonne fame: 19% maximum gradient earns it a 10/10. Oddly enough, I found it much harder than the Col de Haussire, “the toughest climb in Belgium,” near La-Roche-en-Ardenne. 3.9 kms long, it hits 20% near the top and also earns the 10/10, whereas the fearsome Côte de Stockeu only earns a 9/10, even with its 21% maximum gradient.

The book would fit nicely in a jersey pocket which is a good thing since among the chapters is a list allowing you to check off each of the climbs completed. Located as close to each other as they are and in a fairly small country, the hellingen could probably all be ridden within a week or so. If you have a high pain threshold.

This very practical yet quite charming little book ends with acknowledgements which include the author’s liquid friends Leffe, Chimay, Duvel and Kwak, amongst others. Although I have ridden many of these climbs already, “Hellingen” makes me want to get out the maps and plan to cover the remaining ones on the list. Irresistible fun, with or without the excellent beer.

“Hellingen: A Road Cyclist’s Guide to Belgium’s Greatest Climbs” by Simon Warren
144 pp., 2013 Frances Lincoln Publishers at www.franceslincoln.com
ISBN: 978-0-7112-3402-4
Suggested price: £9.99 or even less through a famous on-line retailer

Whether you are cruising along in the peloton during a long, flat stage, ascending a Category 1 climb, or sprinting the last 100 meters of a crit, you must be at the right intensity for you to ride at your highest level.

What Is Your Intensity?
Simply put, intensity is the amount of physiological activity you experience in your body including heart rate, respiration, and adrenaline. Intensity is a continuum that ranges from sleep (very relaxed) to terror (very anxious). Somewhere in between those two extremes is the level of intensity at which you ride your best in different race situations.

The challenge with intensity is that there is not one ideal intensity for all cyclists. Depending on your physical and psychological make-up, you may ride best very relaxed, moderately intense, or bouncing off the walls with intensity. Nor is there an ideal intensity for every route of a race or even the terrain or point in the race.

For example, Chris Froome needs to be relaxed during the early parts of the Alpe d’Huez stage of the Tour De France to conserve energy before the big ascents that lie ahead. Brad Wiggins must be at moderate intensity as he attacks Mont Ventoux where he has enough adrenaline to power up the climb, while retaining reserves for the final few kilometers. Robbie McEwen must be a nuclear reactor in the final sprint to the finish in Marseilles.

Thomas Voeckler has always been a master of controlling his intensity. Here he is pictured in his early days as a pro at the Tour of Luxembourg in ’03 on his way to his first big GC win.

What is Intensity?
Intensity is made up of two components. First, there is the physical experience of intensity, that is, what you actually feel in your body when you are riding. Are you calm or filled with energy? Are you relaxed or tense?

Second, there is your perception of the intensity. In other words, do you perceive the intensity positively or negatively? Two riders can feel the exact same thing physiologically, but interpret those physical feelings in very different ways. One may view the intensity as excitement and it will help his riding. Another may see the intensity as anxiety and it will hurt his riding.

The physical experience and the perception of intensity are affected by several mental factors. If you’re not confident, feeling frustrated and angry, and focusing on winning, you will probably see the intensity as negative. In contrast, if you are confident and positive, happy and excited, and focused on riding well, the intensity will be perceived as positive.

Signs of Over- and Under-intensity
Intensity produces a wide variety of physical and mental symptoms that can help you recognize when your intensity is too high or too low. By being aware of these signs, you will be able to know when you’re not at your prime intensity and can take steps to reach that ideal level.

Overintensity. Muscle tension and breathing difficulties are the most common signs of overintensity. Most cyclists indicate that when they’re too intense, they feel tension in their shoulders and their legs, which happen to be the two most important physical areas for cycling. If your shoulders are tense, they will rise with your center of gravity causing you to lose power and efficiency. When your legs are tense, you lose the ability to generate smooth and strong pedal strokes.

Many cyclists also report that their breathing becomes short and choppy when they get nervous. This restriction in breathing means that you won’t get enough oxygen into your system so you will tire quickly. I’ve also found that the smoothness of cyclists’ pedaling tends to mirror their breathing. If your breathing is long and smooth, so will your pedal stroke. If your breathing is abrupt and uneven, you will probably be “pedaling squares.”

Cyclists who are overly intense often exhibit poor posture on their bike. Muscle tension causes their shoulders to rise and their body to seem to close up. Cyclists who are anxious also tend to go out too fast early in a race, causing them to run out of gas when they most need energy. Overly intense cyclists often look rushed and frantic. If the peloton is taking its time, overly intense cyclists may become impatient with the slow pace and attack too early.

Overintensity negatively influences cyclists mentally as well. Anxiety lowers your confidence and causes doubts in your ability, which may prevent you from breaking away when you are physically capable of making and sustaining the attack. The physical and mental discomfort produces negative emotions such as frustration, anger, and depression. The anxiety, doubts, and negative emotions hurt focus by drawing attention away from important tactical and pace information and onto how badly you feel.

Underintensity. Though not as common, cyclists can also experience underintensity during races. The most common symptoms of underintensity are low energy and lethargy. You lack the adrenaline you need to give your best effort. Though not as discomforting as overintensity, underintensity hurts your riding equally because you lack the physical requisites, such as strength and stamina, to meet the demands of cycling. Underintensity can be caused, for example, by a nutritional crisis or the discouragement of being dropped by the peloton.

Intensity and Tensity
The ultimate goal of prime intensity is to find the precise line between intensity and tensity (yes, that is actually a word). The closer you can get to that line, the more your body will work for you in riding your best. If you cross the line to tensity, your body will no longer be physically capable of a great ride. Pro cyclists have the ability to do two things related to this line. First, they have a better understanding of where that line is, so they can ‘tightrope walk’ on it, thereby maximizing what their bodies can give them. Second, they’re able to stay on that line longer than other cyclists, which enables them to ride at a consistently higher level for longer periods of time.

What makes the top pros so good isn’t that their intensity is always rock solid and never fluctuates; even the world’s best get nervous and have let downs. Rather, they know what their ideal intensity is in different parts of a race and have the tools to adjust it up or down as needed to get their intensity and riding back to their ideal levels.

My next three articles will introduce you to how you can identify your ideal cycling intensity and then provide you with the tools you need to reach and maintain your best intensity and your fastest riding possible.

Curious thing, the time trial, in all its guises. Some riders look and see a decent length ITT in the race book and do a little golfer’s fist pump – there, they know, time will come to them and drift from others – but the great majority eye the page with emotions ranging from quietly ill at ease to sheer fear.

There are no tactics in an ITT. You might, at best, decide to go steady for the first half and then increase the suffering to the end, but essentially it is just a giant dose of hurt.

With the camera lingering on the flow being delivered by the Portuguese Rui Costa, Magnus Backstedt delivered these lines:

“He’s comfortable – well, when I say comfortable I mean, it still hurts – but if he backs off he is going to maybe lose the rhythm.”

That’s the thing with the time trial, it always hurts, just a little less so if you are going really well, as Costa was. See him finish then check out Tejay Van Garderen, who faded towards the end and dropped a lot of time.

Costa’s ride was an example in measured force, and his climbing pedigree showed here. If I was Van Garderen though I would be a little worried with that performance. Tejay won the Tour of California earlier on and looked to be a serious challenger for the leadership of BMC, but he looks to have taken a dip in form in between.

Shame for Mathias Frank to drop off the podium in the end (he finished in 5th), but the young man put in a great ride to claim yellow at all. And have BMC suddenly got a team? Evans must be wondering what’s happened, he’s become so used to being the ‘only’ rider in his teams. If Tejay can rediscover that 5% and if Frank is selected for the Tour, they should both be able to help their designated leader.

Very encouraging from Frank, has to be said, and about time Cancellara had someone to take a share of the workload at autograph time.

Roman Kreuziger slipped into third place and matched his 2009 result here, but he does seem to be stuttering, or rather, to continue to be. He jumped ship at Liuquigas for the Kazakh blue of Astana, only then to leg it into the arms of Bjarne Riis and Saxo-Tinkoff. The 100th Tour really could do with him roaring, to be honest, along with anyone else with a degree of GC talent. I hope I am completely wrong but it looks like it might be a procession for Sky’s Chris Froome, who has established himself as Sky’s #1 this season.

Two other very good rides came from Bauke Mollema of Blanco and Jean-Christophe Peraud of Ag2r. Interesting rider is Mollema. He’s been consistently knocking around the top 8 or so in the smaller regional tours in the past two seasons and also in some of the hillier classics, suggesting that he has a varied talent, not to mention potential, which we saw this week.

“It really went extremely well,” he said of the time trial. “This was perhaps my best time trial ever,” said Mollema. “I had made a plan with the team management ahead of time and it turned out to be spot on. In the first section, I did not go full out, given that there would be a climb of half an hour later on. We also planned the timing of the bike change and the amount of water I would take in.

“It all went like clockwork,” he added, grinning at the genius of that handy little pun.

Peraud is a personal favorite of mine – see how I didn’t say ‘hero’? been around this sport too long for that – who plugs away and improves little by little every year. A former MTB rider (and a very good one), he then signed as a roadie in 2010, ager 34, after winning the French TT Champs. Then he got 9th in the 2011 Tour de France, as you do.

Keep an eye out for him this July, he just might improve a little more.

TOP STORY: No McQuaid Nomination from Cycling Ireland
At an Emergency General Meeting of Cycling Ireland on Saturday, the cycling clubs voted 91 against and 71 for nominating current UCI President Pat McQuaid for a third term of office. During the meeting many people spoke for and against the vote for an hour before the votes were taken by the delegates. Originally the Cycling Ireland board had voted to support his bid, but due to a procedural mistake a vote was taken for. McQuaid has also joined a Swiss cycling club and received a nomination from the Swiss Federation, as he does live there. All is not going smoothly in Switzerland either as three of the board members have questioned the legality of McQuaid’s Swiss membership due to the UCI rules of only having membership with only one UCI country at a time. Also it has been reported that the Swiss vote was not unanimous, as was originally claimed and three board members have called for a meeting on the subject.

Further to that; Mike Plant, a member of the UCI Management Committee, has said that he can no longer support Pat McQuaid. It has also been alleged that Plant presented his secret dossier on McQuaid to a Management meeting last Thursday, although what the outcome was we don’t know as the meeting was a closed session.

Britain’s Brian Cookson has thrown his hat in the ring and is standing for the UCI top job, whether he will be unopposed by McQuaid or another hopeful is still to be seen. Apparently letters of support where sent to the Irish EGM from the Danish and Caribbean Federations, so maybe Mr. McQuaid could join the Guadeloupe cycling club?

Tour de Suisse 2013
A quartet consisting of Alexander Kolobnev (Katusha), Matthew Hayman (Sky), Gregory Rast (RadioShack Leopard) and Bert Grabsch (Omega Pharma – Quick-Step) formed the breakaway on today’s 188 kilometre long Stage 6 of Tour de Suisse from Leuggern to Meilen (Read Lee’s Lowdown of stage 6 here).

With a giant gap of 14 minutes with 70 kilometres to go, the stage winner was to be found among the escapees, as Team BMC took control of the pace. On the final climb, Team Saxo-Tinkoff went to the front of the pack to avoid any mishaps and it seemed like the GC contenders were most eager to save energy for tomorrow’s mountain battle.

The front quartet remained together until the final four kilometres where Bert Grabsch (Omega Pharma – Quick-Step) opened the attacking with a stinging move and a tactical chess game on bikes followed until the very final kilometre where Gregory Rast (RadioShack Leopard) finally created the crucial gap and took the stage win.

“Today’s breakaway quickly took ten minutes on the field and as no one took the responsibility of the pace to drag them back in, they sailed away in the distance which was ok with us. Our main goal was to secure Roman’s second place and make sure we didn’t spent too much energy before tomorrow’s big mountain battle. It’s no secret that we’re targeting an overall win here and I think we have the squad to make it happen. But there’s a good reason why Frank (Mathias) has the leader’s jersey. He’s strong, has a strong team around him and he’ll probably do anything he can to win on home soil,” said Team Saxo-Tinkoff DS, Fabrizio Guidi after the stage.

Mathias Frank rode safely among his teammates on the BMC Racing Team Thursday at the Tour de Suisse while a four-man breakaway took the spotlight on the day’s stage. The breakaway enjoyed a 14-minute advantage at one point in the 187.9-kilometer race under sun-splashed skies. Gregory Rast (RadioShack Leopard) easily took the stage win, while Frank and the peloton rolled in 10:43 later. Directeur Sportif John Lelangue said the BMC Racing Team did not exert too much energy riding since the breakaway posed no threat. “It was good to have one more day like this before the big queen stage to La Punt,” Lelangue said. “We were riding in the front not to chase the breakaway but to stay in the safe zone. There were a lot of crashes in the beginning and in the end.” Frank, who has held the lead since finishing fourth on Stage 3, said he has first-hand knowledge of Friday’s 206 km stage and its three climbs. “It’s going to be a tough stage with the Albulapass pass, which is a pretty hard mountain,” Frank said. “But I know what’s coming up. I’ve ridden this climb many times in training. This is for sure an advantage for me. So I’m hoping for legs, which I have had so far. So I am confident.”

Playing it patiently and smart with 1km to go, Gregory Rast attacked his three breakaway companions and sprinted to a memorable victory in his home tour. “It was hard out there today. There was no real sprinter in our group, just strong guys with motivation to win. Team Director Luc Meersman gave me good advice and it worked out well. I’ve been in the Tour de Suisse so many times but this is such a big win for me. This stage is close to my home and I know these roads very well. I was prepared for this. I’ve tried 10 years to win a stage here and today I finally made it. I’m really, really happy.”

Swiss-born Gregory Rast made good on his promise to be familiar with today’s route which is the closest to his home in nearby Cham. He checked the route, he rode the course and knew it meter by meter. All that was left was to get in the day’s break on the 186km/115mi route from Leuggern to Meilen. Joining him were Mathew Mathew Hayman (Sky), Alexandr Kolobnev (Katusha) and Bert Grabsch of Omega Pharma – Quick-Step. The four rode extremely well together and established an advantage of more than 14 minutes. Coming under the red kite, Rast gave it everything he had and powered away from the others to take the win by 25-seconds to Hayman and Kolobnev.

Rast: “I was overwhelmed when I saw I had a gap,” he said, referring to the immediate hole he opened up under the red kite. “I felt fantastic! But that last kilometre was endless. When I saw the 500m to go mark I was surprised. I thought I was much closer to the finish.”

It was perfect weather for stage six in the 77th Tour de Suisse. Thirty-three year old Rast described the early action on the hilly course that made up today’s course: “In the beginning the entire team was trying to get in a break. Jensie tried, then another group, finally I attacked with Grabsch, and Hayman and Kolobnev came too. We rode very fast. Except for Kolobnev who has very good palmares, we were all big helper riders and we all rode super strong. No one tried to attack each other until of course the last 5km. I can’t even remember my last win – maybe 1834,” he said jokingly. In reality his last win was four years ago in 2009 for the prologue in the Tour of Luxembourg. This is his first win in RADIOSHACK LEOPARD TREK colours.

Rast: “Everybody was really tired in our ‘break of oldies’,” he said, referring to the veteran group of riders in the breakaway. “On the last climb I knew there was a big road for the downhill so if you were alone you’d go nowhere. There was no reason to attack there. We were all a bit on the limit. I figured Hayman was the fastest in the sprint and that Grabsch wouldn’t wait for the sprint. I didn’t let myself think of my sprint defeats in Tour de Suisse. Luc (Meersman) had told me to wait for 1k to go. I knew when to go.”

Tour de Suisse Stage 6 Result:
1. Grégory Rast (Swi) RadioShack Leopard in 4:22:53
2. Mathew Hayman (Aus) Sky at 0:25
3. Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Katusha
4. Bert Grabsch (Ger) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step at 0:28
5. Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale at 10:43
6. John Degenkolb (Ger) Argos-Shimano
7. Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ
8. Ben Swift (GB) Sky
9. Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre-Merida
10. Tosh Van Der Sande (Bel) Lotto Belisol.

Tour de Suisse Overall After Stage 6:
1. Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC in 20:31:06
2. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Saxo-Tinkoff at 0:23
3. Rui Alberto Faria da Costa (Por) Movistar at 0:35
4. Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ at 0:57
5. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Blanco at 1:08
6. Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin-Sharp at 1:23
7. Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana at 1:26
8. Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) Ag2r-La Mondiale at 1:28
9. Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC at 1:39
10. Cameron Meyer (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge at 1:42.

Stage 6:

It was a sensational ride from Rui Costa (Movistar) in the Queen Stage 7 of the 2013 Tour de Suisse, the longest of this year’s Helvetic stage race over 205km from Meilen to La Punt, with four categorized climbs including the long-feared Albulapass (HC) at more than 2,300 meters above sea level. The Portuguese outsprinted Bauke Mollema (Blanco) and Tejay van Garderen (BMC) at the end of an action that started 4 kilometres from the top of the climb, with an attack from Thibaut Pinot (FDJ) breaking the ice and receiving a fast response from Movistar’s leader. The four-man leading group, which Rui tried to keep alive with several moves before the crest, went for the fast descent until the finish line with thirty seconds of advantage over a second echelon including Mathias Frank (BMC) and Roman Kreuziger (Saxo-Tinkoff), first and second in the overall standings.

Costa kept pushing into the downhill and initially dropped Pinot before doing the same with Mollema, the Dutchman ultimately bridging for the final meters. An inflatable banner collapsed over the road with 2k remaining made the Movistar rider lose precious time, twenty-two seconds was the gap between the two groups at the finish, but it did not lessen the ambitions by the 2012 overall title defender, who launched the sprint in the lead and was strong enough to hold off his two rivals.

Rui Costa: “Our goal today was taking some seconds on the riders ahead of us in the overall and we didn’t also do it, but we also won the stage, and I’m super happy – it was a pity to lose time with the banner thing. I think we might have lost 10 seconds there and they might become decisive for the overall, but the important thing is that I saw myself strong in view of Sunday’s TT. I had really good legs all over the climb. When the Saxo Bank riders were pushing, I realized Kreuziger asked Roche not to push so strongly. That’s why I knew I had to go full gas as soon as Mollema jumped, because we had to take time for the overall.

I wasn’t really thinking of the stage win, but at the end of the descent, there were 500 meters of flat and a couple of turns that allowed me breathing a bit before the sprint. We’ll try to spend tomorrow’s stage as easy as possible and give it all on Sunday. It’s not only Frank and Kreuziger, but also Mollema, Pinot or even Van Garderen. I know the time trial’s route and it’s a really hard one. The wind might be crucial into the first 15 kilometres, because there’s almost no protection and, should it blow like today, it will be a head one. It’s going to be really demanding. This victory is for all my team-mates, because they did an excellent work not only today, but also during all of the race.”

Robert Gesink battled in 2010 successfully for the stage win at La Punt in the Tour de Suisse and Bauke Mollema came close to the victory today. The rider from Groningen finished just centimetres behind Rui Costa (Movistar) in the seventh stage.

“It’s a darn shame”, said Mollema who was unfortunate in the finale. Halfway down the last descent, he was a hundred metres behind both Rui Costa and Tejay van Garderen who had broken away. Just before he had chased them down, an archway had blown over on the parcours and blocked Mollema, costing him the 100 metres he had just gained.

Ultimately, Mollema could reel in the break. “At five hundred metres from the finish line, I had joined them only Rui Costa was a tad faster in the sprint. I actually thought there was another rider in front of us, so I did not realize we were sprinting for the win.”

With this fine result, Mollema climbed closer to the leaders of the GC. He is still in fifth, but his difference with yellow jersey wearer Mathia Frank (BMC) is now 1’08” – an improvement of some 46 seconds. “That a real plus. The form is good and we’ll see Sunday just what I am capable of.”

BMC Racing Team’s Mathias Frank held onto the overall lead Friday after the queen stage of the Tour de Suisse, while teammate Tejay van Garderen finished third on the day to climb from ninth to sixth overall.

Near the summit of the final climb of the 206-kilometer stage which finished going downhill; van Garderen was able to stay with a group of three riders – eventual stage winner Rui Costa (Movistar), runner-up Bauke Mollema (Blanco) and Thibaut Pinot (FDJ). Frank said he was struggling with the altitude at that point and could not keep pace. “I knew when they attacked, I had to just go my own rhythm,” he said. “I just couldn’t quite hold the wheels of those guys. I was fighting and gave everything. But I went really well on the downhill. I knew from training that I could get some time back and limit my losses.” Frank’s chasing group benefitted somewhat from the collapse of an overhead inflatable across the course at 2 km to go, which forced the leaders to nearly come to a halt.

BMC Racing Team Directeur Sportif John Lelangue said he was monitoring the gap between the two groups on the climb and told van Garderen to follow the wheels of his breakaway companions. “Tejay was ready to wait if the gap was getting any closer,” he said. “But it remained some 20 or 24 seconds. So there was no reason (to drop back). He was just staying on the wheel. I think this was a wise decision because Mathias was not alone. He had a few other GC contenders with him who were riding.” Costa, who had been third overall, moved into second, 13 seconds behind Frank, by finishing 22 seconds ahead of Frank’s group. Roman Kreuziger (Saxo-Tinkoff) dropped from second to third and is 23 seconds off the lead after finishing in Frank’s group. Van Garderen said he had hoped to go for the stage win but was not familiar with the twisting finish. “I kind of messed up in the end without not really knowing the corners,” he said “But it’s good that we are still in yellow.”

Tour de Suisse Stage 7 Result:
1. Rui Alberto Faria da Costa (Por) Movistar in 5:11:08
2. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Blanco
3. Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC
4. Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ at 0:09
5. Cameron Meyer (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge at 0:22
6. Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin-Sharp
7. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Saxo-Tinkoff
8. Simon Spilak (Slo) Katusha
9. Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC
10. Joseph Lloyd Dombrowski (USA) Sky.

Tour de Suisse Overall After Stage 7:
1. Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC in 25:42:36
2. Rui Alberto Faria da Costa (Por) Movistar at 0:13
3. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Saxo-Tinkoff at 0:23
4. Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ at 0:44
5. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Blanco at 0:46
6. Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC at 1:17
7. Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin-Sharp at 1:23
8. Cameron Meyer (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge at 1:42
9. Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana at 1:43
10. Simon Spilak (Slo) Katusha at 1:50.

Stage 7:

Maxime Bouet (Ag2r-La Mondiale), Manuele Mori (Lampre-Merida), Robert Vrecer (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Ret Hollenstein (IAM Cycling) formed the long-lasting breakaway on today’s 180.5 kilometre long Stage 8 of Tour de Suisse from Zernez to Bad Ragaz.

In the peloton, the sprinter teams were working accurately in order to keep the escapees within sight without reeling them too fast. The last hard fighting escapee, Ret Hollenstein (IAM Cycling) was caught with 17 kilometres to go.

The finale held a 3 kilometre long climb that could be used as a catapult for counter-attacks but the pace was kept high enough to avoid anyone to try and a minimized peloton thundered towards the finish line where Team Saxo-Tinkoff’s Daniele Bennati opened the sprint and the powerful Italian was only passed by Peter Sagan (Cannondale) who took the stage win.

“The boys did another fine job and Daniele came pretty close of taking that victory today. No matter how tomorrow’s stage develops, I’m really happy with what I’ve seen here. We’ve become better and stronger for each day and the riders for the Tour de France are in the shape needed for the coming challenges. However, we still target the win tomorrow even though we face the fact that both Mathias Frank and Rui Costa will be hard to beat the way they are going at the moment. Roman will dig deep tomorrow and then we’ll see how far that takes him,” said Saxo-Tinkoff DS, Fabrizio Guidi.

Tour de Suisse race leader Mathias Frank of the BMC Racing Team played lead-out man for teammate Philippe Gilbert Saturday, helping the reigning world road champion to a third-place finish on the race’s penultimate day.

Frank said he enjoyed helping Gilbert, who finished behind double stage winner Peter Sagan (Cannondale Pro Cycling) and runner-up Daniele Bennati (Saxo-Tinkoff) in the 180.5-kilometer race. “I tried to lead him out as well as I could,” Frank said. “It was a good result for us and a good day that I could keep my jersey without big problems, thanks to the whole team. So it’s normal I want to give something back.” Gilbert, who has a pair of runner-ups and four third-place finishes to his credit this season, said he received help in the final kilometres first from teammate Tejay van Garderen and then from Frank. “When you see the yellow jersey working for you, it is always something special,” Gilbert said. “They gave me nice positioning for the sprint. But Sagan and Bennati are really quick. I was third behind a really fast guy – one of the fastest of the whole bunch – so it’s not a shame.”

Heading into Sunday’s uphill, 26.8-km individual time trial, Frank holds a 13-second lead over Rui Costa (Movistar) and a 23-second advantage over Roman Kreuziger (Saxo-Tinkoff). Van Garderen, who won a similar time trial at the Amgen Tour of California, is sixth, 1:17 off the lead. “It’s going to be a difficult task, but it’s playing all in my favour,” Frank said. “I’m confident I made good progress this year in time trialing. I did a lot of work on the BMC timemachine TM01, testing my position in the wind tunnel. So I am confident that I can do a good time trial. It is also kind of special with the long climb at the end of the end. It plays into my cards as a climber.” Frank has held the race lead since Monday’s third stage, when he escaped on a rain-slickened descent with Costa, Kreuziger and Sagan.

Tour de Suisse Stage 8 Result:
1. Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale in 4:33:26
2. Daniele Bennati (Ita) Saxo-Tinkoff
3. Philippe Gilbert (Bel) BMC
4. Michael Albasini (Swi) Orica-GreenEdge
5. Christophe Riblon (Fra) Ag2r-La Mondiale
6. Martin Elmiger (Swi) IAM Cycling
7. Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step
8. Julien Simon (Fra) Sojasun
9. Maxime Monfort (Bel) RadioShack Leopard
10. Simon Geschke (Ger) Argos-Shimano.

Tour de Suisse Overall After Stage 8:
1. Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC in 30:16:02
2. Rui Alberto Faria da Costa (Por) Movistar at 0:13
3. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Saxo-Tinkoff at 0:23
4. Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ at 0:44
5. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Blanco at 0:46
6. Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC at 1:17
7. Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin-Sharp at 1:23
8. Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana at 1:43
9. Simon Spilak (Slo) Katusha at 1:50
10. Cameron Meyer (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge at 2:09.

Stage 8:

The Tour de Suisse was decided on the 26.5 kilometre long and tough Stage 9 mountain time trial from Bad Ragaz, 513 meters above sea level, to Flumserberg at 1383 meter’s altitude. The climb started 16.5 kilometres in to the stage and the uphill finish guaranteed a stunning finish to the race.

Several big names had some time in the leaders hot seat, among others; Andreas Klöden (RadioShack Leopard) and Peter Sagan (Cannondale), they had the honour of leading the stage along the way. However, Rui Costa (Movistar) rode the course in the best time of all and won the stage and took the race overall from Mathais Frank (BMC). Rui Costa celebrated his fourth win of the season, the 19th for the Movistar Team in 2013 and his 16th in seven years as Pro. The Portuguese rider is now looking forward to now shining in the Tour de France, where he took a stage win in 2011 and was the top GC finisher from Movistar, (18th) last season.

Rui Costa: “We knew that this stage was bound to decide the race, and that’s why I came last week to recon it – it already looked bloody hard to me. Chente also came to inspect it before the start of the race and we had already decided it was needed to change bikes before the climbs because it was a long climb, an effort longer than half an hour. I rode really focused and keeping an eye on the watts, but as soon as I saw the references were good, I pulled the gas a bit off in the final 3k of flat to breathe a bit before the climb. The bike change was fast and Chente drove me through the climb brilliantly, giving me all references and supporting me all the way to the top. I kept a constant pace because I knew it was crucial to stay on my own rhythm, from the foot to the top of the climb. At the hardest slopes, I already knew the GC was really close as well as the stage, so I went full gas and made the difference. It all went perfectly – I’m super happy.”

“Every victory is different, and I got this one in quite a different way than last year’s. Then I grabbed the leader’s jersey too early, and that long week cost me much energy. All those days on the podium, the press conference… that’s two hours off your recovery and that’s crucial. This time, I’m fresher at the end of the race, and got better and better feelings throughout the race. I didn’t have my best day in the first mountain-top finish, but I was able to recover from that initial loss. It wouldn’t have been possible without my team. They were sensational, all week – this victory is dedicated to them, as well as the Portuguese fans, who came here to support me. Now it’s time to think about the Tour. My only goal for the moment is getting through the first week, always so dangerous – we’ll see how we do when it’s over. We’ll be one of the strongest teams in the race and we’re really excited. Before the Tour, I’ll be riding both National champs, the road race and the TT – it will be a good test for me.”

Blanco’s Bauke Mollema finished 2nd overall: “I am very satisfied, this is a great result. Outside of the three grand tours, the Tour of Switzerland is perhaps the most important stage race of the year and to be second therein is very nice.”

As to his time trial, Mollema was well pleased. “It really went extremely well. This was perhaps my best time trial ever. I had made a plan with the team management ahead of time and it turned out to be spot on. In the first section, I did not go full out, given that there would be a climb of half an hour later on. We also planned the timing of the bike change and the amount of water I would take in – and it all went like clockwork.”

For the coming two weeks, Mollema will take it easy. “My form is good – not a lot has to happen. This was a good test. I am going to ride in the Dutch Championships, train a few more times and then we head to Corsica for the Grand Départ.”

Long time overall leader; Mathias Frank (BMC) said after starting fast, he struggled in the final kilometres of the uphill finish. “I felt myself getting slower and slower the farther I came up,” he said. “These are the hardest moments – when you realize you can’t quite hold it where you want to be. Maybe I mentally cracked at this moment for a bit. Still, I gave it everything. I fought to the end.” Frank took the lead on Monday’s third stage and the BMC Racing Team helped him hold it the next five days. “The guys on the team were great this week,” Frank said. “I have to see it in the whole picture. I think I had a great Tour de Suisse. It gave me a lot. I started to believe in myself. I haven’t been many times in this situation. It’s still a learning process.” Costa, who also won the race last year, finished ahead of Bauke Mollema (Blanco) and Roman Kreuziger (Saxo-Tinkoff). The BMC Racing Team finished second – by seven seconds – in the team classification.

Saxo-Tinkoff’s Roman Kreuziger had a solid second part of the course where he squeezed the last bit of energy out of his legs on the steep climb and his effort took him to seventh place on the stage and consolidated his 3rd place overall: “There’s not much tactics to discuss on a day like this. Roman just powered away and did what he could and I think he has done a tremendously good stage race as well as the entire team. Every day we have made progress and we have made our mark on the race on both the sprinter stages, mountain stages and the time trial. An overall third result in a race like Tour de Suisse is definitely something to be proud of and it provides confidence looking forward to the challenges of the Tour de France,” said Saxo-Tinkoff DS, Fabrizio Guidi.

Tour de Suisse Stage 9 Result:
1. Rui Alberto Faria da Costa (Por) Movistar in 51:56
2. Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana at 0:21
3. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Blanco at 0:29
4. Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) Ag2r-La Mondiale at 0:42
5. Andrey Amador Bakkazakova (CRc) Movistar at 0:43
6. Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ at 0:55
7. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Saxo-Tinkoff at 1:00
8. Simon Spilak (Slo) Katusha at 1:05
9. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana at 1:06
10. Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC at 1:19.

Tour de Suisse Final Overall Result:
1. Rui Alberto Faria da Costa (Por) Movistar in 31:08:11
2. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Blanco at 1:02
3. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Saxo-Tinkoff at 1:10
4. Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ at 1:26
5. Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC at 1:43
6. Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana at 1:51
7. Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC at 2:23
8. Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin-Sharp at 2:42
9. Simon Spilak (Slo) Katusha
10. Cameron Meyer (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge at 3:44.

The final TT Stage 9:

Tour de Beauce 2013
Paco Mancebo (5 Hour Energy) blew the race apart on Stage 3 to Mont Mégantic for the stage win and the overall lead. The Queen Stage came down to a battle on the final climb; Matthew Cooke (CRCA) attacked on the 6.8 kilometre climb, the one that he won this stage on last year, but Mancebo waited to make his move and then passed the struggling Cooke.

Earlier in the stage Jamey Driscoll (Jamis-Hagens Berman), Marsh Cooper (Canada), Kirk Carlsen (H&R Block), Marc de Maar (UnitedHealthcare), Jeremy Vennell (Bissell) and Javier Megias Leal (Novo Nordisk), they eventually were caught. Megias stayed out in front and was joined by Rob Britton (Canada) and Jason McCartney (Bissell). The three managed to hold out until the final climb and the action began.

Tour de Beauce Stage 3 Result:
1. Francisco Mancebo Perez (Spa) 5 Hour Energy p/b Kenda in 4:02:19
2. Matthew Cooke (USA) Century Road Club Association at 0:05
3. Carter Jones (USA) Bissell at 0:12
4. Chris Butler (USA) Champion System at 0:14
5. Nathan Brown (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team at 0:30
6. Benjamin Day (Aus) UnitedHealthcare at 0:41
7. Philip Deignan (Irl) UnitedHealthcare
8. Michael Woods (Can) Equipe Garneau-Québecor at 0:59
9. Lucas Euser (USA) UnitedHealthcare at 1:08
10. Christian Meier (Can) Canada National Team at 1:12.

Tour de Beauce Overall After Stage 3:
1. Francisco Mancebo Perez (Spa) 5 Hour Energy p/b Kenda in 12:01:50
2. Matthew Cooke (USA) Century Road Club Association at 0:05
3. Carter Jones (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling at 0:12
4. Chris Butler (USA) Champion System at 0:14
5. Nathan Brown (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team at 0:30
6. Philip Deignan (Irl) UnitedHealthcare at 0:41
7. Benjamin Day (Aus) UnitedHealthcare
8. Michael Woods (Can) Equipe Garneau-Québecor at 0:59
9. Lucas Euser (USA) UnitedHealthcare at 1:08
10. Christian Meier (Can) Canada National Team at 1:12.

Stage 3:

The Stage 4 time trial of 20 kilometres in St. Benoît-Labre was won by Joey Rosskopf (Hincapie Sportswear Development Team) in 26:30 beating Nathan Brown (Bontrager) by the smallest of margins as they were given the same time. Third was Ben Day (UnitedHealthcare) at 1 second. Overall leader; Paco Mancebo (5 Hour Energy p/b Kenda) finished 6th at 27 seconds and held his lead by 2 seconds over Matthew Cooke (Century Road Club Association) and 3 seconds over Nathan Brown (Bontrager).

Tour de Beauce Stage 4 Result:
1. Joey Rosskopf (USA) Hincapie Sportswear Development Team in 26:30
2. Nathan Brown (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team
3. Benjamin Day (Aus) UnitedHealthcare at 0:01
4. Philip Deignan (Irl) UnitedHealthcare at 0:12
5. Matthew Cooke (USA) Century Road Club Association at 0:24
6. Francisco Mancebo Perez (Spa) 5 Hour Energy p/b Kenda at 0:27
7. Nathaniel English (USA) 5 Hour Energy p/b Kenda at 0:35
8. Phillip Gaimon (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling at 0:37
9. Robert Britton (Can) Canada National Team at 0:43
10. Ben Jacques-Maynes (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman.

Tour de Beauce Overall After Stage 4:
1. Francisco Mancebo Perez (Spa) 5 Hour Energy p/b Kenda in 12:28:47
2. Matthew Cooke (USA) Century Road Club Association at 0:02
3. Nathan Brown (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team at 0:03
4. Benjamin Day (Aus) UnitedHealthcare at 0:15
5. Philip Deignan (Irl) UnitedHealthcare at 0:26
6. Carter Jones (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling at 0:29
7. Chris Butler (USA) Champion System at 1:18
8. Christian Meier (Can) Canada National Team at 1:28
9. Joey Rosskopf (USA) Hincapie Sportswear Development Team at 1:44
10. Lucas Euser (USA) UnitedHealthcare at 2:09.

Stage 4:

Marc de Maar (UnitedHealthcare) won Stage 5 from local rider; Antoine Duchesne (Bontrager) and Oscar Clark (Hincapie Dev Team) on the Quebec City Circuit. De Maar and Clark had been part of an early move along with Jamey Driscoll (Jamis-Hagens Berman), Guillaume Boivin (Canada Nat Team) and Craig Lewis (Champion System), other riders got over to them from the bunch with two laps to go, including Christian Meier (Canada Nat Team) who was the strongman of the now nine man group. De Maar jumped 300 metres out and the win was his. Paco Mancebo’s 5 Hour Energy Team protected his lead and he was 5 seconds ahead of Nathan Brown (Bontrager) going into the last stage.

Tour de Beauce Stage 5 Result:
1. Marc De Maar (AHo) UnitedHealthcare in 3:07:02
2. Antoine Duchesne (Can) Bontrager Cycling Team
3. Oscar Clark (USA) Hincapie Sportswear Development Team
4. James Driscoll (USA) Jamis-Hagens Berman at 0:06
5. Christian Meier (Can) Canada National Team
6. Craig Lewis (USA) Champion System at 0:28
7. Francisco Mancebo Perez (Spa) 5 Hour Energy p/b Kenda at 0:47
8. Michael Woods (Can) Equipe Garneau-Québecor at 0:49
9. Diego M Jimenez (Dom) Inteja, Dominican Cycling Team
10. Joey Rosskopf (USA) Hincapie Sportswear Development Team.

Tour de Beauce Overall After Stage 5:
1. Francisco Mancebo Perez (Spa) 5 Hour Energy p/b Kenda in 15:36:36
2. Nathan Brown (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team at 0:05
3. Matthew Cooke (USA) Century Road Club Association at 0:08
4. Benjamin Day (Aus) UnitedHealthcare at 0:17
5. Philip Deignan (Irl) UnitedHealthcare at 0:39
6. Christian Meier (Can) Canada National Team at 0:47
7. Chris Butler (USA) Champion System at 1:33
8. Joey Rosskopf (USA) Hincapie Sportswear Development Team at 1:46
9. Oscar Clark (USA) Hincapie Sportswear Development Team at 2:04
10. Michael Woods (Can) Equipe Garneau-Québecor at 2:23.

Stage 5:

The circuit race Stage 6 in St. Georges saw a complete change in the overall for Paco Mancebo (5 Hour Energy) to drop from the lead down to 4th, 1:23 behind the final winner Nathan Brown (Bontrager), Philip Deignan (UnitedHeathcare) and Christian Meier (Canada) also jumped over the Spaniard in the final placing pushing him off the podium on the last day. Diego Milan Jimenez (Inteja) won the stage from Luis Amaran (Jamis-Hagens Berman) at the end of the 107 kilometres. Nathan Brown moved up the classment by jumping across to the leading break along Deignan and Meier with 4 laps remaining. This left Mancebo marooned in the bunch with little help from his tired team mates. Mancebo tried to contain the break, but in the end it was too much and he lost the race.

This was Browns biggest win in his career and he remarked. “It’s amazing!”

Tour de Beauce Stage 6 Result:
1. Diego M Jimenez (Dom) Inteja, Dominican Cycling Team in 2:35:29
2. Luis Romero Amaran (Cub) Jamis-Hagens Berman
3. Lucas Euser (USA) UnitedHealthcare
4. Michael Woods (Can) Equipe Garneau-Québecor
5. Jason McCartney (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
6. Philip Deignan (Irl) UnitedHealthcare
7. Christian Meier (Can) Canada National Team
8. Nathan Brown (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team
9. Kirk Carlsen (USA) H&R Block
10. Joe Lewis (Aus) Hincapie Sportswear Development Team at 1:26.

Tour de Beauce Final Overall Result:
1. Nathan Brown (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team in 18:12:08
2. Philip Deignan (Irl) UnitedHealthcare at 0:36
3. Christian Meier (Can) Canada National Team at 0:44
4. Francisco Mancebo Perez (Spa) 5 Hour Energy p/b Kenda at 1:23
5. Matthew Cooke (USA) Century Road Club Association at 1:31
6. Benjamin Day (Aus) UnitedHealthcare at 1:40
7. Kirk Carlsen (USA) H&R Block at 2:13
8. Lucas Euser (USA) UnitedHealthcare at 2:15
9. Michael Woods (Can) Equipe Garneau-Québecor at 2:19
10. Chris Butler (USA) Champion System at 2:56.

Ster ZLM Toer-GP Jan van Heeswijk 2013
Theo Bos made it two in a row Thursday for the Blanco Pro Cycling Team. Following the victory of Robert Wagner in Wednesday’s prologue, it was again success for Blanco in Stage 1. Bos held off world class sprinters André Greipel, Mark Cavendish and Marcel Kittel in the final sprint.

“It’s always cool to best that class of rider but to top them all at the same time is really a kick”, according to Bos directly after the finish. “This is the first time that has happened although I beaten them individually in the past.”

Considering the challenge the ride presented the riders today, Bos can be extra proud of his victory, the fifteenth of the year for Blanco. “It was not an easy parcours. It was a small group at the finish line, some 26 I believe. All the more reason to savour the win. It’s an indication that I have progressed further. It’s a great feeling to enough left in the tank after such a challenging ride to be able to sprint for the victory.”

About the sprint itself, Bos had the following to say: “Lars Boom and Robert Wagner broke away near the end but were chased down. At about 3 kilometres out from the line, I was in the right place at the right time. I was behind Kittel, Greipel and Cavendish in fourth and made my move with 300 metres to go. Fantastic to see that no one can get ahead of you.”

Following the wins from Wagner and Bos – roommates this week – the confidence in the Blanco Team is surging. “Yeah, we’ve already taken two stages and Lars is in top form. He is the man for the classification, I think. As for myself, I am hoping to make a good showing on the last day as well and perhaps I can make a bit of a name for myself tomorrow as well.

Robert Wagner will ride again in support of Bos and again in the yellow leader’s jersey as he managed to hang on to that today as well.

Unfortunately, Team Saxo-Tinkoff’s Rory Sutherland didn’t make it in the first group: “It was a very hectic stage with a great deal of cross winds and there were constantly new gaps in the field and of course, we’re disappointed that Rory wasn’t in the first group. Takashi made it and normally, he is our man for the sprints but unfortunately, he had a puncture in the final and didn’t make it back to the group to ride for the win. Now, we have to change tactics for the rest of the race,” said DS, Steven de Jongh after the stage.

Ster ZLM Toer-GP Jan van Heeswijk Stage 1 Result:
1. Theo Bos (Ned) Blanco in 3:53:40
2. Andre Greipel (Ger) Lotto Belisol
3. Mark Cavendish (GB) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step
4. Blaz Jarc (Slo) NetApp-Endura
5. Marcel Kittel (Ger) Argos-Shimano
6. Raymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin Sharp
7. Gregory Henderson (NZl) Lotto Belisol
8. Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC
9. Tom Veelers (Ned) Argos-Shimano
10. Jetse Bol (Ned) Blanco.

Ster ZLM Toer-GP Jan van Heeswijk Overall After Stage 1:
1. Robert Wagner (Ger) Blanco in 4:03:20
2. Lars Boom (Ned) Blanco at 0:02
3. Marcel Kittel (Ger) Argos-Shimano at 0:04
4. Andrew Fenn (GB) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step at 0:06
5. Andre Greipel (Ger) Lotto Belisol at 0:07
6. Michal Golas (Pol) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step at 0:11
7. Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Belisol at 0:13
8. Mark Cavendish (GB) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step at 0:14
9. Thomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin Sharp at 0:21
10. Jetse Bol (Ned) Blanco at 0:23.

Stage 1:

For most of the time during today’s 188.3 kilometre long Stage 2 of the Ster ZLM Toer in and around Buchten, Martijn Keizer (Vacansoleil-DCM) was riding alone with an open road ahead of him and a chase group on his tail and the peloton chasing further back. However, the chase group with Team Saxo-Tinkoff’s Jay McCarthy bridged the gap to the front rider and joined parties until 10 kilometres remained, where the peloton caught the escapees.

On the finish line, Lotto Belisol controlled the pace making and in the galloping bunch sprint, several riders crashed and piled up on the road while Marcel Kittel (Argos-Shimano) managed to go around and take the stage win ahead of André Greipel (Lotto Belisol) and Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma – Quick-Step).

Marcel Kittel is now in the lead overall.

Ster ZLM Toer-GP Jan van Heeswijk Stage 2 Result:
1. Marcel Kittel (Ger) Argos-Shimano in 4:33:06
2. Andre Greipel (Ger) Lotto Belisol
3. Mark Cavendish (GB) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step
4. Theo Bos (Ned) Blanco
5. Kenny Van Hummel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM
6. Lars Boom (Ned) Blanco
7. Raymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin-Sharp
8. Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise
9. Steele Von Hoff (Aus) Garmin-Sharp
10. Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise.

Ster ZLM Toer-GP Jan van Heeswijk Overall After Stage 2:
1. Marcel Kittel (Ger) Argos-Shimano in 8:36:20
2. Robert Wagner (Ger) Blanco at 0:06
3. Lars Boom (Ned) Blanco at 0:07
4. Andre Greipel (Ger) Lotto Belisol
5. Mark Cavendish (GB) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step at 0:16
6. Michal Golas (Pol) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step at 0:17
7. Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Belisol at 0:19
8. Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM at 0:30
9. Andrew Fenn (GB) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step at 0:31
10. Thomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin-Sharp at 0:34.

Stage 2:

As he did last year, Lars Boom has taken the win in the Queen Stage 3 of the Ster ZLM Toer. In 2012, the Blanco Pro Cycling Team rider narrowly missed capturing the yellow jersey on La Gileppe, the traditional spot for the finish line. This year, the Dutchman has claimed the leader’s jersey with one flat stage to go. It’s the 17th victory for the Blanco Pro Cycling Team this season.

“This is really a great day”, said Boom after the race. “I started the stage with the good vibe from last year and that was already very nice. In the finale on La Gileppe, I could accelerate well and I was quite satisfied with that. I’ve trained very hard these last weeks and that’s now paying off.”

The win didn’t come by itself, Boom admitted. “My teammates worked really hard today to reel in the lead-out”, said the classification leader who mentioned his crew by name to extend a word of thanks. Last year’s win on La Gileppe was also cause for celebration but the thought of what might have been casted a shadow over an otherwise joyous occasion. Today the euphoria was undimmed as Boom will be clad in yellow for Sunday’s final stage: a beautiful jersey which Boom is not planning to surrender. “I’m going to hold on to it!”

The chances are good that we’ll see Boom riding at the head of the peloton in search of a fourth stage win for the team. Following his own win and a prologue title for Robert Wagner, the Dutchman would love to shepherd his teammate and compatriot Theo Bos to his second stage win. “It’s going to be a windy day with lots of twists and turns on narrow roads. If I can help Theo, I’m certainly not going to let the chance pass me by.”

Team Saxo-Tinkoff Dane, Christoper Juul-Jensen flashed the team colours on today’s 186 kilometre long fourth stage of Ster ZLM Toer to La Gileppe in Belgium. Juul-Jensen was eager and set from the gun and catapulted away early on the stage with seven companions.

In the finale, Juul-Jensen launched an attack from the break and managed to create a gap with Adam Hansen (Lotto Belisol) but the duo was brought back at the entrance to the final ten kilometres. On the final kilometre, Lars Boom (Blanco) thundered away from a galloping pack of sprinters and took the stage win.

“It was good to see Chris (Juul-Jensen) taking a chance and it was very promising to see him launch another attack in the finale with Adam Hansen. Of course, we were hoping for a top result but if you never try, you’ll never get to the finish line first. Tomorrow’s stage will probably be for the sprinters so we’re supporting Takashi in the finale,” said Saxo-Tinkoff’s Steven de Jongh after the stage.

Ster ZLM Toer-GP Jan van Heeswijk Stage 3 Result:
1. Lars Boom (Ned) Blanco in 4:42:51
2. Davide Rebellin (Ita) CCC Polsat Polkowice at 0:03
3. Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM
4. Roman Maikin (Rus) RusVelo at 0:06
5. Michal Golas (Pol) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step
6. Andre Greipel (Ger) Lotto Belisol
7. Maxime Vantomme (Bel) Crelan-Euphony
8. Mark Cavendish (GB) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step
9. Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC
10. Thomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin-Sharp.

Ster ZLM Toer-GP Jan van Heeswijk Overall After Stage 3:
1. Lars Boom (Ned) Blanco in 13:19:08
2. Andre Greipel (Ger) Lotto Belisol at 0:16
3. Mark Cavendish (GBr) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step at 0:25
4. Michal Golas (Pol) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step at 0:26
5. Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM at 0:32
6. Marcel Kittel (Ger) Argos-Shimano at 0:35
7. Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Belisol at 0:36
8. Thomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin-Sharp at 0:43
9. Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto Belisol at 0:47
10. Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC at 1:06.

Stage 3:

The 176.5 kilometre long, undulating final Stage 4 of the Ster ZLM Toer between Gerwen and Boxtel was dominated by different breakaways and the expected bunch sprint seemed inevitable. However, the peloton was too late and on the finish line, Pim Ligthart (Vacansoleil-DCM) was the strongest in the front group of four and he took the stage win from Sven Vandousselaere (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise), Brian Van Goethem (Metec-TKH) and Arno Van Der Zwet (Koga). The peloton was only a few meters behind. Because of a puncture for Theo Bos just before the final ten kilometers, there wasn’t any support anymore from Blanco, so the peloton was too late. André Greipel (Lotto Belisol) won the bunch sprint for 5th from all the other fast-men; Kenny Van Hummel (Vacansoleil-DCM), Marcel Kittel (Argos-Shimano) and Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma – Quick-Step). Overall leader Lars Boom (Blanco) fought back from his late puncture to keep his lead for the overall win.

“Everything went well today, just like it did the entire week”, said Boom afterwards. “With an eye on the Dutch Championships, I wanted to confirm my form here and that is a tick in the box. This is good for my confidence.”

Theo Bos was unable to take part in the lead-out as he had punctured six kilometres before the finish line. “I would have liked another crack at all those sprinters assembled here”, said a disappointed Bos after the race. “I was up front all day and felt very good. I sat perfectly in Lars’ wheel when I suddenly got a flat.”

In retrospect, it was very successful Ster ZLM Tour for the Blanco Pro Cycling Team. Robert Wagner triumphed in the prologue and wore the yellow jersey for two days. Theo Bos edged out André Greipel, Mark Cavendish and Marcel Kittel to win the second stage whilst Lars Boom took the honours in the Queen Stage and ultimately finished atop the General Classification.

Sports Director Erik Dekker was very satisfied afterwards. “It’s been a great week. We set our goals beforehand and we succeeded: we wanted to win the prologue, a sprint with Theo and the Queen Stage and GC with Lars. The only smudge is that Theo could not sprint because of a flat, but we won’t let that rain our parade.”

Bart Leysen, Lotto Belisol sports director: “The team has worked well this race. André Greipel proved he’s good. The results he set here are good for his confidence. Unfortunately there was no victory. But his sprints were strong and he ended before Cavendish in those sprints. Indeed, Marcel Kittel beat him once, and he’ll meet him in the Tour as well, but yesterday he was dropped on the climb in the final.”

“Because of the crash on Friday Jürgen Roelandts couldn’t give everything in yesterday’s stage, but luckily the damage isn’t too bad. He’s 9th in the overall classification, Sieberg 7th and Greipel 2nd and that shows the whole team is good. On top of that we take points, which is very important. We’ll definitely be able to rely on our guys in the Tour, that’s for sure.”

Ster ZLM Toer-GP Jan van Heeswijk Stage 4 Result:
1. Pim Ligthart (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM in 4:04:17
2. Sven Vandousselaere (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise
3. Brian Van Goethem (Ned) Metec-TKH Continental Cyclingteam
4. Arno Van Der Zwet (Ned) Koga Cycling Team
5. Andre Greipel (Ger) Lotto Belisol
6. Kenny Van Hummel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM
7. Marcel Kittel (Ger) Argos-Shimano
8. Mark Cavendish (GB) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step
9. Victor Manakov (Rus) RusVelo
10. Yves Lampaert (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise.

Ster ZLM Toer-GP Jan van Heeswijk Final Overall Result:
1. Lars Boom (Ned) Blanco in 17:23:25
2. Andre Greipel (Ger) Lotto Belisol at 0:16
3. Mark Cavendish (GB) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step at 0:25
4. Michal Golas (Pol) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step at 0:26
5. Maurits Lammertink (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM at 0:32
6. Marcel Kittel (Ger) Argos-Shimano at 0:35
7. Marcel Sieberg (Ger) Lotto Belisol at 0:36
8. Thomas Dekker (Ned) Garmin Sharp at 0:43
9. Jurgen Roelandts (Bel) Lotto Belisol at 0:47
10. Danilo Wyss (Swi) BMC at 1:06.

Skoda Tour of Luxembourg 2013
The 183.8 kilometre long Stage 1 of Tour of Luxembourg from the Capital of Luxembourg to Hautcharage was lead by a front duo in pouring rain but as expected the escapees were caught as the Blanco team put on the pressure in the field.

On the final circuit in the finish town, several riders were launching attacks to try and create the crucial gap but the sprinter teams allowed no one to get away. The stage was decided in a bunch sprint where Alexander Porsev (Katusha) was the fastest rider in the bunch.

Team Saxo-Tinkoff’s Marko Kump was in the mix of sprinters in the finale: “Marko is well-positioned in the finale but he hits a back wheel of one of his rivals in the sprints and lost a few meters in the sprint. But he shows good form, motivation and guts in the fight for his position and hope he’ll do the same thing tomorrow where I expect another bunch sprint,” said DS, Dan Frost after the stage.

Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung put its mark on the first stage of the Skoda Tour of Luxembourg, as Gerald Ciolek finished second after Jay Thomson spent most of the stage in a breakaway. Ciolek challenged in the mass sprint in bad weather conditions in Hautcharge, and was beaten only by Alexander Porsev (Katusha). Thomson showed the colours of the African Professional Continental team in a long escape, finishing off with a solo effort that saw him caught with only 33 km to go.

“We saw a great race from our guys today. Our plan worked out,” said sports director Jens Zemke after the stage. “We absolutely wanted to be in the day’s break group. Jay put in a fantastic performance impressively represented our team, despite the horrible weather conditions, with rain and cold.”

“And with Gerald’s second place we can also be satisfied,” he continued. “Our chances are good and in the next few days we will continue to try to shape the race.”

Jimmy Engoulvent (Sojasun) retained his overall lead, ahead of Danny Van Poppel (Vacansoleil-DCM) and Jonathan Hivert (Sojasun). Jaco Venter is still the best MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung rider, in 30th place, with Gerald Ciolek as 39th.

Jay Thomson made the first move in the race, attacking early on, only to be caught again. But the South African time trial champion was determined to be away, and went again, this time joined by Duber Quintero of Colombia. This move was successful and the duo pulled away, building up a lead of six minutes.

The two stayed together a long way on the rainy day, but eventually their gap dropped, and Thomson took off on his own, building the lead back up. He did his best, but the wind was against him for a solo flight, and with 33 kilometres to go, he was finally caught after his strong efforts on the day.

That set up the expected mass sprint, as the wind and rain got worse and worse. MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung managed to bring Ciolek into position for the sprint, and the Milan-San Remo winner took second place on the day.

Skoda Tour of Luxembourg Stage 1 Result:
1. Alexander Porsev (Rus) Katusha in 4:40:50
2. Gerald Ciolek (Ger) MTN-Qhubeka
3. Juan Jose Lobato Del Valle (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
4. Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr) Ag2r-La Mondiale
5. Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) IAM Cycling
6. Danny van Poppel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM
7. Edwin Alcibiades Avila Vanegas (Col) Colombia
8. Rafael Andriato (Bra) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia
9. Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Accent Jobs-Wanty
10. Moreno Hofland (Ned) Blanco.

Skoda Tour of Luxembourg Overall After Stage 1:
1. Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Sojasun in 4:44:32
2. Danny van Poppel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM at 0:01
3. Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Sojasun
4. Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Accent Jobs-Wanty at 0:02
5. Matthias Brandle (Aut) IAM Cycling at 0:03
6. Paul Martens (Ger) Blanco at 0:04
7. Damien Gaudin (Fra) Europcar at 0:06
8. Bob Jungels (Lux) RadioShack Leopard at 0:07
9. Rémi Cusin (Fra) IAM Cycling
10. Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM.

Making it two wins in as many days, RadioShack Leopard Trek rider Giacomo Nizzolo took Stage 2 in the Skoda Tour de Luxembourg on Friday, taking a straight-up sprint victory on the 173.1km course from Shifflange to Walferdange.

Giacomo Nizzolo: “Today was not easy. Especially because the guys in the breakaway went so fast and the peloton didn’t give them much space so we all went fast the entire day. Then in the final we had the hard climb with many, many attacks. At the bottom for the last time, I asked the guys to help me, especially Bob Jungels. I have to say a big, big thank you to him. This is his home race and he gave 100% to me. The sprint, with just 25 riders left, was not in one line as we approached the finish. The Saxo-Tinkoff rider Kump went first and I went on his wheel until I started my sprint at 100 meters to go. It’s funny because he is the guy who hit my wheel yesterday and broke my derailleur so I didn’t win, but today I won and he was second.” Nizzolo’s win comes one day after teammate Gregory Rast took victory in stage 6 of the Tour de Suisse, making it back-to-back highly successful days of racing for RSLT.

Nizzolo, 24, comes from a track background but upon switching to road the Italian sprinter saw immediate success with 11 victories in 2009 and another twelve in 2010 prior to turning professional. His palmares include the overall win in the 2012 Tour de Wallonie. Giacomo carries the build of a true sprinter and puts out amazing watts near the end of a race. Combined with the ability to tackle the medium mountains with reserves still in the tank, Nizzolo is always a threat on the finish line.

Giacomo Nizzolo took part in his home tour, the 2013 Giro d’Italia, last May, taking second place once and fourth place two times. After the Giro many riders take a break but Nizzolo has held his form, bringing it with him to Luxembourg: “I can tell you that to keep my form for two weeks after the Giro is hard but I’ve been very focused on the Tour of Luxembourg and I came here in very good shape. I wanted to use this condition in this race. Yesterday I had bad luck but today it was good.”

Racing continues through Sunday in Luxembourg and Nizzolo vows to stay competitive: “This is a very important race for us. We are a Luxembourgish team so we have focused on this race and we are showing that we are motivated.”

Paul Martens finished third Friday in the second stage of the Skoda Tour of Luxembourg. The German from the Blanco Pro Cycling Team yielded only to Giancomo Nizzolo (RadioShack Leopard) and Marko Kump (Saxo-Tinkoff) after the 173 kilometre ride to Walferdange.

“Naturally, I would have preferred to win, but it wasn’t to be. The sprint was a challenge as it was on a fairly wide stretch with a headwind. Robert Gesink made an excellent lead-out but I found it difficult to time correctly. I was happy to have been able to contest for the win. In cycling, you don’t to beat just one, but one hundred and fifty and that’s never easy.

Together with his teammate, Martens made the finale a challenge, as in his words, “I knew that there were several guys I probably could not beat in a normal bunch sprint. To be honest, we did this with an eye on the classification as I would like to move up a few places and there were no bonus seconds here in the offing. A stage win is the primary goal, but there’s also nothing wrong with a good finish in the classification.

Martens has confidence that he can raise a few notches in the GC. “I feel good. Today and tomorrow are the challenging rides, but if I am on my game, I have it in my own hands.

Looking at the profile of today’s 173.1 kilometre long second stage of Tour of Luxembourg from Schifflange to Walferdange, the sprinters had the advantage compared to the numerous breakaways established during the course. But the constant attacks simply split up the peloton along the way.

Team Saxo-Tinkoff’s Bruno Pires launched several attacks in the finale but once again, Marko Kump was the fastest of the Saxo-Tinkoff riders finishing second in the sprint: “It was a very hard day in the field where riders constantly were on the move. As we enter the final circuit, we moved to the front of the pack to avoiding being caught behind on the technically demanding course. Bruno (Pires) launched an attack but the field was way too big to get away from. In the sprint, Marko (Kump) catches the wheel of NIzzolo who wins the stage and Marko has found good moral in this race and we hope that he, Chris and Bruno will be able to compete for the stage win on tomorrow’s challenging course,” said Saxo-Tinkoff DS, Dan Frost.

Team Saxo-Tinkoff’s Marko Kump was happy about finishing among the best: “Of course, it’s always good to know and experience that you can actually compete for the win but when you’re this close to victory, you can’t help being a little bit disappointed as well. I felt I had a good race and the timing was ok but Nizzolo was simply faster on the finish line. Tomorrow’s stage will be a lot harder than today and I hope to be among the strongest again but needless to say, Chris (Sørensen), Manuele (Boaro) and Bruno (Pires) are in good condition so we have more cards to play,” said the Slovenian rider after the stage.

Skoda Tour of Luxembourg Stage 2 Result:
1. Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) RadioShack Leopard in 4:10:24
2. Marko Kump (Slo) Saxo-Tinkoff
3. Paul Martens (Ger) Blanco
4. Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM
5. Manuel Belletti (Ita) Ag2r-La Mondiale
6. Vincent Jerome (Fra) Europcar
7. Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Sojasun
8. Alexey Tsatevich (Rus) Katusha
9. Manuele Boaro (Ita) Saxo-Tinkoff
10. Egoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Cofidis.

Skoda Tour of Luxembourg Overall After Stage 2:
1. Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Sojasun in 8:54:57
2. Matthias Brandle (Aut) IAM Cycling at 0:02
3. Paul Martens (Ger) Blanco at 0:03
4. Damien Gaudin (Fra) Europcar at 0:05
5. Bob Jungels (Lux) RadioShack Leopard at 0:06
6. Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM
7. Robert Gesink (Ned) Blanco at 0:07
8. Maarten Wynants (Bel) Blanco at 0:08
9. Sébastien Hinault (Fra) IAM Cycling at 0:09
10. Jan Bakelants (Bel) RadioShack Leopard.

A very happy Giacomo Nizzolo wins Stage 2:

In an unprecedented three-in-a-row string of victories for RadioShack Leopard Trek, Giacomo Nizzolo outkicked the others to take a second sprint victory in as many days in Stage 3.

Saturday’s queen stage of climbing was not meant for the sprinters, but Giacomo Nizzolo survived the final split in the peloton along with 29 other riders. Nizzolo: “The goal today was to suffer as much as possible. We also had the ambitions to protect with Bob and Jan on GC so I was instructed to hold the wheels as much as I could. We ended up catching them at 3 or 4 k to go and I prepared for the sprint. At the last corner I was third and I started my sprint at 100 meters. It was a little bit uphill and it was hard.” Nizzolo finished ahead of Alexey Tsatevitch of Katusha. Teammate Bob Jungels is fifth on GC at six seconds behind race leader Jonathan Hivert (Sojasun).

Nizzolo’s win marks the third win in three days for the RadioShack Leopard Trek. In the Tour de Suisse on Thursday, Gregory Rast earned his first stage victory in his home tour, sending team morale up the confidence scale. Then on Friday Nizzolo scored a sprint win in the Skoda Tour de Luxembourg, and notched up one more victory in Saturday’s 178.8km stage from Eschweiler to Diekirch to cap off the run of wins.

Teammates Jan Bakelants and Bob Jungels had ambitions for the stage win and yellow jersey as the team GC riders. On the final climb of Heulewee in Diekirch, the duo attacked and managed to get away. They caught the remains of the day’s break in Karsten Kroon, but all three were brought back at 3km to go from the chasing efforts of team Blanco.

Bakelants: “I was trying for the stage win and we wanted to put Bob in yellow. The team did so much work during the day, chasing hard to bring back the break of three. We had to chase so hard. If our team hadn’t done that hard work, there would be no win today – someone from the break would have won.”

Asked how hard the final climb was, Giacomo Nizzolo said, “My goal today was to die on the bike on this climb. In the end I just made it in the peloton with about 30 guys and my teammates in the front. When we caught them I got ready for the sprint. I am so tired now. But the morale on the team is so high; the win today was easier.”

When told that today’s stage was the queen stage of climbing and perhaps he could go for another sprint win on Sunday’s final stage, he replied, “Well, when you say today was the queen stage, then perhaps I will think about it. In my head today I was thinking this was my last chance. We’ll see what happens.”

“Karsten did an excellent stage and he and Ignatiev really deserved to be allowed to sprint it out between them but they were caught on the final kilometre of the stage after having been in front all day. Unfortunately, Chris (Anker Sørensen) was in a crash early on which naturally affected him but he and Manuele (Boaro) were in the first group to cross the finish line with Karsten. Tomorrow, there’s an even harder stage waiting for us and I hope Chris has fully recovered so he can compete for the stage win,” said Saxo-Tinkoff DS, Dan Frost after the stage.

Saxo-Tinkoff’s Chris Anker Sørensen was on the podium after stage like Karsten Kroon was yesterday to receive the prize for being the most sympathetic rider in the field.

Skoda Tour of Luxembourg Stage 3 Result:
1. Giacomo Nizzolo (Ita) RadioShack Leopard in 4:25:59
2. Alexey Tsatevich (Rus) Katusha
3. Pier Paolo De Negri (Ita) Vini Fantini-Selle Italia
4. Paul Martens (Ger) Blanco
5. Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM
6. Nico Sijmens (Bel) Cofidis
7. Egoitz Garcia Echeguibel (Spa) Cofidis
8. Yukiya Arashiro (Jpn) Europcar
9. Wouter Poels (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM
10. Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Sojasun.

Skoda Tour of Luxembourg Overall After Stage 3:
1. Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Sojasun in 13:20:56
2. Matthias Brandle (Aut) IAM Cycling at 0:02
3. Paul Martens (Ger) Blanco at 0:03
4. Damien Gaudin (Fra) Europcar at 0:05
5. Bob Jungels (Lux) RadioShack Leopard at 0:06
6. Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM
7. Robert Gesink (Ned) Blanco at 0:07
8. Maarten Wynants (Bel) Blanco at 0:08
9. Jan Bakelants (Bel) RadioShack Leopard at 0:09
10. Julien El Fares (Fra) Sojasun at 0:11.

Everything was set for fireworks on Sunday’s 143 kilometre long final Stage 4 of Tour of Luxembourg offering a hilly stretch from Mersch to Luxembourg City where the race was concluded on a demanding circuit.

In the finale, the early break was caught and Bob Jungels (Radioshack Leopard) launched a counter-attack and he managed to keep everyone behind and took the stage win. The fourth RadioShack Leopard Trek team win in as many days didn’t come without controversy; Bob Jungels took the stage victory initially winning the white jersey for best young rider, too. But a complaint filed by team Blanco made a few changes to the final results.

Jungels: “In the second to last lap Hondo pulled for me to make an attack and I was close to his left side. When he dropped off, he took his right hand to motion for me to go and I took off but I didn’t take his hand.”

The initial complaint against Jungels receiving a track-style hand sling from teammate Danilo Hondo was awarded a 10-second time penalty as well as 200 euro fine, but he was allowed to keep the stage win. The time penalty took Jungels out of the white jersey as best young rider and off the final podium.

Jungels: “We saw yesterday that Jan and I were the strongest on the climbs. Today I had Danilo at my side. On the second to last lap I told Jan to do the beginning of the climb fast and then there was a part where it was more flat and I was with Hondo. I attacked and passed the others, going full gas on the last lap alone. That last lap was really hard. I put the big chain ring on and went as hard as I could before the climb. At 50m to go I saw Martens on my wheel. I tried to accelerate away but I couldn’t. I missed the overall by three seconds. We tried everything but Blanco was really strong. I think we showed great team effort here in Luxembourg and we can be really happy with winning three stages in five days.” Second place went to Paul Martens (Blanco) with RSLT teammate Jan Bakelants taking third on the stage and Martens winning the classification for the race, ahead of Jonathan Hivert (Sojasun) at 4 seconds and Jan Bakelants (at 6 seconds).

Jungle’s teammate Jan Bakelants explained the team strategy: “The plan was to send Bob on the second to last lap. There was some hesitation in the peloton so he got a gap. On the last climb I was up to do the sprint in case Bob was brought back. In the end I finished in the wheel of Martens, but at least he couldn’t pass Bob and we won the stage.”
All week the team has been under the direction of José Azevedo: “I am a very happy team director. It would have been better to win the GC of course. That was our main goal. But the team worked so well together this week. There was good team spirit and we’ve won three out of five stages. I’m happy and proud.” After two stage wins on Friday and Saturday, Giacomo Nizzolo won the blue jersey of the point’s leader.

Paul Martens won the overall, the Blanco rider began the last day in 3rd place in the General Classification but with the help of his teammates, finished second in the stage and rose to number one in the GC. “It’s unbelievable – indescribable! I’ve been close before, but this is the first time I’ve actually won a stage race.

Martens did not expect to be able to take the win on the last day. “Naturally, I was hoping so. I knew the last stage and what was possible and rode along those lines. I am very happy that it’s played out in a win because in that way, I can pay the team back. They worked unbelievably hard for me the past few days. Without them, I could not have done it.”

Martens actually came very close to taking the last stage himself: “Five more metres and I would have caught him”, said Martens.

GC leader Jonathan Hivert and number two Matthias Brandle crossed the finish line as fourth and fifth but could not stay in touch with Martens. Their lead of a few precious seconds evaporated.

Team Saxo-Tinkoff Dane, Chris Anker Sørensen had a mechanical in the finale: “Unfortunately, Chris had a puncture as we entered the final 20 kilometres of the race where the pace was high. It took some energy to bridge the gap and he simply didn’t have the power to as the crucial attack from Jungels was launched. Also Manele (Boaro) displays good form by staying in the front group until the final kilometre,” commented Saxo-Tinkoff DS, Dan Frost after the stage.

Skoda Tour of Luxembourg Stage 4 Result:
1. Bob Jungels (Lux) RadioShack Leopard in 3:24:39
2. Paul Martens (Ger) Blanco
3. Jan Bakelants (Bel) RadioShack Leopard
4. Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Sojasun at 0:07
5. Matthias Brandle (Aut) IAM Cycling
6. Jonathan Fumeaux (Swi) IAM Cycling at 0:10
7. Björn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM at 0:12
8. Vincent Jerome (Fra) Europcar
9. Julien El Fares (Fra) Sojasun
10.Nico Sijmens (Bel) Cofidis.

Skoda Tour of Luxembourg Final Overall Result:
1. Paul Martens (Ger) Blanco in 16:45:38
2. Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Sojasun at 0:04
3. Jan Bakelants (Bel) RadioShack Leopard at 0:06
4. Matthias Brandle (Aut) IAM Cycling
5. Bob Jungels (Lux) RadioShack Leopard at 0:13
6. Marco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM at 0:15
7. Julien El Fares (Fra) Sojasun at 0:20
8. Jonathan Fumeaux (Swi) IAM Cycling at 0:21
9. Robert Gesink (Ned) Blanco
10. Nico Sijmens (Bel) Cofidis at 0:22.

Photo RadioShack Leopard team.

Training Crash for Astana
The Astana Tour de France riders are at the moment training at altitude in Tenerife, but on Sunday morning during a fast descent; Jakob Fuglsang, Andrei Grivko and Assan Bazayev crashed with Bazayev coming off the worst with his Tour start in doubt. Fuglsang injured an arm and his back and should be able to resume training, Grivko injured his hand and needs more medical attention and Bazayev has flown back to the mainland for attention to facial injuries.

Androni Giocattoli Sponsors for Another Year
The Italian toy manufacturer, Androni Giocattoli, has agreed to continue to sponsor the ProConti team for a further year. The team has had four victories so far this year; one each for Fabio Felline and Alessandro Malaguti and two for the team’s sprinter Mattia Gavazzi. Team manager Gianni Savio is also hoping to extend the team’s contract with Venezuelan Government until the next Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Haussler Fractures Pelvis in Suisse
Australian Heinrich Haussler (IAM Cycling) crashed out of the Tour de Suisse last Thursday soon after the start of the 186 kilometre stage to Meilen. After a fast start in the first 10 kilometres, the pace slowed causing a pile-up. He was taken to hospital and X-Rays showed he had “suffered bruises and multiple wounds on the left side of the body, a fractured pelvis and a small fracture of the left hip,” explained IAM Cycling’s team doctor Jacques Ménétrey. He added that “The rider will remain hospitalized a day or two before returning to his home.”

The PEZ NEWSWIRE!
Don’t forget to check the “NEWSWIRE” section, you can find it down the right hand side on the home page, just above the EuroTrash section. The bits of news that missed the EuroTrash deadline are in there, plus any news as-it-happens will be in there too.

*****

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Every year when I approach my first day at Giro I have a series of doubts. The most frequent is: does it deserve this? Behind the word “this” there are a number of good reasons that tells you to stay home and enjoy the Giro from the armchair. But every year, once back home I always feel a huge pain watching the stages on Tv and not by the roadside.

This year the approach to the event was less traumatic because I was reading all the good stories coming from Richard and Mino’s trip in the south Italy. So I was already looking forward to my part, my week end at Giro when the race come close to my home in Fano. No doubts this time, the Giro deserves all the trouble and this morning I was heading to Pescara in good time. The plan was simple: enjoy as much of the day as possible in the final battle on the hills around Pescara.

The day was great; warm and sunny. I was going to watch the start and then a couple of passages. I prepared my local “panini”; an hot salami called capocollo and the caciocavallo cheese.

Look for a good place to eat while waiting the race and meet my friends Richard and Mino (read Richard’s Giro di Pez here) on the road; yes, definitely the day started well. A group of 6 riders was already breaking and the group was following with no rush (but this calm at the end will be a mistake).

Some road on the highway to meet next spotting point and I found this small village, San Giovanni Teatino, lost in the country around Pescara. In the middle of the village there is a small restaurant “Arrosticini da Umberto”. You wouldn’t pay to it a penny but this place is something great. They have been the first to cook the “Arrosticini” a very special grill made with lamb meet. I had a chat with the principal, Claudio, he’s Umberto’s son and he is really in love with his job. He can tell you a lot how to cook the arrosticini and what to eat with them.

I then found a good place for spotting but, as usually happens this year, a few minutes from the passage it was starting a heavy rain. This rain, in some way, had also contributed to fire the race, but it was really nasty to be once again fully wet during the way back home.

At 15 km to the finish two main protagonists of the break (Hansen and Sella) were still ahead and the bunch behind, selected to 30-40 people, was climbing quite when Danilo Di Luca went out at double speed. Di Luca is a local rider, living few kilometers far from here and was very supported by the people on the side.

Ah yes. Di Luca at double speed…….

Some locals were happy to wait for the riders.

And some were not.

Then I started waiting the other riders and I noted the selection was huge. This is one of those days making the difference in a three weeks competition; I mean, when you start in the sun, warm and you turn to fully wet and obviously colder, with several hills and roads of all kinds, don’t mind how the “bigs” were close to each other, just give a look to the last.

After starting the day under beautiful skies this day finished like so many others at this year’s Giro – under the rain.

I will have other two days more to live inside the caravan and now is very late in the night. Tomorrow morning the wake up call is earlier than usual; a time trial is waiting for us. Don’t ask, it deserves!

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Growing rapidly, the Retro Ronde offers an impressive menu of events , including vintage racing and the opportunity to ride some of the brutal Hellingen, as the steep cobbled climbs of the Tour of Flanders (de Ronde van Vlaanderen, which marked its centennial this year) are known. It is centred around the town of Oudenaarde, which for many years hosted the finish line of the Tour of Flanders. Ourdenaarde, easily reached from Brussels, is the home of an impressive cycling centre/museum/bar, the Centrum Ronde van Vlaanderen, one of a multitude of sponsors of the Retro Ronde.

The rules are pretty simple and rather less exclusive than l’Eroica’s: show up with a “vintage” racing bike (not really defined) or a pre-1987 bike or a singlespeed or fixed-gear bike with a steel frame; shifter levers on down tubes; no clipess pedals; vintage or replica clothing without modern accessories. Nobody is checking too strenuously since the whole point is to have fun but you would have felt foolish riding your carbon time trial bike anyway. Registration is a mere 10 Euros (12 Euros at the start) and 5 Euros to join one of the criterium races on Saturday evening. This includes a vintage-style photo of you before you ride off on Sunday, marked routes of 40, 70 or 100 kms, great food stops with live entertainment, mechanical and/or medical assistance and cheering crowds when you roll back up the ramp to finish. Then you get a bacon sandwich and an excellent dark-brown beer. Remember: 10 Euros (US$ 13.50) for all this!

Besides the Sunday rides, events include Friday evening’s Beer Cycling Contest at the Centrum which appears to involve riding a bike on a training stand at high speed while consuming beer; the jumble sale where you can find that special frame or obscure part; the Retro Dansant ball, with music by the Lindy Hop Dansinitiatie and the Dipsy Doodles; and, of course, the beauty contest to choose the “Ravissantste RetroRondeRenner,” or “Most Ravishing Retro Ronde Rider.” The last event had no fewer than four categories: a rider with a pre-1987 racing bike and retro clothing; a rider with a pre-1987 non-racing bike with a retro outfit; an individual rider with a homemade jersey; and a team with homemade jerseys.

A necessary aside on the homemade jersey requirement. As the bike market was closing I met Isabelle Finet who sells patterns for sew-it-yourself jerseys. The patterns come in the form of charming children’s books about la Famille Victor and are available in English as well as Flemish. Popular patterns include the famous Flandria bicycle brand and we saw a number of these jerseys at the event. But once you have the pattern you can choose your own colours and style changes, of course, and perhaps look like Hugo Koblet in the Yellow Jersey in 1951. The rules for the contest stated that to win you should have sewn the jersey yourself (!) or have a family member or friend do it—no pros, please. Furthermore, clever amendments to the Flandria or Superia design put you “in the good books” of the judges. Lastly, the seamstress/tailor should be present at the judging. This is a wonderful idea and reflects the spirit of enthusiastic amateurism and down-hominess that characterizes the Retro Ronde. That said, organization of the Retro Ronde is impressive and professional.

The entire centre of Oundenaaarde is cordoned off on Saturday evening and all day Sunday for the Retro Ronde. On Saturday evening there is a series of criterium races in categories of multi-speed, singlespeed and fixed gear bicycles, presided over by an announcer in a tweed suit with plus-four trousers. This was all highly entertaining to watch. Each of the races, except the final, was 10 laps through the town, mainly over cobbles, and began with two neutral laps where the riders were preceded by two ancient scooters as pacesetters.

The riders, none of whom wore real helmets although the infamous “leather hairnet” was much in evidence, were generally d’un certain age, as the French put it, so not only were the bikes rather experienced but most of the riders had been around the block a few times too. This became evident around Lap 7 or so when the field had long broken up into little groups and several of the participants were either brilliantly red-faced and gasping or simply cruising around hands-off. We were dismayed when an ancient rider on an ancient yellow Faggin was pipped at the finish line by some young whippersnapper after leading most of the race during the Multispeed II crit. Shameless Youth!

RSV Vagabund ’13, the Rhineland’s newest vintage bicycle club, was well-represented with the presence of myself, Nick and Tom, standard-bearers for Canada, Britain and the USA. Flanders is convenient to a lot of places in Europe so there was a strong presence from neighbouring Germany, France and Holland and a huge contingent from across the Channel. Retro rides are growing rapidly in popularity on the European continent but the UK, which has many collectors and many fine vintage bicycles, does not offer the same event opportunities, we were told.

One rider from the UK was Grant with his SBDU Raleigh

We drove in from our luxurious bed-and-breakfast (you would be amazed what kind of accommodation Flanders offers!) to Oudenaarde and followed the excellent signage to a huge parking lot not far from the Centrum. It had rained all night but the forecast was fairly positive and although it was not raining when we assembled the bikes it was rather bitter and damp. We slowly made our way through the mass of riders. Having already picked up our start numbers we joined the line to the sign-in. Yes, just like a pro race the announcer in his tweed suit and flat cap asked us about our bikes and where we were from (in three languages, no less) before we rode up a little ramp to a platform where a big board had all of our numbers.

One of the costumed crew members—a policeman, a nun, a village priest or a local mayor with a tricolour sash—held your bike while you signed in beside your start number and waved to the adoring crowds. There were many really beautiful bikes, including a purple 1935 Automoto and various marques unknown to me. The announcer noted immediately that I was riding an early 1980s Belgian bicycle, a Cicli Diamant made in Flanders, and I said it was a great opportunity to bring the bike back to its native roads.

Down the ramp and into another line, this time for an Olde Tyme photo in front of a Retro Ronde backdrop. Nick and I had our pictures taken although Tom, sadly arrived too late but there is always next year. Then we were marshalled, sort of, onto the main street in front of the Centrum and around 10 minutes late at 10:40 we departed with the hardcore riders planning to do the 70 or 100 km courses. Fifteen minutes later the 40 km people would leave.

Our route began by taking us around the centre of Oudenaarde, clearly a test to see if everything on the bike was secure as we bounced over the cobbles. But they were pretty civilized cobbles and we made some good time. It was wonderful to look at the diverse colours of all the vintage bicycles, so different from today’s limited palette of black, black, black and some white or red.

About twenty minutes into the ride Tom discovered that his Continental Puncture-Proof tires were not as advertised so we took a break to look after the rear flat. Most of the group passed us, including a cyclist doing the course on a high-wheeler. After some wrestling, Tom nearly had the tire back on when the Broom Wagon arrived. A very large gentleman offered some help and a floor pump. Tom was struggling with the tire but our Broom Wagon Friend took it from him and with gigantic practiced hands simply rolled the Conti back onto the rim with no effort. And we were on our way again, our goal being to pass the high-wheeler and confirm the superiority of the safety bicycle.

Having ridden all of 12 kms, we now arrived at Control 1 at de Valleihoeve, where the aforementioned nun stamped our cards and we enjoyed some atmospheric accordion music while consuming fresh strawberries that a local farmer was handing out. There was chocolate too and some other nice things to eat. We looked at some of the other bicycles and then went off on the next leg which would see our route separate from the shorter ones.

We had a brief climb (den Ast) and then two sections of flat cobblestones (Molendamstraat and Oude Dorpsweg). As I had feared, the gearing on the Diamant, which I had purchased only the week before, was totally unsuited to steep climbs but I just dropped into my lowest gear (46-19!) and slowly ground my way up to the top while Tom and Nick, riding more sensible Italian bikes with gearing for humans, went on ahead.

Our route took us through back roads which were sometimes just muddy farm paths and through quiet neat villages with dark-brown brick houses, where often people leaned on their fences to shout encouragement or just beam in pleasure. A very different attitude from those places where the locals are infuriated if the road is closed for an hour of a race…

We were accompanied by a collection of vintage cars that generally were no faster than we were. My favourite was an Austin Seven, but there were lots of Citroens too, including the iconic 2CV and the DS. They all got in the way a bit at times but nobody was in a hurry anyway and it certainly added to the atmosphere.

Passing a small castle near Hoeve Ter Weede, we continued along two more sections of cobbles and then climbed the Nokereberg, another cobbled hill, before coming to Control 2 at In den Hemel. In addition to more live music, we were given big tureens of excellent tomato soup to enjoy. There were more picturesque cyclists and their mounts to admire and everyone was impressed with a family of four in matching gear: father, mother, older brother and, on a tiny bike, the little brother who looked around seven or so. They start them young in Belgium. We also met up with the group of Germans that had been staying in our B&B. Unfortunately, the one riding an elderly Legnano had had some bad mechanical problems and his ride was over. We found out later that he sold the bike on the spot; perhaps he found another to continue the ride!

Riding out of the control point we rode through an allée of tall trees, bringing us past the Kasteel Baron Casier, a water castle constructed in the mid-19th Century in the classical style and today housing a tea room in addition to the fine park we were riding through.

We climbed a little hill and then rode just east of the village of Wortegem-Petegem (now there’s a familiar name to Belgian cycling fans!) before approaching Control 3 at de Stroheve. We could see everyone at the food stop straight ahead but the red arrows marking the route took us to the right. The reason was that our path now took us directly through a huge stable, where there were many black Belgian horses to admire, including several wobbly colts, and a collection of interesting carriages. And riding to the control we discovered that in addition to the usual apples and oranges and cookies there was a large gentleman smoking a cigarillo and pouring out lemon schnapps for everyone.

All this cycling was the typical roundabout course you find in Flanders. Having ridden 40 kms we saw a sign indicating that Oudenaarde was 6 kms away! No matter: onward to the hard part of the course. We streamed by another castle, the Domein de Ghellinck, that had been converted into a restaurant/family centre and then find ourselves riding along a fast smooth path along a river. The routes separated again and we had another cobbled flat section to enjoy before the Tiegemberg, another nice little climb, before looping back to join the 70 km course.

This brought us to one of the very famous Tour of Flanders climbs, the Oude Kwaremont, which begins pleasantly enough but soon you leave asphalt behind and the cobbles gradually deteriorate in quality as you approach the 19 percent maximum grade. My legs definitely did not like this much but I managed to get to the top without walking. Nick missed the turn and continued to climb against a one-way road directly to the top.

A bit further one was probably the worst climb in terms of steepness. It is described as the Rampe and must be at least 22 percent, although short. Time for Mr. Diamant to get a push since I was walking this one, accompanied by some elderly Brits with some really admirable bikes to look at.

Our next control was in a big barn and featured a duo doing AC-DC music to give us energy. We carefully rode along the cobbled farm driveway and back on course—35 kms to go! A steep climb at Kuihol saw some admiring children rush over to give us a push, although Nick got a slap in the leg from a little boy, and we were making our way through the hardest part of the course. Next up was the Taaienberg, also a featured cobbled climb in the Ronde and then one more paved climb before the last control point. We were left with just 18 kms to go but this included four climbs, including the rather painful Kapelleberg and one final stretch of cobbles, which ran through the village of Jagerij and must have been the inhabitants’ pride and joy.

Now the end was in sight and we tore downhill into Oudenaarde, rolling up the finishing ramp and signing out with 102 kms and 1075 m of climbing in our legs, three of 535 participants at the Retro Ronde. A welcome sandwich was provided and an even more welcome cool brown beer. We enjoyed our refreshments while listening to the Vindaloo Five perform and then it was off to use the showers at the Centrum, say goodbye to our British friends who were packing up and jam Tom’s Fiesta full of our gear and take the highway home.

Everyone had a smile on their face and all have agreed to come back next year for the full program since missing the Beer Cycling Contest was tragic. We may even work on our sewing skills in preparation for next year but no matter what the Retro Ronde is one of the most entertaining (ravishing!) weekends you can have on a bike. Admission is a bargain: entry is 10 Euros, there is plenty of reasonable accommodation in the region and as to getting equipped: well, my handbuilt Diamant, made from quality Reynolds 531 steel and with excellent Shimano Arabesque components, cost me complete roughly half the price of a modern wheelset alone. But that sprinter’s freewheel has to go!

Our heroes of the day, Leslie and Nick with their steeds.

For more information about the Retro Ronde go to www.retroronde.be And because you really want a vintage-style jersey or want to sew one for a Significant Person, ask Isabelle at www.lafamillevictor.be.

Veilleux has been a professional – initially on the North American scene – since 2007 when he turned pro with Jittery Joe’s at the age of 19. He was originally an off-road rider, with his first notable result being third in the 2002 Canadian debutant cyclo cross championship. By 2006 he was Canadian U23 time trial champion, a title he successfully defended three times. Then in 2008 he moved teams to Kelly Benefit Strategies, where he remained until the end of 2010.

Stage wins in the Nature Valley and Tour of Pennsylvania stage races and a GC win in the Tour of Elk Grove were the highlights of his first year with Kelly. The following season saw strong performances on the world stage with tenth in the World U23 TT champs and a bronze medal in the Pan American U23 TT championship.

The 2010 season saw the man from Cap-Rouge grab GC wins in the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic in the US and Tour de Delta in Canada, not to mention a win in the hotly-contested US Pro criterium championship. He became the first Canadian ever to triumph there.

For season 2011 he was with Europcar, taking his first Euro win in the 1.2 Roue Tourangelle in France and being in the break of the day in Paris-Roubaix, finishing an eventual 25th. He finished the season well with two placings just outside the top 20 in the UCI races in Quebec and Montreal.

The 2012 season saw a top 20 on GC at the Three days of De Panne and stage and GC wins in the tough Mi-Aout Bretagne. But leaving behind riders like Domenico Pozzovivo and Giovanni Visconti to win the Varesine at the end of the season was his biggest achievement up until his Stage One triumph in the Dauphine, last week.

Veilleux took time to talk to PEZ as he recovered from the Dauphine and began to think about final preparation for his first Grand Tour – le Tour de France.

PEZ: Congratulations David – did you sleep beside the maillot jaune?
No, but I had it where I could see it so that if I woke up in the night I could make sure I wasn’t dreaming!

PEZ: You were away for 118 K with 47 K of those solo – when did you begin to believe?
I thought it might be possible for the right break to stay away – but on a short stage like that a lot is down to how the field reacts. I knew I had very strong legs and when the guys in the break with me began to tire in the middle of the stage I decided to go alone, attacking before the top of a climb. With 20 K to go I began to realise it was possible but I still kept pushing hard on those pedals and it wasn’t until the last 100 metres that I realised that it was certain.

PEZ: The legs must have hurt on stage two?
Yeah, the next stage was kinda hard, especially the start – that was tough on the leg muscles. With all the protocols after Stage One I had no time to do a warm down so I was pretty stiff for the first kilometres of Stage Two.

PEZ: And the team worked well for you on Stages Two and Three?
Oh yeah, it was important for the team to defend the jersey; they were proud and happy to help me with the defence.

PEZ: Sometimes a French team doesn’t try as hard as it might for a foreign leader?
No, no, they were 100% and very happy for me – even though I’m obviously not French.

PEZ: You lost the jersey in the time trial.
I really tried my best in the time trial and for the first 15 K I was going well but after that it wasn’t happening – but I gave it my all.

PEZ: And Monsieur Voeckler made it an even better Dauphine for Europcar?
Yes with his win that made it two stages and three days in yellow for us – it always boosts the squad if Thomas is going well.

PEZ: And you were frisky again on Stage Eight.
It was a good stage for Pierre Rolland and I was working hard to get him in position for the last climb – but there was a total lack of cooperation in the break and it didn’t work out.

PEZ: Are you still living in the team house in the Vendee?
My fiancée and I moved to Girona six months ago and we spent the winter there; but I still use the team house depending on my race programme.

PEZ: You rode you usual cobbled classic programme, how did it go for you?
I was a good team mate but my fitness was average. I know those races well but my training has been more geared towards hilly races and the second part of the season – I’m really looking forward to that.

PEZ: Is Europcar riding in the new Alberta Tour in Canada?
We’re not sure yet, the team is trying to see if it’s possible. Obviously we’ll be riding the World Cup races in Montreal and Quebec – they’re an important part of our programme.

PEZ: Europcar is very ‘French’ how do the guys like Thurau and Malacarne get by?
Thurau’s French isn’t too bad and Malacarne’s has improved a lot; but it is harder for them. We also have an Eritrean rider, Berhane Teweldemedhin if I’m at the team house he stays with me – he has a little English so I try to help him with French as much as I can.

PEZ: What’s the latest on a team sponsor for 2014?
We don’t know yet, that’s for the management to deal with – I do my stuff on the road and leave that to them.

PEZ: And you’re on the Tour team.
Yes, I’m very excited; obviously my fitness is good and I’m looking forward so much to being in Corsica for the Grande Depart. I’ll be there to help the team – in Pierre Rolland and Thomas Voeckler we have two of the race’s key players and I want to give them as much support as I can. For every cyclist it’s their dream to ride the Tour de France – and for me it’s coming true.

They may be veterans – the break included Bert Grabsch (37), Matt Hayman (35), Alexander Kolobnev (32) and Rast (33) – but with that comes a vast wealth of experience. Between them they must have over almost 70 years of racing wisdom, quite a reservoir of knowledge, and yes they may well have been tired after 185 and something kilometers of racing, but wasn’t that an odd, nervy finish?

Seeing Rast attack first I was convinced he was not going to win, a victory he heralded after as “big.” And it was, his biggest on home soil since he won the national championships for the second time in 2006 and his biggest for some time, just reward for a trusty domestique and a local boy at that.

A victory for a domestique is always sweet but it’s so much sweeter on home soil.

If the Swiss carry on like this we’ll have to redefine the terms of their neutrality, perhaps. But back to that finale. When you’re in a break like that, as I mentioned when Voeckler won in the Dauphine from an identical situation last week, the riders’ thoughts suddenly turn from survival to victory and the adrenalin starts to pop as riders worry about two things – how they can win and how they can lose.

Focus on the fear too much and you will have to be very lucky to get that win.

In this case though yesterday the break knew from a long way out that they would stay clear, so maybe that partly explained the nervousness of the finish. Indeed, there were still over 20km to go and the Eurosport commenter Magnus Backstedt was already musing over how the race would end. Rast attacked and got no more than 5 meters as Grabsch chased him down.

Rast knew he had to take on the sprinters in the pack early to get a jump, both literally and figuratively, on their natural speed.

Then Grabsch with 3km to go went and Rast chased him. Surely, I thought, those two are done. Kolobnev is a very cute performer in these kind of situations and looked the real threat, but Hayman was riding the smartest, sitting at the back and biding his time like the seasoned pro should.

But maybe ‘smart’ was actually ‘tired’?

And then Rast went again. And he stayed gone. Now, had any one of the others chased at that very second then the race would not have been won by the Swiss rider, or at least I very much doubt it. Yet he seized on the hesitation of Kolobnev and the indecisiveness of Hayman and bang, he was gone, shipping a few extra Swiss bucks into the rather threadbare looking pot that sits in the Radioshak-Leopard bus these days.

Was Kolobnev too tired to go? No, just too stubborn to toe Hayman along. There are riders who would have given it full gas to bring Rast back only to be beaten at the line by the man they dragged along, but that is not Kolobnev’s game. He’ll give up a win rather than be taken for a mug. And sometimes, if you listen to some rumors, he might even sell one.

With Rast gone there was nothing left but scraps left for the rest with Hayman taking the sprint for 2nd ahead of Kolobnev.

So a plucky and fortuitous win by the Swiss rider and about time that the Luxembourg-based team got something. It’s been a stinker really for everyone on their team this year, apart from their really big Swiss guy.

Any signs of a resurrection for Mr. A. Schleck? Hmm, not looking too good with the Tour just around the corner, and with Cancellara sitting it out as he aims for the Worlds it could be very slim pickings for the boys this July. They might even be wishing they’d hung onto Fugslsang.

Aldo has been a regular on PEZ through the years and we caught up with him at home in Slovenia as he took a little well earned down time before flying off to China to ride the Qinghai Lakes.

The tall man from Ptuj first caught the eye in 2003 with a stage win in the Tour de Slovenia. In 2004 he turned pro with well respected Slovenian team Perutnina Ptuj and took a stage in the super fast Olympia Tour of Holland. The following season, a stage win in the Paths of King Nikola stage race in Croatia was the high light. The Giro delle Regione gave him a stage win in 2006; but it was 2008 when he really found his feet – with eight wins, from Croatia to Charlotte, North Carolina in the colours of Slovenian squad, Slava.

For 2009 he signed with Team Type 1 – where he stayed until the team changed direction at the end of 2012 – taking two big criterium wins in the US as well as a host of podium places. The following year, slimmed down to get over the hills, he was a real force on the UCI Tours with three stage wins in the Tour du Maroc, one in the Tour of Mexico and two in the Tour do Rio.

In 2011 TT1 went Pro Continental and the level of races was higher – despite this, Ilesic had a solid season, kicked off with two top ten placings in the early season Etoile des Beseges in France. Last year saw him drop into the role he was perhaps designed for all along – lead out man. Along the way he took three major wins for himself, was second in ‘Philly’ and was instrumental in many of TT1’s wins on the UCI circuit all over the world.

PEZ: Congratulations on Clarendon, Aldo – what was the UHC game plan for the day?
I didn’t plan to go for the win but when the chance came, I took it! The plan was for us to keep it together for a mass sprint but as the race went on it was obvious a break was going to go. We agreed that if a break did go then we had to have two in it; one to drive and one to sprint. I got away in a break of eight in a break with Danny Summerhill and that proved to be the winning move.

PEZ: And you lapped the field?
Yeah, with about 20 laps to go. Once the junction was made that meant I could get full support from the team; Jake Keough was actually first across the line at the end with me just behind but because I was a lap up and best of the break, I was the winner.

PEZ: Your team mate Danny Summerhill was good for you in the break, I believe.
He was amazing, really strong; he did the job for me; we didn’t know if we’d manage to get the lap – but if we did I’d have to save my legs for the sprint. It wasn’t actually planned for me to be riding US crits but because we didn’t ride in Austria or Slovenia, I was there. I’m part of the UnitedHealthcare road squad but have ridden crits for years, so it was a good experience.

PEZ: At 100 K it’s a long criterium.
It’s the longest on the circuit, 100 laps of a one kilometre circuit with five turns on each lap – so that’s 500 corners! It’s not a circuit you can just go out and ride, I’ve ridden it three times – the first time I was DNF because I didn’t understand that you have to go through the corners at full speed, if you don’t, you burn up so much energy accelerating out of the turns that you’re soon wasted. The second time I finished but was empty in the final – this time I got it just right!

But I have to tell you that my equipment made a big difference this time round; I’m a big guy and need a strong, reliable bike and tyres underneath me – the NeilPryde gives me confidence in the turns and the Maxxis rubber is fantastic on a circuit like that, you know you can trust it.

PEZ: What’s the UHC ‘crit secret?’
It looks easy right now, but it’s the result of four or five years work – it didn’t just come about first time round. Everyone knows their job, there are no questions about; ‘maybe I could do this or do that,’ we all have a role to perform and that’s what we do. That crit squad is just crazy good – and they’re fun to be around. The team’s goal is to get the road squad working as well as the crit team – transfer those team skills across.

PEZ: And Robert Forster is back.
Yeah, he’s back from injury; he was out all spring and we missed him – he’s so experienced, we missed him. With the riders we have we have great hardware – but he provides the software to drive it.

PEZ: This is your sixth season on the US crit scene; what’s changed?
That’s a difficult question; but when you’re riding on the best team it seems easier, now! The maximum six man team restriction was a big change; but I think there’s still a lot of potential for criterium racing to grow – United States Cycling and the organisers could work more closely, I think. Young US guys tend to ‘pass through’ crits on the way to be roadmen – it would be good if they remained within the scene.

PEZ: You had three top 20’s in the Etoile de Besseges but your palmares have been quiet ‘til Clarendon.
This season isn’t about results for me, it’s about being part of the lead out train and getting that just right for Jake Keough – he’s our main sprinter. And Robert Forster was to have been a key part of that – but he was out for the spring. At Besseges I was just doing what I could, our sprinters were at San Luis and Langkawi.

PEZ: You’re looking awful skinny.
A lot of people have been saying that to me – I think you’re right but it just comes with the job. I’m three or four kilos lighter and that means I can get over the climbs better and be there at the end.

Long two man breakaways like here in the Tour of Turkey this year are certainly one way to lose weight…..

PEZ: Are there races for you to ride at home?
There are only a few races at our level in Slovenia – the Tour of Slovenia is coming up but we’re not riding it. We have a team in Beauce and with injuries we can’t field a squad for Slovenia. My next start is the Qinghai Lakes in China; it’ll be a hard race – I’ve heard that Lampre and NetApp will be there. The focus of that race is changing from climbers to sprinters; when I first rode it four or five years ago, the climbing was crazy. But last year 11 of the 13 stages ended in a sprint; there’s always a group of at least 50 or 60 guys contests the finish.

PEZ: What are the goals for the rest of 2013?
The main thing is to get our sprint train dialled in and get stage wins. We’ve been trying hard but it’s time for us all to get on the same page and for me to do what I get paid for.

PEZ: Will you cut yourself any slack on your R & R time?
This week I want to do stuff totally unrelated to bikes! I have no specific plans – but see friends, have some barbecues, do some sight seeing . . . Then it’ll be back on the bike and solid training for Qinghai.

TOP STORY: Dr. Cheung’s Lab!
Regular PEZ and Toolbox readers will know that our own Dr. Stephen Cheung has been writing about the science of cycling for over a decade now, but what does he actually do in his real life in the lab? Recently, Virtual Researchers on Call (www.vroc.ca), an organization developing videos to promote the fun of science in grade school children in Ontario, produced a video on Stephen’s Environmental Ergonomics Lab at Brock University. And since the video is geared for grade schoolers, his wife Debbie came up with the terrific idea of having their two grade-school aged boys interview Dr. Freeze in his lab. Check out what happens when Dr. Freeze and the Freezies play in the lab!

Tour de Suisse 2013
Stage 3 saw Peter Sagan (Cannondale) take the stage victory and Mathias Frank (BMC) move into the overall lead. On the final climb of the day four riders escaped and the overall leader Cameron Meyer (Orica-GreenEdge) was not one of them. Sagan along with Frank had Rui Costa (Movistar) and Roman Kreuziger (Saxo-Tinkoff) for company with around 25 kilometres to the finish in Meiringen. There had been many big breaks during the day and Michael Albasini (Orica-GreenEdge) was the last to be caught from a large group before the final action started. Bad news for Garmin-Sharp as Ryder Hesjedal crashed out of the race in the later part of the stage. Mathias Frank now has 25 seconds over Roman Kreuziger and Rui Costa in third at 35 seconds.

BMC’s Mathias Frank said familiarity with the downhill run-in to the finish helped, but assistance from teammates going up the climb was even more valuable. “The whole team did a great job placing Tejay van Garderen and me at the bottom,” he said. “Then Tejay set the perfect pace. I was talking to him and he said he would set a good, hard tempo. It was just perfect how we did it. Tejay is riding really strongly. To have a guy like him as a teammate is all you can ask for.” Frank now leads Roman Kreuziger (Team Saxo-Tinkoff) by 23 seconds and Rui Costa (Movistar) by 35 seconds with six stages to go. Both were part of the four-man move that finished 39 seconds ahead of a shattered peloton. Van Garderen is 10th overall, 1:39 behind.

BMC Racing Team Directeur Sportif John Lelangue said having world road champion Philippe Gilbert in an 18-man breakaway allowed the team’s remaining riders to stay quiet around Frank and van Garderen until the right moment. “At the briefing this morning, we decided to go for it after the first passage through the finish line,” he said. “There was a fourth category climb with a critical downhill so we wanted to be in the front before the last climb. That was a great job by the whole team to make it happen.” Frank said four previous Tours de Suisse have taught him not to underestimate the importance of every stage. “One moment of not being attentive can be fatal for you,” he said. “But I have a great team around me and I’m really confident in the job they can do and that they can keep me out of trouble.” Lelangue said the BMC Racing Team will take a one-day-at-a-time approach to defending the lead. “Every day will be difficult,” he said. “We know there will be some easy days. But in a stage race, you have to be concentrating every day. The good thing is, we have a good team around Mathias and around Tejay for supporting the yellow jersey. We have seen they are all riding on a high level.”

After the stage; the Garmin-Sharp team released this statement: “Ryder Hesjedal crashed during today’s stage at the Tour de Suisse, suffering a heavy blow to the neck and head. He was immediately transported to a local hospital for evaluation. Hesjedal suffered multiple, severe contusions and abrasions to the right wrist, hip and knee and left shoulder, elbow and knee. Preliminary CTs show no fractures and no neurological pathologies. He will remain under close observation by team medical staff. Hesjedal’s health is the team’s priority – depending on how his recovery progresses team medical staff as of now hopes he may be able to train in a few days time, although this will depend on his recovery.”

Tour de Suisse Stage 3 Result:
1. Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale in 4:46:27
2. Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Movistar
3. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Saxo-Tinkoff
4. Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC
5. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Blanco at 0:39
6. Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar at 0:46
7. Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin-Sharp
8. Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ
9. Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana
10. Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) Ag2r-La Mondiale.

Tour de Suisse Overall After Stage 3:
1. Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC in 7:39:18
2. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Saxo-Tinkoff at 0:25
3. Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por) Movistar at 0:35
4. Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar at 0:53
5. Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ at 0:57
6. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Blanco at 1:08
7. Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin-Sharp at 1:23
8. Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana at 1:26
9. Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) Ag2r-La Mondiale at 1:28
10. Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC at 1:39.

Stage 3:

Tuesday’s 174 kilometre long Stage 4 from Innertkirchen to Bouchs (161 kilometres) offered the first real chance for the sprinters to shine. However, a trio consisting of Jens Voigt (RadioShack Leopard), Robert Vrecer (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Olivier Kaisen (Lotto Belisol) tried their hardest to stay away.

On the final climb with 40 kilometres to go, Voigt and Vrecer picked up the pace in the break and dropped their companion. At the same time, the duo expanded their lead on the peloton where the sprinter teams slowed to protect and keep their sprinters in the field over the climb.

The last standing escapee, Voigt was caught 2 kilometres from the finish line and Arnaud Démare (FDJ) showed a fast pair of heels to well known fast-men; Matt Goss (Orica-GreenEdge), Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Sharp) and John Degenkolb (Argos-Shimano).

Mathias Frank (BMC) is still the leader of the race while Saxo-Tinkoff’s Roman Kreuziger is second at 23 seconds and Rui Costa (Movistar) third at 35 in the GC.

Stage winner Armaud Démare said after the stage: “I did a lot of the classics and I learnt a lot, and I got some wins too, it was great to get the wins in Dunkirk and the GP de Denain, but to win here in a WorldTour race is just brilliant.” Referring to his three stage wins at the Quatre Jours de Dunkerque.

Mathais Frank (BMC) said things could hardly have gone any better during his first day in the yellow leader’s jersey. “It really worked out well for us with a small group going,” he said. “The last few kilometres were very nervous, but I have a really good team around me – the best guys you can have for this job. I was confident that I just had to stay in their wheel and they would keep me out of trouble.” Frank, who turned professional in 2008, is leading a stage race for the first time since he led for one day at the 2012 Giro del Trentino. With four riders within a minute of him, Frank said he is confident about maintaining his advantage over second-placed Roman Kreuziger (Saxo-Tinkoff) and Rui Costa (Movistar) in Wednesday’s 178.4-kilometre race. “It’s mostly on my home roads, so I know it pretty well,” he said. “I think it is going to be another nice stage.”

Lampre-Merida’s sport director described the sprint: “The last bend, at 200 metres to the finish, was the most important point, in fact Demare, who approached it for first, won the race. So the real sprint was to the last bend: Davide Cimolai could be in the top ten, but he could not recover additional positions in the short final straight.”

“Obviously, the main goal today was to serve and protect Roman and keep his position in the GC and we made it without problems. Tomorrow, we’ll probably be following the same recipe. Roman has to save some energy so he’ll be ready for the final mountains in the race where we have the chance to transform silver to gold,” said Saxo-Tinkoff’s DS, Fabrizio Guidi.

Tour de Suisse Stage 4 Result:
1. Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ in 4:08:23
2. Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge
3. Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Sharp
4. John Degenkolb (Ger) Argos-Shimano
5. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha
6. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling
7. Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale
8. Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Belisol
9. Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre-Merida
10. Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Astana.

Tour de Suisse Overall After Stage 4:
1. Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC in 11:48:01
2. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Saxo-Tinkoff at 0:23
3. Rui Alberto Faria da Costa (Por) Movistar at 0:35
4. Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar at 0:53
5. Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ at 0:57
6. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Blanco at 1:08
7. Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin-Sharp at 1:23
8. Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana at 1:26
9. Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) Ag2r-La Mondiale at 1:28
10. Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC at 1:39.

Stage 4:

Stage 5 from Buochs to Leuggern had a circuit in store for the peloton and a categorized climb that could be used as a launching pad for eager escapees. However, a break of four riders managed to break clear of the bunch before entering the circuit in Leuggern. They were: Stijn Devolder (RadioShack Leopard), Cyril Lemoine (Sojasun), Sébastien Minard (Ag2r-La Mondiale) and Serge Pauwels (Omega Pharma – Quick-Step), they were only allowed a maximum lead of around 3 minutes.

However, with 23 kilometres to go Saxo-Tinkoff’s Nicolas Roche brought the escapees back to the field after a fierce chase on the climb. And the Cannondale team started to set Peter Sagan up for the win, as did Saxo Tinkoff for Matti Breschel.

In the very last kilometre, the sprinters were all in the right place and in the hectic bunch sprint decision; Alexander Kristoff (Katusha) repeated his stage 1 win beating Sagan and the previous day’s winner, Demare (FDJ) to the line.

Mathias Frank (BMC) held onto the overall lead for another day from Roman Kreuziger (Saxo-Tinkoff) and Rui Costa (Movistar). Stage six on Thursday will bring a hilly finish for the 188 kilometres between Leuggern and Meilen.

The BMC Racing Team successfully protected the overall lead of Mathias Frank for the second straight day Wednesday at the Tour de Suisse while another one of the top contenders crashed out of the race.

Frank said he there were a few nervous moments during the 178.4-kilometer stage that ended in a bunch sprint won by Alexander Kristoff (Katusha Team) ahead of Peter Sagan (Cannondale Pro Cycling). World road champion Philippe Gilbert was the BMC Racing Team’s best finisher in 13th. “At the end, there was a lot of action, a lot of fighting going on,” Frank said. “There were one or two situations where I wasn’t in the best position. But 99 percent of the day went well and the team did a great job. Having a team around you like this is is perfect. I didn’t lose any time, so at the end it was a good day.” Frank still leads Roman Kreuziger (Team Saxo-Tinkoff) by 23 seconds and Rui Costa (Movistar Team) by 35. But Costa’s teammate, Giovanni Visconti – who had been fourth – crashed and could not continue. On Monday’s Stage 3, 2012 Giro d’Italia winner Ryder Hesjedal also crashed and had to leave the race. “You have to be attentive from beginning to the end,” BMC Racing Team Directeur Sportif John Lelangue said. “We have to progress like we do in the Tour de France – day-by-day – and to protect Mathias and Tejay van Garderen and to come to the final time trial on Sunday in good position. I am confident in the team we have. Those guys know what to do. They have already done big tours. They are classic guys and climbers. So there’s no reason to be nervous.”

“Our primary goal today was to protect the overall second place and at the same time, the finale was a good fit for Matti who was feeling strong today and he really showed it in the sprint. So we secured Roman his position and we put Matti in a perfect spot for the sprint. He opened up with 200 meters to go and was only passed by world class sprinters, Kristoff, Sagan and yesterday’s stage winner so I’m happy about this result. Tomorrow, there’s another bumpy stage and it could go either way for the sprinters or maybe finally a breakaway victory,” said Saxo-Tinkoff’s DS Fabrizio Guidi after the stage.

After his resurrection -including two stage victories- in the recent Giro d’Italia and following a great performance on stage one in the Tour de Suisse -where he was sitting in 4th overall-, bad luck hit Giovanni Visconti today during stage four of the Helvetic stage race. The Movistar rider was forced to abandon the event after a crash in the opening phase of a day.

Visconti fell in the middle of the bunch going at high speed, and the impact with the pavement, despite not involving any fractures, caused him serious abrasions and loss of skin in some zones. Assisted by the race doctor on his bike, the wounds advised against Visconti staying in the race and he was immediately taken to the Kantons hospital in Baden, where checks ruled out any other major injuries. After his bruises were treated -with one of them in his left thigh requiring some stitches-, the Movistar Team rider is OK to head back home to Italy tomorrow to continue his recovery.

“I was pedalling in the bunch when suddenly some riders that were preceding me crashed: I could not avoid them,” Michele Scarponi (Lampre-Merida) explained. “I cut my finger and I suffered grazes on the left leg and on the right arm, but nothing that prevented me from recovering the bunch and to reach the arrival. My morale is still good, since I’m really willing to realize good performances in the next stages, in order to wipe out all the bad luck.”

Tour de Suisse Stage 5 Result:
1. Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha in 4:08:29
2. Peter Sagan (Svk) Cannondale
3. Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ
4. Matti Breschel (Den) Saxo-Tinkoff
5. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling
6. Matthew Harley Goss (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge
7. Davide Cimolai (Ita) Lampre-Merida
8. Jacopo Guarnieri (Ita) Astana
9. Boy van Poppel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM
10. Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-GreenEdge.

Tour de Suisse Overall After Stage 5:
1. Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC in 15:56:30
2. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Saxo-Tinkoff at 0:23
3. Rui Alberto Faria da Costa (Por) Movistar at 0:35
4. Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ at 0:57
5. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Blanco at 1:08
6. Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin-Sharp at 1:23
7. Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana at 1:26
8. Jean-Christophe Peraud (Fra) Ag2r-La Mondiale 0:01:28
9. Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC at 1:39
10. Cameron Meyer (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge at 1:42.

Stage 5:

Tour de Beauce 2013
Dream start for Team Novo Nordisk at the Tour de Beauce Stage 1: The Italian Andrea Peron came in at a solid third place (missing the win by only half a bike-length), and the world’s first all-diabetes professional cycling team celebrates its first podium result. After 165km (102.5m), with start and finish in Lac-Etchemin, Quebec, the 24-year-old from Borgorico was bettered only by Belgian rider Jasper Stuyven from Team Bontrager Cycling and Canadian Guillaume Boivin from Team Cannondale.

“This is my first year as a pro”, says the twenty-four-year-old, “so I’m very happy with getting on the podium! I hope I’ll finish in a front position again tomorrow and hope for good results overall.”

Quebec’s most important bike race kicked off with constant rain. The first of 6 stages took place around the lake with numerous steep hills and rough tarmac, and the drizzle did not make life any easier. After 100km through the Canadian countryside, two riders were remained in the break with an advantage of 8:45 minutes, and the entire Team Novo Nordisk squad held tight in the peloton.

“The whole team did a really solid job,” says Team Novo Nordisk Sports Director, Pavel Cherkasov. “Everyone was active. Thomas was in the breakaway in the beginning. All the riders were in the front of the bunch. In the last 15km, the group began chasing the two riders as the peloton started to shatter – our guys held tight.” With 4km to go, Finnish rider Joonas Henttala suffered some bad luck with a flat tire and finished in the third group with Australian rider, Chris Williams. “The rest of the guys were in the front battling for the sprint, Cherkasov goes on to say. “Fabio Calabria was caught in the crash with 200m to go, but still finished in the first group. And Andrea was able to find the right position for the sprint and finish 3rd. Great job by the entire team!”

Team Novo Nordisk General Manager, Vassili Davidenko, is pleased with the result.“That was a magnificent performance,” he says, “Thomas did a great job at the beginning of the race getting into a breakaway group where he spent most of the day. Andrea was supported perfectly from Javier on the last climb and was then able to hold the position up front.” After today’s race, Team Novo Nordisk clearly is to be seen as a favourite for the upcoming stages. “We have big expectations for this week,” says Davidenko, “and the guys are ready. Stage three from St-Georges to Mont Mégantic will mix up the general classification and give the riders a chance to position themselves respectively.”

The third place finish is especially meaningful for Team Novo Nordisk Co-founder and CEO, Phil Southerland. “This is a tremendous day for Team Novo Nordisk!” he says. “Our riders have been working so hard and fighting in each and every race, and to finally step onto the podium is a victory for our team and a victory for everyone around the world with diabetes. We will aim to climb higher throughout the Tour de Beauce, and inspire those with diabetes to pursue their dreams. Congrats to the team and to Andrea!”

“Andrea is a phenomenal guy,” Southerland goes on to say. “He had contracts taken away when he disclosed his diabetes– so before Team Novo Nordisk he had been forced to hide the fact he had diabetes. Now he takes pride in his disease and serves as a great role model for all with diabetes.”
Thanks to the Novo Nordisk team for the race info.

Tour de Beauce Stage 1 Result:
1. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Bontrager Cycling Team in 4:06:11
2. Guillaume Boivin (Can) Canada National Team
3. Andrea Peron (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk
4. Kiel Reijnen (USA) UnitedHealthcare
5. Phillip Lavery (Irl) H&R Block
6. Christopher Baldwin (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
7. Joe Lewis (Aus) Hincapie Sportswear Development Team
8. Robert Sweeting (USA) 5 Hour Energy p/b Kenda
9. Joey Rosskopf (USA) Hincapie Sportswear Development Team
10. Tanner Putt (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team.

Tour de Beauce Overall After Stage 1:
1. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Bontrager Cycling Team in 4:06:01
2. Guillaume Boivin (Can) Canada National Team at 0:04
3. Andrea Peron (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk at 0:06
4. Matthias Friedemann (Ger) Champion System at 0:08
5. Kiel Reijnen (USA) UnitedHealthcare at 0:10
6. Phillip Lavery (Irl) H&R Block
7. Christopher Baldwin (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
8. Joe Lewis (Aus) Hincapie Sportswear Development Team
9. Robert Sweeting (USA) 5 Hour Energy p/b Kenda
10. Joey Rosskopf (USA) Hincapie Sportswear Development Team.

Beauce Stage 1:

Champion System Pro Cycling Team’s Matthias Friedemann was runner-up on Wednesday’s Stage 2 at the Tour de Beauce, matching his best performance of the season.

“I was a bit disappointed yesterday getting caught in the crash, so I was extra motivated today,” Friedemann said. “Clinton (Avery) was fantastic and put me in perfect position. I felt really good and went early, but picked the wrong side and got closed out a bit. By the time I got clear it was too late. I’m happy to get a spot on the podium and I hope to get another shot at a stage win later in the week.”

Runner-up on Stage 5 at 4 Jours de Dunkerque earlier this year, Friedemann – along with Champion System teammate Chad Beyer – had to scramble when a crash at the front of the pack took both of them down with 15 kilometers to go, just as the gap to the day’s three-man breakaway was hovering at one-minute.

“Most of our guys were caught up in that crash but quickly back to the bunch,” Champion System General Manager Ed Beamon said. “We got Chad going directly and a quick bike change had Matthias working his way back in short order.”

The breakaway group of Robert Sweeting (5-hour ENERGY presented by Kenda Racing Team), Jonathan McCarty (Bissell Pro Cycling) and Joseph Rosskopf (Hincapie Sportswear Development Cycling Team) were caught inside the final kilometer after enjoying a three-minute lead at one point. Guillaume Boivin (Canada National Team) took the win ahead of Friedemann and Jasper Stuyven (Bontrager Cycling Team) was third. The win moved Boivin into the overall race lead while Friedemann is Champion System’s best-placed rider in third, eight seconds behind Boivin.

“I think Matthias will have another shot for a stage win before the race is over and the guys have a lot of confidence in him,” Beamon said.

Thursday’s 164-km stage, with its summit finish on Mont-Megantic, is expected to play a significant role in the general classification.
Thanks to the Champion System team for the race report.

Tour de Beauce Stage 2 Result:
1. Guillaume Boivin (Can) Canada National Team in 3:53:20
2. Matthias Friedemann (Ger) Champion System Pro Cycling Team
3. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Bontrager Cycling Team
4. Diego M Jimenez (Dom) Inteja, Dominican Cycling Team
5. Tanner Putt (USA) Bontrager Cycling Team
6. Christopher Baldwin (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
7. Tyler Magner (USA) Hincapie Sportswear Development Team
8. Kiel Reijnen (USA) UnitedHealthcare
9. Joe Lewis (Aus) Hincapie Sportswear Development Team
10. Phillip Lavery (Irl) H&R Block.

Tour de Beauce Overall After Stage 2:
1. Guillaume Boivin (Can) Canada National Team in 7:59:15
2. Jasper Stuyven (Bel) Bontrager Cycling Team at 0:02
3. Matthias Friedemann (Ger) Champion System Pro Cycling Team at 0:08
4. Joey Rosskopf (USA) Hincapie Sportswear Development Team at 0:10
5. Andrea Peron (Ita) Team Novo Nordisk at 0:12
6. Robert Sweeting (USA) 5 Hour Energy p/b Kenda at 0:13
7. Jonathan Patrick McCarty (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
8. Kiel Reijnen (USA) UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team at 0:16
9. Christopher Baldwin (USA) Bissell Pro Cycling
10. Phillip Lavery (Irl) H&R Block.

Champion System Pro Cycling Team’s Matthias Friedemann (far left) finished second as Guillaume Boivin of the Canada National Team (second from left, in white) won Stage 2 of the Tour de Beauce.
(Brian Hodes, VeloImages.

Ster ZLM Toer-GP Jan van Heeswijk 2013
The 5 day stage race; Ster ZLM Toer-GP Jan van Heeswijk was opened on Wednesday evening with an 8 kilometre Prologue in Goes, Holland, where Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma – Quick-Step) was defending his overall win from 2012. However, it was Robert Wagner (Blanco) who took the stage and the leader’s jersey at the end of the time trial.

The Blanco Pro Cycling Team made a flying start in the Ster ZLM Toer. The team scored a one-two finish in Goes with Robert Wagner and Lars Boom. They were early starters and clocked good times but had the fortune to finish their runs before the rain set in.

Wagner was well prepared for the prologue in Zeeland. “I’m a decent prologue rider and therefore I stepped out of the Dauphiné already on Saturday. There was one more heavy mountain stage on the programme, with real bad weather conditions. I wanted to save up for today. It might sound funny, but I exited with a good feeling. I had good legs and today we can see just how good. Wagner is happy with the win for several reasons. “This is a nice victory, especially with Lars coming in second. As a team we could not have hoped for a better start. For me personally, it’s a great accomplishment as my last win came in 2011 when I became the German champion.

Lars was enthused about his performance. “Second is nice although I would naturally have preferred to win. I am happy to defer to Robert. I simply did not go hard enough to win but I have to say the legs felt good. This is a good start. I started early on purpose as we knew rain was coming and that was not in our favour.”

Wagner also looked ahead. Despite the win, he remains focused. “I know my job. I am going to help Lars to a good classification and support Theo Bos in the sprints.”

Team Saxo-Tinkoff are in the race with Christopher Juul-Jensen, Jay McCarthy, Jonas Aaen, Anders Lund, Takashi Miyazawa and Rory Sutherland. And Sutherland is the captain during the race: “Rory did a good time trial and we hope that he’ll be doing a solid overall result in the race. There are a couple of stages (3 & 4) that suit him very well and he’s still fast and strong after the Giro, so he’s our man for the GC. Besides, we have Takashi for the bunch sprints on tomorrow’s and the final stage of the race,” said Saxo-Tinkoff DS, Steven de Jong after the stage.

Ster ZLM Toer GP Jan van Heeswijk Prologue Result:
1. Robert Wagner (Ger) Blanco in 9:40
2. Lars Boom (Ned) Blanco at 0:02
3. Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Argos-Shimano at 0:03
4. Marcel Kittel (Ger) Argos-Shimano at 0:05
5. Andrew Fenn (GB) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step at 0:06
6. Dries Devenyns (Bel) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step at 0:08
7. Alexander Serov (Rus) Rusvelo at 0:10
8. Michal Golas (Pol) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step at 0:11
9. Markus Eichler (Ger) NetApp-Endura)
10. Andre Greipel (Ger) Lotto Belisol at 0:13.

Ster ZLM Toer GP Jan van Heeswijk Overall After the Prologue:
1. Robert Wagner (Ger) Blanco in 9:40
2. Lars Boom (Ned) Blanco at 0:02
3. Tobias Ludvigsson (Swe) Argos-Shimano at 0:03
4. Marcel Kittel (Ger) Argos-Shimano at 0:05
5. Andrew Fenn (GB) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step at 0:06
6. Dries Devenyns (Bel) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step at 0:08
7. Alexander Serov (Rus) Rusvelo at 0:10
8. Michal Golas (Pol) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step at 0:11
9. Markus Eichler (Ger) NetApp-Endura) at 0:11
10. Andre Greipel (Ger) Lotto Belisol at 0:13.

Pic: Wouter Roosenboom.

Skoda Tour of Luxembourg 2013
The Tour of Luxembourg was launched with a Prologue over just 2.5 kilometres but with both cobblestones and gradients in the Capital of Luxembourg. The fastest rider in the peloton was Jimmy Engoulvent (Sojasun) who won the prologue like he did in 2012, 2010 and in 2007.

Team Saxo-Tinkoff’s line-up in the race: Chris Anker Sørensen, Bruno Pires, Manuele Boaro, Mads Christensen, Karsten Kroon, Marko Kump and Timmy Duggan. DS, Dan Frost comments on the team goals: “It was a technically demanding course with quite a few corners, cobbles and a steep descent and the short distance was obviously not in Manuele’s favour. He likes the longer time trials. We enter this race without a given rider for the GC which means that everyone’s free to attack and enter the breakaways and hopefully drag in a good stage result,” said Saxo-Tinkoff DS, Dan Frost.

Skoda Tour of Luxembourg Prologue Result:
1. Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Sojasun in 3:42
2. Danny van Poppel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM at 0:01
3. Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Sojasun
4. Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Accent.jobs-Wanty at 0:03
5. Matthias Brändle (Aut) IAM Cycling
6. Paul Martens (Ger) Blanco at 0:04
7. Damien Gaudin (Fra) Europcar at 0:06
8. Bob Jungles (Ned) (RadioShack Leopard) at 0:07
9. Remi Cusin (Fra) IAM Cycling
10. Merco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM.

Skoda Tour of Luxembourg Overall After the Prologue:
1. Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra) Sojasun in 3:42
2. Danny van Poppel (Ned) Vacansoleil-DCM at 0:01
3. Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Sojasun at 0:01
4. Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Accent.jobs-Wanty at 0:03
5. Matthias Brändle (Aut) IAM Cycling at 0:03
6. Paul Martens (Ger) Blanco at 0:04
7. Damien Gaudin (Fra) Europcar at 0:06
8. Bob Jungles (Ned) (RadioShack Leopard) at 0:07
9. Remi Cusin (Fra) IAM Cycling at 0:07
10. Merco Marcato (Ita) Vacansoleil-DCM at 0:07.

Tour de France News:

Argos-Shimano tour Pre-Selection Riders
Not surprisingly the Argos-Shimano team have gone for a sprinter heavy selection with John Degenkolb and Marcel Kittel. The team will pick the final nine riders from these 13 pre-selected riders: Bert De Backer, Roy Curvers, John Degenkolb, Tom Dumoulin, Johannes Fröhlinger, Simon Geschke, Yann Huguet, Thierry Hupond, Marcel Kittel, Koen de Kort, Ramon Sinkeldam, Albert Timmer, and Tom Veelers.

The BMC Tour Short List
The Belgian newspaper; Het Nieuwsblad is speculating on which riders will back-up Cadel Evans and Tejay van Garderen at the Tour de France. The paper reports that Philippe Gilbert, Mathias Frank, Michael Schär, Steve Morabito, Thor Hushovd, Marcus Burghardt, Amael Moinard, Brent Bookwalter, Dominique Nerz and Manuel Quinziato all had test rides on the Nice team time trial course and the team will be chosen from that list.

Astana Tour Team List
Jakob Fuglsang will be leading the Kazakh Astana team at the Tour de France, he will be backed up by eight from the following: Assan Bazayev, Janez Brajkovic, Enrico Gasparotto, Francesco Gavazzi, Andrei Grivko, Jacopo Guarnieri, Andrey Kashechkin, Fredrik Kessiakoff, Alexey Lutsenko, Dmitriy Muravyev, Kevin Seeldraeyers and Egor Silin.

Garmin-Sharp Last Minute Selection
Also according to Het Nieuwsblad is that the Garmin-Sharp team will not make its Tour de France team selection until the Wednesday before the Corsica start. In an interview with the paper, Garmin-Sharp rider Johan Vansummeren said: “I’m on a list, but that is very long. The day after the Belgian championship we fly to Girona, where testing will take place.” The choice will be made after that.

Blanco Announce Tour Short-List
Robert Gesink and Bauke Mollema will be leading the Blanco team at the Tour de France, who the other seven riders will be chosen from: Lars Boom, Laurens ten Dam, Tom Leezer, Lars Petter Nordhaug, Mark Renshaw, Tom-Jelte Slagter, Bram Tankink, David Tanner, Maarten Tjallingii, Sep Vanmarcke and Maarten Wynants.

Celebrate the 100th Tour de France with Tour de France 100
In 1904, the founder of the Tour de France lamented, “The Tour is finished. It has died of its success, of the blind passions that it unleashed, the abuse and the dirty suspicions.” Now as the Tour achieves its 100th edition this month, Tour de France 100 celebrates the world’s greatest sporting spectacle.

Tour de France 100 is a featured sports book in Barnes & Noble bookstores this June and July and is also available in bookstores, bike shops, and online. Beginning June 20, celebrate the 100th Tour de France with a rare and restored Tour de France photograph each day at www.TDF100.com.

The Tour de France, first staged in 1903, is the world’s greatest sports spectacle, packed with heart-stopping drama, legendary rivalries, bitter tragedy, and outright farce. In its 100 runnings-the race was interrupted twice by war-it has cast its spotlight on some of the greatest athletes of all time, who fought their way across France’s magnificent landscape in pursuit of victory and the yellow jersey worn by the Tour’s overall leader.

In Tour de France 100, award-winning journalist Richard Moore celebrates all that is great, fantastic, amusing, outrageous, and overwhelming in the Tour through illuminating text and a cascade of defining images from the race’s extraordinary history.

Vividly reproduced photos abound of heroes of the race, from pioneers like Octave Lapize and Eugène Christophe-first to wear the yellow jersey-to legendary warriors like Eddy Merckx and Miguel Indurain. The great battles-Fausto Coppi versus Gino Bartali, Greg LeMond versus Bernard Hinault-are richly told, as is the shocking death of Tom Simpson and the controversial disgrace of Lance Armstrong. And the high drama of the modern era, represented by super-sprinter Mark Cavendish and the droll Bradley Wiggins, is fully covered as well.

There is nothing else that compares to the Tour, and Tour de France 100 is a superb celebration, as well as a keepsake of the Tour’s 100th edition that will be treasured by all cyclists and bike racing fans.

Tour de France 100: A Photographic History of the World’s Greatest Race
Richard Moore
Hardcover with jacket. 250 b&w and color photographs throughout.
11″ x 12 1/2″, 224 pp., $34.95, 9781937715069

Richard Moore is a sports journalist and author. His first book, In Search of Robert Millar, won Best Biography at the 2008 British Sports Book Award. His second book, Heroes, Villains and Velodromes, was long-listed for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year. Outside magazine named Slaying the Badger one of the ten best cycling books of all time. Moore writes on cycling and sport and is a regular contributor to the Guardian, Sky Sports, and the Scotsman. He is also a former racing cyclist who represented Scotland at the 1998 Commonwealth Games.

VeloPress publishes books on cycling, triathlon, and running to help beginners and committed athletes build fitness and achieve their goals. VeloPress celebrates the icons of endurance sports through history books, biographies, memoirs, and photography books. For more information, please visit www.velopress.com.

Media, marketing, and sales contact: Dave Trendler, VeloPress, dtrendler@competitorgroup.com

Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/OfficialVeloPress | Follow us on Twitter.

Relive the Emotions of the 2013 Giro d’Italia
With two new highlight videos covering every stage of this year’s Giro d’Italia, together with an interview with the winner, Vincenzo Nibali.

Two weeks ago the 96th Giro d’Italia crowned its new champion, the Sicilian Vincenzo Nibali of Team Astana.

Two new highlight videos now allow viewers to re-live the iconic images and dramatic emotions from all the pivotal stages of this year’s Corsa Rosa. In the second video, Vincenzo Nibali himself talks of the feelings, fears, joys, and emotions that helped him on his triumphant ride to the top step of the final Giro d’Italia podium in Brescia, Italy.

Here are the highlights of the 96th Giro d’Italia on YouTube:

And this is the video with an interview with Vincenzo Nibali:

The videos are also viewable on the official Giro d’Italia website (www.giroditalia.it) and on the website of La Gazzetta dello Sport (www.gazzetta.it).

Criterium Du Dauphiné – Time Trial Tech Talk
Another great video from globalcyclingnetwork, this time they look at the TT set-up’s at the Criterium du Dauphiné. “GCN are joined by Caley Fretz, Tech Editor at Velonews for an in-depth tech discussion, both looking at the kit for the Dauphiné, and also for the consumer.

Most of the big favourites for the Tour de France are in action at the Criterium du Dauphiné, and the time trial is a great opportunity for having a look at the equipment that can shape not only this race, but also the Tour as well.

We discuss the impact that new technology has on the results. For example Chris Froome has the latest Pinarello at his disposal — one of only three riders to do so — whereas another Pinarello sponsored rider, Alessandro Valverde doesn’t. How much of an advantage is it really?

We also look at what this means for us, the consumers. Which bikes should we look at, considering the amazing claims promised by the manufacturers, how should we approach things?

This interview is a breath of fresh air blowing through the hype that surrounds wind tunnel testing.”

Run Rabbit Run – Chris Froome – Dauphine 2013 stage 5
Another great video from Viral Verse: Chris Froome gave an interview to the Times saying his target is to win the Tour de France for the next 6 or 7 years. Can he do it? It’s a controversial statement – Wiggins is out of the Tour this year due to injury – but he’ll be back. Can Chris match Bradley’s 2012 winning streak? So far Froome is on track. He looks good – damn good.

The PEZ NEWSWIRE!
Don’t forget to check the “NEWSWIRE” section, you can find it down the right hand side on the home page, just above the EuroTrash section. The bits of news that missed the EuroTrash deadline are in there, plus any news as-it-happens will be in there too.

*****

Any comments drop me a line, email address: alastair@pezcyclingnews.com or Twitter. And there is the PezCyclingNews Twitter and Facebook Fan Page.

The expression on Kelly Bedford’s face was the exact opposite of every other frame builder I’ve spoken to about all the features I would like, rolled into stainless steel…

While I know there are other people capable of knocking out what I wanted, nobody else but Kelly smiled (much less said “yes”) when I asked for a… Lugged Stainless steel bike (strike one for some) with an ISP seat mast (strike 2 for a few “traditionalists”), a lugged press fit 30 BB (strikes 3 and 4 for guys who either couldn’t fabricate the BB from scratch or just refuse to acknowledge BB30), an oversized stainless head tube (strike 5 for the folks that couldn’t machine it in the right size), internal routing for a center of seat lug brake cable exit (see strike 2 again as you can’t do that without ISP and add strike 6 as some couldn’t handle making a solid internal channel for ease of cable routing) and lastly strike 7 for the guys that didn’t want to make a bike to handle an internal Di2 system.

That’s a big list of potential “strikes” but 7 is a lucky number as Kelly’s reply to the request was immediate and completely without reservation.

“I’d love to do it. In fact I’ve been looking for a project like this. It brings new things in to the mix and really pushes me to use a lot of capabilities. And it’s a great material. None of what you want is really an issue if you have the fabrication skills”.

Kelly has the skills.

Two things can happen when you talk to loads of builders working almost exclusively in metal. 1ST, they give loads of reasons why you don’t need a feature (or 7) they can’t or won’t make. 2ND, the more Napoleonic in the group will feed you tons of bullsh!t (either verbally or on their website) about carbon fiber. Kelly does neither because he’s honed skills that don’t require excuses and he’s made a few thousand bikes from Steel, Ti and some of the best carbon bikes on the road.

He started out like lots of the guys with careers long enough and at a quality level high enough that they reach ‘legend’ status (legend is my word, not his)… It started with a love of riding and racing (initially fostered by his older brother) and like most racers, he started wanting top notch gear he couldn’t afford (despite him and his brother working in bike shops).

At that point his father (an aircraft mechanic) said “if you can’t buy it, make it!”

With that, Kelly hit up Proteus (iconic folks that actually helped a lot of builders get their start), ordered a frame building kit and put together that first bike for his brother.

A few years went by and he continued to hone his building skills until one day a friend who knew his work quality called and asked if he would be interested in popping up from his Florida home to Upstate NY.

It was there he met a young Ben Serotta… So young in fact that Serotta couldn’t afford him as a full time employee. It was still a significant meeting as at that time Kelly did the design and cutting for the first TDF lugs… The lugs that Serotta used to make the Team 7-Eleven bikes…

Kelly continued to work for Serotta from his home in Florida but as you probably figured out, things started going pretty well for Serotta. Kelly moved up to NY and went about running Serotta Bicycles production for the next few decades.

In that time, Kelly had the chance to work with every common frame material in high performance cycling and that includes the dreaded chat-room retro-grouch’s kryptonite / Catnip…. Carbon. Kelly calls it “fantastic stuff, particularly in the hands of some of the better builders”. This is refreshing perspective versus the mudslinging so common in the world-is-flat realm of the metal-or-nothing crowd.

Some Pez readers might remember this little project in the black stuff, originally put to paper with Kelly and Paraic McGlynn (now running Cyclologic)

The who’s who list of North American frame builders that learned their chops with Kelly is not short (and Kelly is quick to say that he learned a lot from many of them). Neither is it a short list of skills obtained in designing and building frames from multiple materials to a quality level such that many of Serotta’s models became industry benchmarks.

I could (and probably should) go on more about Kelly, but he’s way better at building than he is at talking up his talents and you’re likely interested in the bike he’s made for me and what went in to it…

What you’re seeing is my version of that often attempted (to various degrees of success) old-meets-new cycle, mating a classic/traditional design and look with very modern bike tech.

I’ve mentioned a few of the features above…

This is a full KVA stainless steel tube set mated via individually fab’d custom lugs.

With a bike like this, Kelly basically had to do more work than would have been required to put together 3 lesser custom frames

One of these 3 frames is a beautiful fillet brazed steel with tubes mitered for custom geometry and hand filed and finished.

Now imagine cutting that bike into pieces, leaving just the joints at the correct geometry.

Those joints form the lugs used to mate the tubes.

I drew the lugs that I wanted and sent them to Kelly and his next step was to reproduce my drawings by hand onto these custom lugs. Needless to say, taking two dimensional drawings (from a horrible artist) and putting them on to a rounded surface, making all of the swerves and curves nice and even, isn’t exactly easy for most folks. (This partially explains why the bulk of lugged steel bikes are made with mass produced cast lugs).

Drawing, cutting and filing (all by hand) these custom patterns into each one of the filet brazed tubes (joint sections) to create the finished lug set also takes longer than welding a standard frame set. That means we’re already into roughly twice the time required to build simpler frames, and we haven’t yet started putting the main tubes together.

Time is also a consideration in that the head tube and press fit BB30 shell were fabricated from scratch rather than purchased from one of the tube or lug suppliers like the vast majority of custom metal bikes.

The Bottom Bracket alone is 5 custom made pieces brought together with beautifully finished filet.

The head tube (inside the one of a kind head lugs) was also a custom piece. This was machined to size to receive a stainless and brass, individual ball bearing head set (a “Star”) that is an 1-1/8th inch unit which is a bit larger than the standard 1” set used for lots of lugged steel bikes.

Once all of the lugs, one-off BB and Head tube were finished fabrication, Kelly mitered and filed the main stainless frame tubes to match the custom geometry specs and set about using Silver solder (a must have for Stainless) to weld the frame together.

Add together the fab time equal to 2 bikes with the BB and head tube fabrication and then the main tube cutting and welding and that’s roughly your 3+ bike build time. And that’s if you know what you’re doing.

During final build up he inserted a solid channel to run the rear brake cable from the front/side of the top tube (ported by a ridiculously clean example of fillet).

The tube is solid straight through and out the back of the center of the seat tube lug (made possible by the integrated seat post).

He also punched the port for the custom Di2 routing and fab’d what I think is the best / cleanest executed head badge in cycling – simple, solid well defined.

As there’s only a couple of holes for all of the wire/cable routing, the rest of the frame is very clean. There’s very little clutter on the tubes making for a minimalist look that is part of the new meets old design…

That lack of cables (or Di clutter) is down to full internal wiring and a one of a kind brain mounted inside the stem from Fairwheel Bikes Jason Woznick and Compu Wiz Jeff Roberson.

I wish I were original enough to claim any of the thinking behind the brain that allows this project to work, but nobody that knows me would believe it anyway so why try… This started a while back with another Fairwheel project with some details found here Link to early Nutball thinking.

Our version is a smaller Di compatible brain that provides sequential shifting.

The Sequential drive uses a single button on each lever, one “up” and one “Down”. The Front and rear derailleurs act in tandem with the rear to provide the full hi and low range offered in the standard group.

The big jump in ratio that happens at the front (either up or down) is softened by the rear mech automatically shifting a couple of gears in the opposite direction as the front shifts. The system is programed to grab the next logical gear inch combination (harder or easier) in the direction you are shifting.

My contribution in this incredibly cool system amounted to a phone call to a guy smart enough to have relationships with other really smart people, but contrastingly dumb enough to answer the phone when I called.

For Jason and Jeff’s part, this required hacking an existing Shimano Di2 brain to learn its language and thoughts. Then Jeff built a circuit board from scratch and programmed that board so that it would send a new set of thoughts to Shimano’s stock front and rear changers in their native tongue. Then it was Fairwheel’s turn to properly splice / solder the board into Shimano’s shifting system, the custom levers and custom internal battery system.

If you had to put a cost to this brain / board construction and programming based on Jeff’s day-job pay, this bike project would have been some place near the cost of a reliable automobile (which is solid confirmation that Jeff doesn’t work in the cycling industry…).

Whatever the cost should have been, I can say that I actually prefer the sequential shifting to Shimano’s standard 4 button pattern.

Beyond the electronic shifting brain, the full parts selection took a little thinking because it would be pretty easy to spoil the whole new-meets-old aesthetic by using most of the parts available that are considered cutting edge. While there’s nothing wrong with carbon, trying to slap on any of the multi shape bars and jumbo-fat stems that represent most of today’s top of the line just wouldn’t do. Nor would it work to a set of deep section aero wheels. In fact most of the typical “superbike” parts available would simply blow the vibe… I needed reserved designs.

The biggest problem of all should have been in finding levers to that fit the aesthetic but it wound up being the easiest and least expensive. TRP Brakes’ RRL SR levers came out ahead of the frame and spotting them at Interbike was a HUGE relief. This was a better solution than buying vintage levers that would both feel like crap in your hands and lack the proper leverage ratio for modern brakes.

The Bar wrap was a “natural” choice… HandleBra

Of course these are brake levers only (no shifting function is built in). On the plus side, there are no levers to remove but the minus is I needed switches and Shimano’s stock buttons are a little too thick. So it was down to mounting a set of buttons available through CatEye (remote button kit 169-9200) that was originally made to mate with their heart monitor computer. Fairwheel wired these under the hoods on the inside of each lever in a spot roughly the same place as Campy’s thumb lever (though these are much smaller and frankly easier to live with than Campy’s).

The wires run down the cross bar section of ENVE’s carbon bars, which were painted to match the lugs.

We picked a stem that was just large enough to take the brain inside…

But there was no room to spare as too large a stem would look out of place on a frame with relatively small tubes.

The New Ultimate stem comes in white, but not the right white, so it also took matching paint…

The KCNC seat mast topper was also colored to match to the lugs. This one is their Majestic and comes in a pretty large range of lengths and setback.

The original was black but I took it down to bare metal before the paint was added.

PPG’s Bianco White was also laid on to the hub shells.

The hubs were DT Swiss 240 laced to H Plus Son TB14 Rims.

The rims themselves were a great suggestion from Fairwheel as they’re reasonably light and have a great polish finish.

And while they look old school, they’re actually fairly light for a VERY sturdy build and are a modern 23mm wide brake track (outside the bead). Wrap these in 25 section Vittoria Open Corsa SC tires and you have a shape/size double whammy of comfort potential.

The last thing getting a coat of the cream white are a special set of cranks from EE Cycle works.

Of all the parts that really needed a dead on paint match, these were they. The cranks and lugs sit too close together to have the colors be off even a little.

[Quickie note: Creative Cycle Works handled all of the parts paint work, while the frame lug painting and hand edging were handled by Kelly].

The Alu cranks are a conservative looking set up but that’s not to say that they were easy to design (and get right).

They’re a through axel design with a single bolt holding the non-drive side and axel to the spider and drive side arm. These fit through a pair of press fit 30 cups and bearings.

They are a very stiff set of cranks despite being very light. Coupled with Praxis chainrings, you have a great shifting set that’s just as comfortable being painted matte black and going on someone’s 12 pound aero-light frame as they are getting a cream white coat on a lugged steel project.

[A side note is that EE will not be manufacturing these and you’ll eventually see them offered retail through Pacenti Cycle design.]

Tucked directly around the crank axle, the internal wiring set up for this bike (and most Di2 installs) takes up a fair bit of room, even in an oversized BB shell.

Fairwheel had to craft a one piece sleeve that fit between the two bearing cups to shield the wires from rubbing on the EE axle as it turned.

EE Cycle Works were also an easy choice for brakes as the mechanical linkage design in raw metal finish was a great visual match, right down to the bushing material being a cream white.

The linkage also accepts the cable pretty close to the center or the brakes rather than off to the side like most brake sets. It was with these brakes in mind that I chose the center rear brake cable exit for a super clean look.

The cable set for the brakes is Aican’s new compression resistant Bungarus (a kind of snake). These are individual links like Nokon and a few others BUT each link is a 2 piece construct that has it’s own liner. They’re an easier setup than links with solid liners as you can add and take away links to get the exact right length. And they’re almost half the weight of Nokon with no difference in performance / feel.

I left the steerer tube spacers and cap (from Parts of Passion) raw/unpainted as well.

They matched up very well with that stainless head set from Star…

I mentioned above that this is a loose ball bearing unit and they’re not exactly a common part found at most retailers. I wouldn’t have thought of this but Jason at Fairwheel snatched it out of the corner of his mind as having the right look, material and function.

You first need a careful touch to squirt out the grease (and Jason handles a syringe like a late 90’s grand tour champion…)

Then you use the push rod provided to squirt the bearings from a tube that holds the exact amount for each race (top and bottom)…

And place them carefully into the bottom race (upper and lower)…

It’s a little different than most current 1-1/8th inch headsets which require slightly less brain power than is used in understanding Legos. But the end result is a beautifully matched stainless piece that works super smooth and should be plenty durable.

Why The Weenie Parts?
It’s notable that most of these parts are pretty damn light weight. After seeing a few preview pictures of this build, some forum folks chattered that “weight doesn’t matter on a bike like this”.

That’s the same unfortunate type of thinking that a lot of “material purists” have.

People that try and imply that their choice of material is superior very frequently start by proclaiming the insignificance of their favorite materials suggested inadequacies. In the case of the “steel-is-real” crowd, Newton (and his stupid laws) is almost always the first guy assassinated.

While none of the parts for this bike were chosen with weight as a first or second priority (FYI, my top 2 were aesthetic and function), there’s very simply nothing wrong with the incidental performance benefits of lower rotating weight at the cranks or wheels and the lower center of gravity created by having lighter parts at the top of the bike (Bar, Stem, levers, Seat mast topper). In fact the benefits of lower weight are pretty much accepted world wide by anyone with a mind broader than the edge of a razor.

So that’s the frame and parts chosen, fab’d and finished to give me a certain look and a comfort focused ride quality. That the complete build offers very good performance (acceleration and handling) is just a bonus.

This bike’s smooth ride is primarily a function of frame weight, wheel / tire choice, tube set choice, cutting and butting position, geometry and a proper fork.

A lugged steel frame and fork like this will weigh double+ the weight of my Parlee Z5sl frame and fork (the complete build is 18lbs versus 13 for the Parlee ACDC bike). That’s not meant as a slap in the face though; in fact it’s an important factor in making one of the smoothest riding bikes I have ever owned.

You almost never hear that weight aids in the smoothness of some steel bikes because lots of steel fans are so insecure about weight that they immediately tell you “it doesn’t matter”. It’s a shame really that they can’t be honest about weight and that weight does matter because they lose the opportunity to talk about why… Instead they spout out magic pixie dust verbiage about “planning” and “resonance” and “lively”… In some cases they’re valid descriptions but a lot of the time it just sounds like denial.

If someone can admit that extra weight matters, they could tell you that a couple of extra pounds of frame and fork weight will act a bit like a tuned mass damperwhen it’s between the rider and two 25 section tires mounted to wide section rims pumped to 95 psi…

Really… If you didn’t click the link above, do yourself a favor and get a little education before you read the rest

While mass dampers in some applications need to be tuned very specifically, in cycling, a couple of pounds of extra frame and fork weight will act as a damper across a pretty wide range of vibration / impact forces typical to road riding.

There are a few other parts that also flex besides your tire casings. Your spokes, bars, stem, saddle rails, even your cranks and pedal axles all have some flex to them as well. Doubling the weight between all of these springs/cushions damps vibes better than a lighter frame (with similar stiffness) will.

Of course the frame has some flex too and in ride quality terms that flex is mostly related to large bump damping. It’s here where the tube set selection and butting profiles (or lack of) can make a pretty big difference.

There are straight gauge tubes and there are tubes with differing amounts of material removed from the in the middle… Take material away and the tube will flex easier (and be a little lighter). It’s pretty simple stuff.

Some builders will relieve even more material in the case someone asks for as light a bike as possible, but try and build a 13-14-15 pound steel bike and you’re going to have something that will be quite a bit more flexible all around. A 900 gram steel frame set (size 54) from just about any builder will be springy over larger bumps and it will also flex more at the head tube (handling) and at the Bottom end (drive train stiffness). In my case, and at my weight (155) I’ve tried a couple steel bikes at this weight and they just flexed too much for my taste.

I didn’t want a noodle and Kelly made the tube selection to give this bike similar stiffness in the drive train to my other performance related bikes. That also meant a little less bounce / springy feeling. It’s actually pretty similar on big bumps to a few of the more racy carbon bikes in the house like Blue’s Axino SL. It’s not overly jarring and it’s not so springy that you’re still bouncing 50 feet past the big hit.

But big, jarring bumps make up a really small percentage of road riding for most folks… It’s the granular road surface / small to medium bumps and high frequency vibes that make up the vast majority of riding and it’s this type of surface that this bike seems to do a better job of absorbing. The reduction in hand, arm and neck fatigue is notable versus the superlight bikes I have with similar stiffness (and those other bikes have similar or the same fit…).

A great example of how much fatigue is caused by high frequency vibes is the launch of loads of Physical Therapy and exercise machines launched in the past few years. They work (and work well) by adding vibration not only to traditional exercise movements but to simply standing or sitting…

Vibration very simply creates a sense of instability and your body’s natural reaction is to have the muscles make micro-adjustments (tiny contractions) that add up to greater fatigue over time.

Vibrations come in many different frequencies and they’re not completely eliminated on virtually any performance oriented road bike/wheel/tire combination but this bike does a fantastic job of reducing a lot of what I’m used to feeling.

Now I would guess a loud cheer is welling up inside folks that think I’m going to jump on the magical vibe absorbing / planning / resonance band wagon and claim this smoothness is down to the bike being metal. I’m not… Isotropic materials (metal) simply don’t absorb vibrations in their structure like Anisotropic materials (wood, bamboo, flax, carbon fiber) can (not all of these do as good a job absorbing vibes as some would suggest once they’re impregnated with resin and it cures to a solid).

This will really piss off some of you reading this, but folks that say “steel is smooth” in general terms are pretty plainly full of shit.

I’ve had more than one steel bike ride like crap. I’ve ridden steel that rode as harsh as any of the worst stereotype creating Aluminum or Carbon. I’ve ridden steel as overly flexible as the sloppiest “noodles” that some jackasses think only comes from Titanium. I’ve had steel crack from poor welding and I’ve had steel bikes with geometry bad enough that no other attributes were worth noting. And I’ve ridden bikes with these issues in Alu, ti, carbon and combo-materials too.

Kelly’s Stainless isn’t “how steel rides” any more than Parlee’s carbon is “how carbon rides” or Kirk’s Ti is “how Ti rides”. For all of these guys, the net ride quality of their bikes is a result of how well they plan and execute an individual frame build.

Really, you’re too dumb for words if you think the ride quality of these guys’ bikes is simply a function of writing a check to a certain tube supplier.

This bike and its ride quality aren’t about material… This is about the right choice of butted tubes and their being measured and cut in the right places to allow the butting to matter.

This is about fantastic craftsmanship in joining the tubes for long-long term use (never mind the way it looks).

This is about the right geometry.

This is about a particular wheel and tire combo that would smooth out lots of bikes but works particularly well with a heavier frame and fork that will use up a touch more of the deflection capacity that comes with running a 25 section tire at slightly lower pressures than my typical 23.

And yes… This is also about being incredibly beautiful lugged steel.

And so…
I wanted a bike that looked completely different than anything else in any of the groups I would be in. But to “be in” a group I have to keep up and everything had to work well together to do that.

Firstly, the custom shifting functions as Shimano Di2 should. Gear changes are super precise and quick, and the sequential brain is, in my opinion an upgrade. Shimano and Campy could offer the programming option easily and they should.

Sequential shifting won’t be for everyone, especially for racers that need an instant BIG ratio switch at the front end. But it is a no-brainer for A LOT of people, especially those that would put together a bike with the comfort / performance focus of this particular ride.

There’s a performance upgrade to be had eliminating the added drive line friction of chain cross over and this very simply and seamlessly eliminates that cross over. And it functions with simple slick instant shifting typical of stock Di2. You just forget about front versus rear shifting and ride.

The levers are a comfortable ergo shape and they have a pull ratio similar to stock SRAM. They actuate the EE brakes well, and the EE brakes are what they are… similar in power to Dura Ace brakes but with a bit less abrupt initial bite and a bit smoother modulation. That they look kool and shed grams is just icing.

The frames stiffness is enough that the bike is very responsive to pedal stroke input. There’s as little BB/chain stay flex here as anything I own in the sub 1K carbon.

The EE cranks also work very well in the stiffness department. I’ll be really interested when they reach the market in their retail form to see what’s changed, but they function well and are a simple set up.

The light and stiff bar, stem, post topper and saddle coupled with good frame stiffness means standing acceleration feels a lot better than most folks might think. The weight that you feel when you stand and rock your bike back and forth under you is pretty heavily attributed to the components you bolt on at the top of the bike. It’s basic physics that the higher the weight is from the ground, the further you have to move it side to side as you rock your bike (the tire contact is the fulcrum), so you’ll feel bar-stem-post-saddle weight more than weight lower on the frame. In this case, those components (save maybe the Star Headset) are firmly in the “light weight” family.

The fork Kelly put together is also a good match for the frame stiffness and the wheel set. It’s as stable as any of the flyweight race carbon out there. With a bit heavier wheels than I’m used to, there was a chance that I would feel more flex in hard corners or under heavy braking, but this is solid under all conditions.

The Wheel set here is focused pretty much on softening the ride (followed by a second priority that they be metal and look appropriately shallow for the bike). The wide rim and 25 section tires are a fantastic choice for smoothness… I’ve run them on 4 bikes and very frankly they’re a more enjoyable set up for every single inch of road that I cover that isn’t being covered under the stress of going fast or up something steep.

Change the subject from comfort to performance and these wheels are plenty stiff, damn durable and the smoothness and stability is a confidence booster, but…

I’m spoiled with a few sets of carbon tubulars that very simply handle quicker, accelerate and brake faster and hold speed better at much greater depths…

You can change this (or any other) bike’s character to a HUGE degree with wheel, tire and tire pressure changes. And you can run slightly lower pressures on tubular tires that bridge some of the comfort gap created by stiffer deeper profile rims and shorter spokes. But you can’t make a deep carbon rim look right on this bike. And you can’t make a deep carbon rim as comfortable as the wheels I selected for this bike unless you drop the tire pressure to a point where they feel to wishy-washy (not to mention the damage / safety risk).

That being the case, I’ll stick with the wheels that I had built for this bike (and honestly think about ordering another set for longer mile days on some of the other bikes I have).

Combine stable wheels with very good frame stiffness, a low center of gravity, front geometry that’s pretty easy to tip in to turns and a reasonable wheelbase for stability and you have a direct handling bike that will track a white line like a young Tom Boonen.

This is a VERY smooth ride but it is also a corner eating monster that boosts confidence at speed. And because it holds its extra weight relatively low, standing up and giving it the gas gets a great drive response and feels lighter in your hands that the scales would have you believe.

Now I know there are folks that want to interpret the statements above as meaning there is no difference in performance with this frame and fork versus the super-light carbon in the house and I wish I could say that’s the case. But much like this custom wheel set is less quick than the lighter carbon tubular sets I have, so too is a frame and fork that carries an extra 2-3 pounds…

Physics exists folks. Physics is much more “real” that the suggestion that steel has a magical ability to eliminate gravity.

While this parts selection is much lighter than what most folks put on similar lugged steel bikes, they’re only the rough equal to the weight of the parts typically on “light weight race carbon”. That being the case, my parts selection keeps the weight gap to my lighter bikes from ballooning rather than creating an overall light weight package.

This bike weighs 18 pounds and I can feel the difference versus the 12-13-14 pound bikes I have when I stand and accelerate. I also feel the difference when I’m at max effort up a reasonably steep climb.

Changing to a light set of tubulars helps acceleration / climbing and that wheel weight drop also quickens up the handling (and braking), but the differences between this bike and the lighter bikes I have are not completely eliminated with a wheel swap. It just is what it is (and there’s math backing it up).

The real question is “how much of a performance difference is there between this bike and the lighter / more aero stuff I have?”

A smart person can tell you that the performance difference is “X”. An idiot (or several) will tell other people how much they should value “X” versus any number of other bike qualities…

I’m partial to “x”, but not so much that I can’t acknowledge that the feeling a bike gives you while you ride it will also affect how you perform.

I always understood that fit matters in performance, but my tipping point toward wanting to go further toward comfort came after I had recently rode a VERY beautiful lugged steel bike that was fantastically smooth. It had honestly been a few years since I rode a bike like that and despite its weight (roughly 19.5 lbs), I loved that ride quality.

What I didn’t love was the clunky 8 speed transmission… I didn’t love the sluggish response (and big BB twist/flex) when I stood up and really gave it the gas… I was appalled at the lack of brake force… I hated both the noodle of a fork and the top heavy weight distribution that combined with crap geometry for shit-your-pants cornering / handling…

[quickie note here though... This bike was EXACTLY what the rider that had it wanted (in stiffness and geometry) and they've loved this bike for YEARS... It's a rider roughly the same height, but different body type and measures (my boxers reach for instance is 5 inches longer and 20 he's pounds lighter than I am), which goes to show that the same bike can suck, or be fantastic based on who it's built for and what they want.]

I wanted that silk feeling and I wanted the old world lugged style but I needed a little “X” thrown in so that I could have my cake and eat my riding friends’ cake too…

Rather than scoff at the new parts standards and modern layout like so many of his fellow builders, Kelly licked his chops at the chance to mi”X” things up a little and built a bike that stops traffic at group rides and makes the roads seem like a steam roller had recently passed by.

Sure I’ll have another 2-3-4 superlight aero screamers in the barn to go beat brains in. And a few of them will have fantastic ride quality that will get close to this. Hair splitting close enough that there’s no way anyone could argue against owning bikes like that.

You can accurately say that there are times when less is more…

But there’s something to be said about the ride quality here that’s not been matched so far by anything else in any other material… The extra pounds are so frequently unnoticed and the extra smoothness is noticeable enough that I’ll own another bike or two like this for sure…

There are also times when the pluses “outweigh” the minuses.

The suggested retail price for this frame and fork would be in the range of $7500. It would be very difficult to price this bike fully built as the Transmission, levers and cranks technically don’t exist. Swapping out some of the special parts for high end stock would have you some place north of $13,000.

Kelly’s much more traditional offerings range from $3,000 to $5000. Tig welded Ti and Steel and Lugged steel (stainless or non…) are all available. Kelly also has a new Ti/Carbon mix frame available for $4995 (unless you’re like me and would ask him to specially shape / cut and file the joints). Each of these models is made to measure and will require some time and attention with regard to your personal details.

Kelly is also taking on a (very) few dealers. They’ll need a strong resume with regard to fitting, customer service and a strong background in custom bicycle sales…

Find Kelly at Kbedfordcustoms.com

Find the insane parts mix at Fairwheelbikes.com

Thanks for Reading,
Charles Manantan

Bernard Hinault – there was no tougher cyclist in his era, and likely never will be.
Laurent Fignon – only as I got older and understood the man better, did I fully appreciate him as a truly great cyclist, sports figure and personality.
Greg LeMond – A trail blazer, really believed in himself, and did it clean.

As team mates at Renault Elf in the early 80′s they cut quite a swath – some unquantifiable measure of cool, tough guy resolve, swashbuckling bravado, and talent.

They’re also the perfect inspiration for the 2013 PezCycling kit and could only be made by a company with legacy of equal grinta – Castelli of course.

The new designs are ready for pre-order, and my first batch will here by mid- to late-July. I’m later this year than usual, but that’s what building a new website as cool as the new PEZ will do… And I think the wait is worth it.

See the details and Pre-order your kit now in the PEZShop.

- Pez

After a few days off the bike since my last crazy ride where I discovered the new Col de Sarenne and its simply awful descent, it was time to saddle up and head back up the Col du Glandon and then on to the Alpe – yes, we were doing roadside reporting the way it should be done – from the bike! Well that was the plan anyway. After coming down sick after the last ride I actually wanted to take the car for this report but with the Glandon still being closed to traffic it would have been a lot of driving to go the long way around and numerous hassles with the gendarmes approaching the Alpe. Besides, today’s ride was all about seeing the race, capturing the atmosphere and for that I guess I could ride slowly and it would only be 110km or so…..

Leaving our accomodation and heading straight up the HC Col du Glandon was once again a very tough way to start the ride and some 2kms in we saw the sign that could change our day in a big way – Col du Glandon, Ouvert. Open. Hhmm, Time for a U-turn, change of clothes and grab the car, or continue on the bikes? My riding companion for the day Tim convinced me that the bikes were the best way to go and despite my legs burning and heavy breathing I agreed. The Col du Glandon early in the morning on a fine day truly is a spectacular place to be riding a bike.

The snow and debris from just a few days previous had been cleared from the road and being the first day that the road was open and early on a Saturday morning there was virtually zero traffic.

In making this roadside report on the bike I chose wisely to not bring my normal couple of kilograms of camera equipment with me and instead went for the rudimentary but mostly effective compact camera. This certainly proved to be a good decision when climbing the Glandon as I made the climb much better than a few days before. When we got to the top though and discovered the views I regretted my decision – just for a moment! Later that day on the Alpe I would be back into my self congratulating mode…

The reflection on the water in this lake at the summit of the Glandon with the herd of goats, this abandoned shed and the rugged countryside were breathtaking.

Our descent down the Glandon went without incident and crossing the town of Allemont we were pleasantly surprised to see that the roads were free from the traffic that we experienced earlier in the week. Perhaps the Dutch were all already on the mountain waiting for the race?

The answer to that question was no actually, because there was virtually nobody on the Alpe! In fact for the first few kilometers there were more gendarmes on the mountain than spectators.

Riding up the Alpe – where is everybody?

This was an amazing contrast from our ride on Tuesday with the 8000+ Dutch and the atmosphere on the Alpe d’Huez was that of a bizarre Alpine ghost town. The gendarmes had closed the road well in advance of the race so anyone wanting to get up and watch had to walk or already be on the mountain as they were even stopping bikes from riding up. Luckily we had our press passes with us after covering the stage start the day before and those combined with a bit of my smooth talking French managed to keep us riding through the various gendarme roadblocks.

Some switchbacks had more spectators than others but most had a maximum of 10 people.

Amongst the few spectators on the Alpe were the British pair of Neil and Roger who made it obvious who they were supporting.

Certain gendarmes were easier to talk our way past than others but we were determined to continue to switchback number 13, about 1/2 way up the Alpe as it’s been proven before as one of the best places to watch the race. This is where we had run into the lovely Leonie just days earlier and although Tim was probably hoping that history would repeat itself, we were actually going there for its spectacular view back on to the lower slopes of the climb. From the edge of the road you can see a full 8 switchbacks below you so it makes for an excellent vantage point. With 1/2 the climb already done the race is normally at full flow by the time the peloton gets to corner 13 too, so you get a good idea of who is going to win that day, who is losing time etc.

Of course this day at the Dauphiné the Alpe d’Huez came after just 50km of racing and was a LONG way from the finish so we wouldn’t know who was going to win when the race came past. If all went well though we would get some good photos and have some good atmosphere on this normally packed deep with spectators corner.

With our press passes dangling and on display we continued on, pressing on for the famous switchback 13.

As we climbed our way up and the signs counted their way down to 13 I was struck by the complete contrast of any other day I’ve ever done the Alpe. Whether at Tour time, winter time or even in the middle of the pouring rain, I don’t think I’ve ever seen as few people on the mountain. Arriving at switchback 13 this theme of an Alpe abandoned continued as we were greeted by 3 Frenchmen, 2 Germans and a Gendarme. Yep, that was it. Possibly the best corner to watch the race from and it was all ours!

I quickly got chatting to the Gendarme and he explained to me that there were 120 gendarmes on the Alpe d’Huez that day on foot and for the Tour de France there will be more than 700. He was a veteran of many Tour experiences on the Alpe d’Huez and told me a few stories that he made me promise I wouldn’t publish about various behaviour and things seen during that time!

Just as he started telling me some interesting stories one of the Frenchmen there said, ‘they’re coming’ and sure enough, a quick look over the guard rail confirmed that a large breakaway group of 22 riders was already climbing the mountain below us.

It was at this point though that my attention and the whole crowd’s attention (ok, all 8 of us) was drawn to a mini police chase that was happening back on the road right next to us. A Saxo Bank team car had been descending the Alpe at speed on the now totally closed road and had disobeyed various gendarmes instructions not to descend – against the flow of the race. One SaxoBank car versus numerous pissed off gendarmes was an unequal match and the motorcycle gendarmes managed to stop the car just below our corner 13 that was proving to be an unlucky number for this particular driver.

The gendarmes then turned the driver around and parked him on the side of the corner before laying down the law in a very heated discussion. The result was the gendarme ripping the accreditation stickers off the car and driver and parking the car permanently on the side of the road despite the heavy protestations from the driver and passenger. ‘Pas de negotiations’ the gendarme repeated and I’m not sure if the Saxo driver spoke French or not but it was clear through the cop’s body language that his mind was not changing – their Dauphiné was over for disobeying direct police orders and for dangerous conduct.

That makes one team car less for Contador and co.

With all that action happening around us we’d forgotten about the actual race and when we looked around our crowd numbers had almost doubled with the arrival of the professional photographers on motorbikes who are well aware of the beauty of switchback 13. Unfortunately my prime position on the inside of the switchback had now been taken but I did the best I could with my mini camera….

The 22 rider break had already come through and then it was the Ian Stannard led peloton doing his job for Froome and the peloton just a few minutes later.

Froome was looking very comfortable with Richie Porte in front and Edvald Boasson Hagen behind.

The faces further down in the peloton were less tranquil than Froome’s but at this early stage in the day the sprinters were still hanging in there.

With the passing of the peloton it was now time to get back on the bikes and return down to the base town of Bourg d’Oisans but before we did there was time to take in the beauty of the mountain and its virtually abandoned state one more time.

A cyclist arrived to take in the view from our corner just before we left and it happened to be another English speaker, Xavier from New Zealand. Xavier was enjoying the day and had watched the race from further down after unsuccessfully trying to talk his way through the various gendarmes.

With no hurry we slowly started our way down the still car-free mountain and having spotted a cute gendarme (yes there were many young female reservists on duty that day) we thought we’d stop and have a chat.

We tried to cajole her into a photo but she towed the partyline of ‘not allowed, not when I’m in my uniform’ so it was a no go. There’s a few responses to give to that one, but I didn’t go there and instead wished her well for the rest of the day….

No photo of the gendarme but she did take some photos of us.

We then arrived back down on the outskirts of Bourg d’Oisans where amazingly there were many more people than on the climb waiting to catch the race at a boring roundabout where we’d see the riders for all of 3 seconds!

After the race went through it was time to get back on the bikes but before that somebody came up to me and asked, ‘You’re not Richard Pestes are you?’. Well standing in the middle of the Alps in France watching a bike race, dressed head to toe in PEZ gear I guess I could have been mistaken for ‘The PEZ’ himself but no, I explained that I was actually his right hand man on a roadside assignment.

The questioning duo were Canadians Drew and Alain who had just been at the top of the Alpe d’Huez experiencing the vacation of a lifetime taking in many of the famous Cols that Europe has to offer as Alain explained to me;

“We say to people that don’t understand the sport climbing the Alpe d’Huez is like playing tennis at Wimbledon or catching a ball at Yankee stadium or playing on the pitch at Manchester United. Name the other sport where you can do this? This is one of the few sports where you can ride the same gear and play in the same arenas as the very best in the world.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself Alain and that’s exactly what being roadside at the Dauphiné or the Tour or any pro race is all about. Riding exactly where the pros ride and then seeing them up close – all for free!

With that I wished Alain and Drew all the best for their return home and I was about to jump back on the bike when I spotted an Australian flag on the other side of the road waving proudly.

Being a proud Aussie myself I thought I better go over and say a quick ‘G’day’, which was met with stunned silence. I then tried the ‘Where are you from?’ which went down better, to which the family responded - Grenoble! Yes, a French family with an Australian flag. So I continued my questioning – this time in French – to find out more. Why the Aussie flag?

“Our son is mad for Australia. When he grows up he wants to be Australian!” I explained to them that I’d successfully been doing that for near 40 years. To which I was quickly recruited for a photo with their son with a ‘real’ Australian!

There was no time to hang around speaking French with a fake Australian though, I still had the Col du Glandon to climb to get home so it was ‘aurevoir’ and ‘see you later mate’ to my new friends as Tim and I saddled up for the last time for the day with 10km of flat to ride before our 28km ascension up the Glandon followed by the descent over the other side.

Fortunately my legs were much better than the other day and instead of pure survival mode up the climb I felt like I was actually ‘riding’ the climb and I also had the time to take in the views that I’d previously missed. And it’s the views and the people that you meet that make a great day roadside on the bike. At 110km of riding though it certainly wasn’t easy but there’s nothing better than a day in the Alps with a mate, on the bike and seeing the pros – perfect!

If you ever get the chance to come to France make sure you try and take in the Dauphiné one day in June. You’ll see the best climbs, the magic scenery, most of the best riders and all without the hassle of traffic and crazy crowds that comes with the Tour. Having said that though there’s nothing quite like the atmosphere those crazy crowds produce…..

On the way home up the Glandon I came across this melting drift that I had absolutely no memory of just a few days prior. It’s amazing what you can see sometimes when you lift your head from the stem.

Just 2kms of climbing to go on our roadside adventure and then it’s all downhill back home – the best way to finish a ride!

What can Seinfeld teach us about bike racing?
I do not try to hide it, I am a big Seinfeld fan. It seems that every episode has some parody of life that you can easily apply to bike racing, as well as many other areas of life. One specific show, called “The Opposite” sets up a situation where nothing is really working for George. Same job, same life, same everything! He decides to do the opposite of every instinct that he has. As Jerry puts it, “If every instinct you have is wrong, then the opposite would have to be right.”

I think this approach can be beneficial for many athletes when they are in the middle of a bike race. Most race to not fail, they are conservative and don’t really apply themselves. Contrast that to your local group rides where everyone seems to be more aggressive, attacking, fearless, etc. I mean seriously, what do you have to lose?

I would rather see my athlete’s “fail” by being aggressive and helping to shape and determine the outcome of the race, versus just sitting there and thinking about what not to do. So basically, whatever your instinct is telling you to do, just do the opposite and see where it takes you!

What we learn from our development program
We are fortunate to be working with an incredible group of under-23 and junior level riders. The program takes a bit of a different approach in that we currently don’t have a team, but work with riders who want to take their fitness and skills to the next level away from the team environment. We work closely with the teams and parents, but mainly focus on long-term individual development. Our training center serves as a location for them to get all the tools they need to be successful in both bike racing and life. The results are showing and we are proud of them, as they set an example for all levels and ages of athletes.

So what do we learn from them? Simple really. We teach and learn that every one of them develops at a different rate. I know that sounds simple and obvious, but in today’s world, that patience is not always appreciated (see below). And not only do they learn from our staff, when given the opportunity, they learn a great deal from each other, helping each others learn the discipline and dedication it takes to be successful. It’s the same as any of the other major sports like baseball, football, etc. It’s just that in cycling; there are not as many opportunities for that type of environment.

As we observe them we also learn another important aspect of the sport that should be appreciated by every level of rider. And that is how much fun they have riding their bikes and training with their best friends. Every rider should take a lesson from them and forget the power meter periodically, not be so intense and serious and go back to being a kid and why you love to ride your bike to begin with!

Gas pedals
A lot of being successful in your training depends on knowing when to train hard and when to back off. It’s knowing when to apply the gas pedal and when to let it go. We often have great discussions about what workouts to do and when, always talking about how a rider feels. There is no question that our bodies go in cycles of feeling good and not feeling so good. They seem to define themselves more as we get older. It’s important to recognize those times and take advantage of the training opportunity or not try to push it. It takes a patient and mature athlete to do this. It’s an old cliché, but learn to “listen to your body.” Trust me, it will take you far!

This stuff takes time
We’ve written about it time and time again, but this important topic is always worth revisiting. It’s human nature to want instant results. We are a society of instant gratification and are not super patient. Improving on the bike and, more importantly, in bike racing takes time and experience.

There is no magic workout, there is no one supplement, and there is no specific tactic.

What it takes is time and self-awareness. It’s requires a program that is objective and balanced in its approach. It’s knowing where you are in the big picture, being realistic, and working hard every day. It’s about taking a professional approach even if you are not a professional.

From showing up every day with a clean bike to being a true sportsman and respecting your competition. About staying on course and not changing your training approach every time something isn’t working or you feel you need more “motivation.” Your performance is a direct result of your habits and your willingness to work for the long-term.

Too many athletes are like sailboats without rudders, changing direction every time someone tells them something new. It’s about a complete, focused, well-balanced program OVER TIME.

Ride safe, ride strong,
Bruce

About Bruce
Bruce Hendler is a USA Cycling Coach and owner of AthletiCamps in Northern California. For the past 11 years, he and his experienced team have helped athletes of all levels achieve their goals in the great sport of bike racing thru cycling training camps, cycling coaching and performance testing. To contact AthletiCamps, visit their website at www.athleticamps.com or follow them on Twitter.

This time last year it was the truculent Wiggins in first with Mick Rogers in second, but a quick glance down the final GC tells you the tale of 2012: dominance by Sky in stage races. Then, alongside Wiggo and Rogers, Froome was in 4th and Porte in 9th.

What’s changed this year? Not much, just the faces – certainly not the allegations from a sizeable chunk of the forum fanatics. This year we had Froome in first with Porte in 2nd but no other Sky rider in the top ten, yet with Geraint Thomas in 15th and Uran Uran rested, there is no doubt that the men in black are the strongest team in world cycling right now.

And the allegations? If you believe the web then Sky have found something no one else can get their hands on, hence Froome’s rather meteoric rise through the sport and the alleged ‘ease’ with which he climbs. Any weight to the rumors? I have no idea, but if teams aren’t going to start posting their riders’ blood values online – accepting a disregard for any ‘secrets’ they may be letting their rivals in on – then this will rumble on forever.

The truth is plain and spelt out time and again to anyone with their eyes open – the fan cannot rely on the authorities to stamp out the disease that has infected the sport and therefore has every right to be suspicious. And, in the age of social media, unease spreads like wildfire. Some teams and a big chunk of the authorities seem to want to use the ‘ignore it and it will go away’ method to the public’s suspicions, but that will not work – they tried that with the doping problem in the first place and look where that got us.

One sense in which Froome was truly tested here was his nerve (if not his legs), and it held up. The Wiggo documentary ‘A Year In Yellow’ didn’t paint the Kenyan-born Brit in a particularly positive light but if there was any suspicion of a lingering delicateness to Froome, he has gone to great lengths to dispel that with his performances this year.

Much like Contador he is physically slight but, like the Spaniard, he is clinical when on form. Yesterday though his desire to reward his Australian teammate with a stage win cost Sky the stage victory, for almost certainly the race leader could have caught the man who in fact did win, the Italian De Marchi (fine ride by him by the way).

De Marchi on his way to a fine win in Stage 8.

Perhaps he was wary of the criticism that would surely have come had he ‘left’ Porte and taken Di Marchi’s scalp. With the distance between fan and rider greatly reduced now thanks in large part to the social media, you never know how much the criticism affects the man.

Interestingly, there are some similarities to Bernard Hinault’s La Vie Claire team in Sky. People are quick to look to the USPS team when talking about the British outfit but in the French team there was a similar wealth of GC talent, moreso than with Armstrong’s crew. In the top ten for example of the 1986 Tour de France, Lemond took pole, Hinault second, Andy Hampsten 4th and Niki Rittman 7th, a remarkable achievement.

Had Wiggo not gone all wobbly at the Giro, we could have had a similar situation with him, Froome, Porte and Uran in the top ten. And if they’d kept Michael Rogers, well, they’d have had even more firepower at their disposal.

Dave Brailsofrd’s scientific approach to training is also more akin to that of the Swiss Paul Kochli’s, who was joint DS at La Vie Claire with Maurice La Guillox and who is largely credited for the form of his charges back in the mid 80s. And for the final and most obvious connection, which any fan worth his or her salt will know about, there was the big story of that ’86 Tour, when Hinault threw the kitchen sink at his teammate Lemond to try to win a record 6th Tour, of which the Wiggo/Froome dynamic is reminiscent – a real shame we will be denied the chance to see that one played out this July, might have been one for the ages.

Two other rides that really stood out were those of Rohan Denis and Jakob Fugslang. In Fugslang’s case it was something of a vindication for him after a frustrating time under Bruyneel, and for Denis it was the signal that there is a new kid on the block. 10th on the stage yesterday and 8th on the GC, a fine result for the young man.

And finally, Contador. He said he is now at 75% of his form and suffering allergies, so if he does find another 25% – a massive chunk of form – he will be flying in July. And realistically, if he isn’t, who will challenge Froome?

If no one steps up, this could be nothing short of a procession.

TOP STORY: McQuaid Hit’s Back or Not?
After the announcement of British Cycling’s president; Brian Cookson standing against Pat McQuaid in the election for the UCI presidency, McQuaid sent a letter to all the presidents of other countries drawing attention to meeting between Cookson and Igor Makarov, the president of the Russian Cycling Federation. McQuaid has cast aspersions on the motives of Makarov and the connection between the two.

In the letter he said: ”In this respect, therefore, I must also express my extreme concern about a donation of almost €1million made by Mr Makarov’s company, Itera, to the UEC within weeks of the UEC elections. Given all of the accompanying activities, it is important to know what the true nature and purpose of this donation is – and I also spoke directly to Mr Cookson on this subject outlining my concerns. I am however also confident that UEC President Lappartient will look into this and that in any case the funds, if accepted, will be used for the development of cycling in Europe.

Mr Cookson’s decision to announce his candidacy for the UCI President raises a number of important issues. Given all this, I think it is for Mr Cookson to explain his reasons for meeting Mr Makarov at the behest of Mr Walkiewicz. All three men have strong ties to World Tour teams. In the interest of transparency, Mr Cookson must answer a number of questions.”

This does bring up a couple questions:
Surely Mr. Makarov as a sponsor of the Katusha team would be very interested in why his team was not given a WorldTour licence, considering they had the World No. 1 rider Joaquim Rodriguez.

As to transparency; McQuaid stopped the inquiry into the UCI by the independent committee, that wasn’t very transparent.

And as to other financial connections and independence; Global Cycling Promotions (GCP) is the arm of the UCI that promotes global cycling and acts as a race organiser. Races like the Tout of Beijing pay GCP, the UCI control the company and the shares are owned by the UCI and their offices are at the UCI.

It all has a feeling of calling pot/kettle and black.

Critérium du Dauphiné 2013
Sky’s Chris Froome put his name at the top of the Tour de France favourites list on Thursday’s Stage 5 from Grésy sur Aix to Valmorel, a distance of 139 kilometres. After many early attempts to set-up a break, fifteen riders managed to escape, they were: Bert Wellens (Lotto Belisol), Matteo Gavazzi (Astana), Tom-Jelte Slagter (Blanco), Matthew Busche (RadioShack Leopard), Daniel Teklehaimanot (Orica-GreenEdge), Pelo Bilbao (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Kevin Reza (Europcar), Frantisek Rabon (Omega Pharma – Quick-Step), Cayetano Sarmiento (Cannondale), Imanol Erviti (Movistar), Bertjan Lindeman (Vacansoleil-DCM), Bartosz Huzarski (NetApp-Endura), Brent Bookwalter (BMC), Thomas Damuseau (Argos-Shimano) and David de la Cruz (NetApp-Endura). The bug group managed a lead of over 5 minutes, but with Garmin-Sharp and Katusha on the chase, it was down to 3 minutes by the Côte de la Croix and at the start of the climb to the finish in Valmorel it was 30 seconds. Bart Wellens, Matthew Busche and Daniel Teklehaimanot struck out on their own as the others had to give up the hope of a stage win. The attacks started from Movistar with Alejandro Valverde, twice, and Imanol Erviti. Overall leader; Rohan Dennis (Garmin-Sharp) lost contact and the yellow jersey with around 3 kilometres to the summit. Busche had dropped Wellens and was heading for the win as Alberto Contador (Saxo-Tinkoff) split the chase group at the red kite. Chris Froome waited for the sting to go from Contador’s attack and then crossed to him, passed him and took the stage win and the overall lead.

Chris Froome, Team Sky Rider: “It’s definitely a good gauge for me to be able to test myself against someone like Alberto who has won multiple Grand Tours. To be able to finish in front of someone like him definitely gives me a lot of confidence, especially three weeks out from the Tour de France.

“Yesterday was a big test in the time trial to see where the other guys were. I’m happy with the result in that stage and today was a different kind of test in the mountains. Coming away with a stage win wasn’t really the plan, but I’m really happy that I can reward my team-mates with a stage victory because they did a super job looking after me. Especially in the final, Pete Kennaugh and Richie Porte were fantastic.

“It’s a position that I’ve been adjusting to this year. It still feels quite new to have a team of guys riding and sacrificing themselves for you. But so far this season the guys have done it throughout my race programme – starting in Oman, Tirreno-Adriatico, Criterium International, Romandie and the Dauphine. So naturally they must have some confidence in me. It’s a really good feeling and I feel privileged to be in this position.

“I’m hoping to improve my form before the Tour. I don’t feel that I’m in 100 per cent condition yet but I’m where I need to be at this stage.”

Tim Wellens (Lotto Belisol): “I took off with a rider of Euskaltel and became part of a group of twelve and later fifteen riders. There was a good cooperation all the time. We had to give full gas, because in the background Katusha was riding hard. We didn’t get or lead for free. On the final climb three riders jumped away. I accelerated and could catch up with them, then I ended up on my own. For a moment I believed I could make it to the finish, but the climb was tough. Then Busche passed me by. Unfortunately for him he was caught so close to the finish line.”

“The level is very high here, so that I can make the race here gives me a good feeling. Many people watch this race of course, that’s always nice. The past few days I supported the team, but didn’t feel quite good. I also had some knee troubles, but that’s over now. This stage has made my Dauphiné. Saturday there’s the queen stage. The team will try to have someone in the break again, so who knows you’ll see me again.”

Alberto Contador (Saxo-Tinkoff) has acknowledged he was “happy because I found it a little better than yesterday, but not much more. I’ve been at wheel the whole race, I know that this time of the year is not the best for me due to allergies and I have to go day by day. My condition is improving every day and this is the most important”. Alberto said that Froome “ is very strong, like his team”, but is clear that this “is not my race, I’m here to improve the condition and not to go too fast, because the real goal is the Tour de France. Regardless of the result, the goal is to get ready for the Tour. If you can win a stage, it’s fine because it always gives you a bit of confidence, but the important thing is to keep working”. He was also pleased with the performance of his Saxo-Tinkoff teammates. “Rogers has placed very well overall and the team also is going better each day. Today we got three riders in the front group and that is thanks to the hard work of all my teammates”. Finally he said that the result of the time trial “must be left apart, analyze it and continue working, that’s all”.

Michal Kwiatkowski (Omega Pharma – Quick-Step) is now 8th in the GC, 1’58″ back. “It was really hard, but you know every stage race after four or five stages there are big gaps,” Rabon said. “So, the goal was not to let a big group go. That’s exactly what happened from the beginning. But our guys wanted to be in the breakaway. I was near the front, so I think it was a good situation for the team as there were also no Sky or Garmin-Sharp riders in the group. So, our guys didn’t have to chase behind us. They could focus on Kwiatek and I was there to try and get a stage win because for me, it’s also nice as a worker to get such a chance. Being in the breakaway was a nice feeling. I tried to get the stage, but of course it’s a mountaintop finish. It’s always difficult, especially with the guys in that group. But, if you don’t try, you don’t know. I was a little disappointed with my time trial yesterday and am happy I fought back a little bit.”

“The plan was to have someone in the big break away from the beginning,” Kwiatkowski said. “Frantisek went perfectly, started in the front and he was in the breakaway. So, we could stay near the front all day without problems. The guys put me into position perfectly before the climb. I was just behind Sky. My teammates helped me a lot so I gave it my all. I am happy with my performance. I gave it my all but didn’t go over my limit. I’m looking forward to the next stages. I still have a bit of reserves in the legs. I’m happy about my condition and every day it’s getting better. So, we’ll see how we will finish this race.”

Critérium du Dauphiné Stage 5 Result:
1. Christopher Froome (GB) Sky in 3:28:39
2. Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo-Tinkoff at 0:04
3. Matthew Busche (USA) RadioShack Leopard
4. Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar at 0:10
5. Michael Rogers (Aus) Saxo-Tinkoff at 0:12
6. Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha
7. Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis
8. Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Cofidis at 0:21
9. Richie Porte (Aus) Sky at 0:24
10. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana at 0:29.

Critérium du Dauphiné Overall After Stage 5:
1. Christopher Froome (GB) Sky in 16:08:44
2. Richie Porte (Aus) Sky at 0:52
3. Rohan Dennis (Aus) Garmin-Sharp at 0:54
4. Michael Rogers (Aus) Saxo-Tinkoff at 1:37
5. Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha at 1:47
6. Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Cofidis at 1:49
7. Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis at 1:52
8. Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step at 1:58
9. Leopold Konig (Cze) Team NetApp-Endura at 2:16
10. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana at 2:20.

Stage 5:

A group of eight persistent escapees including Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) dominated today’s 143 kilometre long Stage 6 of the Criterium du Dauphiné from La Lechéré to Grenoble. In the peloton, the sprinter teams worked hard to bridge the gap to the front group that shattered in the undulating terrain of the final kilometres of the stage. The eight riders took the lead going over the Cat 1 Col du Barioz. They were: Tim Wellens (Lotto Belisol), Kevin Seeldraeyers & Egor Silin (Astana), Mikel Nieve (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Alexandre Geniez (FDJ), Thomas Voeckler (Europcar), Jose Herrada (Movistar), and Thomas de Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM). They had a lead of 2:50 with 50 kilometres to go, but that was the best they could manage before it collapsed.

In the final kilometres of the stage, other teams joined in on the chase to catch Thomas Voeckler, Jose Herrada, Igor Silin and Kevin Seeldrayer, but without any luck. In the tactical waiting game on the final kilometre, Thomas Voeckler was the coolest of the quartet and took a superb win ahead of Herrada, while the two Astana riders had to settle with third and fourth place.

The Team Saxo-Tinkoff riders were brought safely to the finish line: “It was a fast and furious stage but our riders managed to get through the course without mishaps and Michael (Rogers) and Alberto (Contador) were both covered by teammates on the crosswind sections of the stage. So now, we’re ready to take on the mountain stage tomorrow, which looks like a taste of Tour de France. The goal is to stay among the best on the stage and to continue on the right path to our main goal later this summer, the Tour de France,” said Saxo-Tinkoff DS, Philippe Mauduit after the stage.

Critérium du Dauphiné Stage 6 Result:
1. Thomas Voeckler (Fra) Europcar in 3:24:13
2. José Herrada Lopez (Spa) Movistar
3. Kevin Seeldraeyers (Bel) Astana
4. Egor Silin (Rus) Astana
5. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky at 0:46
6. Gianni Meersman (Bel) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step
7. Francesco Gavazzi (Ita) Astana Pro Team
8. Wesley Sulzberger (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge
9. Arnaud Gerard (Fra) Bretagne-Seche Environnement
10. Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step.

Critérium du Dauphiné Overall After Stage 6:
1. Christopher Froome (GB) Sky in 19:33:43
2. Richie Porte (Aus) Sky at 0:52
3. Rohan Dennis (Aus) Garmin-Sharp at 0:54
4. Michael Rogers (Aus) Saxo-Tinkoff at 1:37
5. Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha at 1:47
6. Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Cofidis at 1:49
7. Rein Taaramae (Est) Cofidis at 1:52
8. Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step at 1:58
9. Leopold Konig (Cze) Team NetApp-Endura at 2:16
10. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana at 2:20.

Stage 6:

A big group of 22 riders were in Saturday’s long-lasting breakaway on the 187.5 kilometre long mountainous Stage 7 finishing on Superdevoluy. They reached the bottom of the Alpe d’Huez with a lead of 3:30 which increased to 5:40 at the top of the Col d’Ornon, mostly due to the strength of Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Lotto Belisol).

In the peloton, the leading team of Team Sky controlled the pace of the pack passing the legendary climb of Alpe d’Huez. A climb this year’s Tour de France peloton will pass twice in the same day in the anniversary edition of the race less than a month from now.

At the foot of the penultimate climb, Omega Pharma – Quick-Steps Sylvain Chavanel and Canondale’s Alessandro di Marchi broke clear of the front group while the speeding peloton was getting closer behind. As the group with Sergio Paulinho was caught, teammate Jesus Hernandez went to the front of the pack with Alberto Contador and Michael Rogers on his tail and reeled in the last standing escapee. On the final kilometers of the penultimate climb, only the GC riders were left in the front group after Team Saxo-Tinkoff put the hammer down.

Diving to the foot of the uphill finish, Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Jakob Fuglsang (Astana) gained a gap of about 20 seconds to the other favourites as Team Saxo-Tinkoff’s Alberto Contador was sitting in front of teammate, Michael Rogers and set a fierce pace in the chase group.

The two escapees made it to the finish line where Samuel Sanchez was the faster rider and took the stage win. Team Saxo-Tinkoff’s Alberto Contador worked hard throughout the day for teammate, Michael Rogers and they both finished among the best and Rogers is now third overall.

Chris Froome (Sky) held onto his lead and his team mate; Richie Porte tried for stage success, but finished third.

“I’m in the moment of form I want to be” Alberto Contador worked today as a luxury domestique for one of his teammates, Michael Rogers, who managed to pull himself up to third place overall in the Dauphiné thanks to Alberto’s work. “I’ve worked thinking about my team mate Michael Rogers, pulling the group. My condition is perfect, I’m at the moment I want to be. I figure I’ll be at 75
percent maximum and would not change in any way the moment of preparation that I have now,” said Contador after the stage. Alberto admitted that the plan was previously designed. “Yes, because they always work for me and today I had the chance. I wanted to enjoy a little pulling and it serves me for training. The goal was to move to the third place overall and I think that has been achieved. Personally I’m happy, legs work very well, are at the moment I want and I am sure that in the Tour de France they will be stronger still. The plan is going perfectly”.

To work for Michel Rogers was planned or improvised?
“As he was in fourth overall, he was to get on the podium, and yeah, we’ve talked, I asked him how he was and we thought on that. So I have been dedicated to set a good pace for leaving back riders and take third place, I kept the pace until the finish to maintain the differences. The stage was totally secondary, so I’m happy, at the moment of form I want to be, not being the best time of the year for me due to allergies. My condition is very good and I am happy with the performance. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.

The pace you have put in front … maybe you had one more gear? They were ahead; Samuel and Fuglsang, how have you planned this?
“The important thing was to keep a good pace so riders that had been unhooked did not come back. The stage was secondary. I put a pace comfortable to allow Michael to respond in case there was an attack at the end to take away his position.

How are your sensations and what we can expect for tomorrow?
My sensations are pretty good, I feel quite comfortable on the climbs and tomorrow seems it will be a raining day, which in some way favours me. We’ll see what happens.”

Critérium du Dauphiné Stage 7 Result:
1. Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi in 5:26:14
2. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana
3. Richie Porte (Aus) Sky at 0:15
4. Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha at 0:16
5. Stef Clement (Ned) Blanco
6. Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar
7. Christopher Froome (GB) Sky
8. Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Cofidis
9. Michael Rogers (Aus) Saxo-Tinkoff
10. Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo-Tinkoff at 0:23.

Critérium du Dauphiné Overall After Stage 7:
1. Christopher Froome (GB) Sky in 25:00:13
2. Richie Porte (Aus) Sky at 0:51
3. Michael Rogers (Aus) Saxo-Tinkoff at 1:37
4. Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha at 1:47
5. Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Cofidis at 1:49
6. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana at 2:04
7. Stef Clement (Ned) Blanco at 2:32
8. Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar at 2:47
9. Rohan Dennis (Aus) Garmin-Sharp at 2:48
10. Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo-Tinkoff at 2:56.

Stage 7:

The Final Stage 8 winner; Alessandro De Marchi (Cannondale) was the last of a big break of 24 riders who battled through heavy rain and fog to Risoul over 155 kilometres. The Sky team had been in control of the stage and put the hammer down on the final climb. De Marchi held on for the win and Chris Froome took second from Andrew Talansky (Garmin-Sharp) and his team mate Richie Porte and obviously Froome won the overall.

Alberto Contador (Saxo-Tinkoff) was again the domestique for Michael Rogers, but due to the Australian having a bad day and Contador crashing, Rogers dropped from 3rd to 6th in the overall standing.

“I thought it was better to give a hand to Rogers” Alberto Contador finished the Dauphiné helping Michael Rogers, who had a bad day on the climb to Risoul. He wanted to be in front to try to fight for the stage win but, as he says, the race wanted something else. “It was a day that I was waiting for. The finish suited to me pretty well and we wanted to control the stage all day. After the Col de Vars I had a bit of bad luck, because for the only moment I dropped behind the group in these eight days to leave the raincoat and I had a bad fall. I got up and got back to the group and the sensation was very good at the last climb”. Alberto thought today of the victory. “I was thinking of the fight for the stage, because today, with the rain, I was breathing much better. But we have seen that Rogers was in a bad moment and I thought it was better to give him a hand to try to hold the position. At the end he did not have a good day, but I’m happy because the sensations are very good. Where would I come today? I do not know, I can’t know, but I’m very happy with the sensations that I had”.

The fall seems to not had serious consequences, but Contador is cautious. “It is still too soon to know if it will have any consequence. I have the left side quite beaten. Luckily, with the rain we wear much clothes, you slip over in the road and have less scratches. I hope it don’t bother me to continue the preparation for the Tour”. The best moment of the day was when Gallopin went forward. He felt great. “The situation was very good, because Gallopin was wearing down Sky, he had a good pace and I was following his wheel, thinking of giving one more gear to try to fight for the stage win. But the race developed in another way and I thought that being with my teammate was better”.

Finally, Alberto Contador makes an optimistic balance of the Critérium du Dauphiné. “The balance is good, very good. My sensations are very good, regardless of the result in the overall, that is secondary. I’ve been mostly focused on going better every day and I am very happy with the moment of form that I have now and I think I’ll be in top condition for the Tour de France. I will not say if better than any other year, because that will be seen in the race, but not less than in previous years”.

Gianni Meersman (Omega Pharma – Quick-Step) bested Froome for the points jersey by two points. “I am happy about my green jersey,” Meersman said. I knew this morning I had to enter in the breakaway to get the points. It was the only way to win the jersey and then I also had to wait for the final result, because if Froome was the winner I would have lost the jersey. I did what I was supposed to do — I entered and arrived with the points. Then in the final I was there, sitting in back and waiting. With 1km to go I heard Froome was 2nd, so I was happy I won the points classification. The green jersey is a great achievement, but I really would have liked to win a stage. Because in this Criterium du Dauphine I only missed a win. I was always there, always at the top of the best riders in the bunch for the sprints. But I didn’t have the victories. I would have liked to add one win, but it was not possible. So I have to be happy for the good results. ”

Meersman said he is happy with his consistency. “This season I really showed that I can be one of the most regular guys in the peloton, which is also important for me” Meersman said. “Now I go home and Wednesday I fly to Calpe to train under the sun and will come back Monday evening next week. I do this because of the national championship approaching. Wearing the Belgian National Champion jersey would be like a dream. I checked the parcour two weeks ago and think it’s nice, even a bit hard maybe, but really nice. The race depends also on how the peloton will ride. But honestly I hope to try to maintain the condition I had here at the Dauphine. I can probably do something good but I go to the national championship without any stress, and I will take what is possible.”

Tim Wellens (Lotto Belisol): “I was the first to attack today immediately after the start and then a front group of 24 was formed. The group was big, but still there was a very good cooperation. Meyer was remarkably faster on the Col de Vars and I had to let him go. In the descent I could come back. We were leading with five and the others were descending very fast and took risks. I didn’t want to do that and lost a few meters. When I returned to the front on the final climb, I noticed the others were watching each other and decided to keep up my own tempo and was solo ahead.”

Chris Froome (Sky): “This win is a massive achievement for me. I was using the Dauphine as build up to the Tour de France, but to have come away with the victory here, I couldn’t have asked for any more, and to have my best friend in second place is the perfect scenario. It would have been great to win the stage as well but we have already won two of those this week and it just proved impossible to reel in De Marchi in the end.”

So Chris Froome has thrown down the Tour gauntlet and made himself the favourite, all we can do it wait and see.

Critérium du Dauphiné Stage 8 Result:
1. Alessandro De Marchi (Ita) Cannondale in 4:28:09
2. Christopher Froome (GB) Sky at 0:24
3. Andrew Talansky (USA) Garmin-Sharp
4. Richie Porte (Aus) Sky at 0:31
5. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana at 0:38
6. Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar at 0:49
7. Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha
8. Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha
9. Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Cofidis at 0:55
10. Rohan Dennis (Aus) Garmin-Sharp at 1:00.

Critérium du Dauphiné Final Overall Result:
1. Christopher Froome (GB) Sky in 29:28:46
2. Richie Porte (Aus) Sky at 0:58
3. Daniel Moreno Fernandez (Spa) Katusha at 2:12
4. Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana at 2:18
5. Daniel Navarro Garcia (Spa) Cofidis at 2:20
6. Michael Rogers (Aus) Saxo-Tinkoff at 3:08
7. Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa) Movistar at 3:12
8. Rohan Dennis (Aus) Garmin-Sharp at 3:24
9. Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 4:25
10. Alberto Contador Velasco (Spa) Saxo-Tinkoff at 4:27.

The final stage 8:

Tour de Suisse 2013
Orica-GreenEdge’s Cameron Meyer won the 8.1 kilometre time trial Stage 1 around Quinto in a time of 9:40, ahead of Niki Terpstra (Omega Pharma – Quick-Step) by 10 seconds and Heinrich Haussler (IAM Cycling) by 14 seconds. Many expected a good tome from RadioShack Leopard’s Fabian Cancellara, but he was 16th at 22 seconds.

Meyer goes in to stage 2 in the leader’s jersey with a hard week ahead over the 9 stages.

“Today went really well,” said Meyer, following his media obligations and doping control. “I’m excited and a bit surprised with the result. I started off with the earlier group of riders, and the wind was definitely in my favour. Still, my legs were good.”

While the weather may have worked to Meyer’s advantage, his team had studied the forecast and deliberating started him earlier in the day.

“Any day there is a first stage time trial, the team can choose in which order it wants to race its riders,” explained Sport Director Laurenzo Lapage. “We knew there was a big chance of rain in the afternoon, so we purposefully put Cam early.

Although the rain didn’t fall until after the final finisher, the winds picked up and shifted for the second half of the field.

“Most teams put their GC guys in the last wave as a general rule,” said Lapage. “We did something different today and it paid dividends. It was a little bit of luck and some good planning combined with a super, super ride.”

Meyer has long talked up the Tour de Suisse as a major objective for his season. He finished in the top ten overall at Tour of Turkey in late April and repeated the feat at the Amgen Tour of California in May.

“Cam has targeted this a long way out,” Lapage said. “He’s progressed very well since his saddle sore surgery at the beginning of the year. The course suits his characteristics with another time trial mixed amongst the hilly stages. We’re expecting a big ride from him.”

“I’m very happy with my ride,” added Meyer. “To be leading a WorldTour race with a lot of riders getting ready for the Tour de France is better than I could have dreamt.”

The team will defend the yellow jersey tomorrow on the first road stage. There is no easing into the road racing with a summit finish on stage two.

“I’m looking forward to tomorrow,” Meyer said. “It will be hard with the final up to Crans Montana, but we have a good team. I’m confident we can represent the jersey well.”

Tour de Suisse Stage 1 Result:
1. Cameron Meyer (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge in 9:40
2. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step at 0:10
3. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling at 0:14
4. Alex Rasmussen (Den) Garmin-Sharp at 0:15
5. Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 0:16
6. Reto Hollenstein (Swi) IAM Cycling
7. Michel Koch (Ger) Cannondale at 0:18
8. Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step at 0:19
9. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Sharp
10. Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Saxo-Tinkoff.

Tour de Suisse Overall After Stage 1:
1. Cameron Meyer (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge in 9:39
2. Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step at 0:10
3. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling at 0:14
4. Alex Rasmussen (Den) Garmin-Sharp at 0:15
5. Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi at 0:16
6. Reto Hollenstein (Swi) IAM Cycling
7. Michel Koch (Ger) Cannondale at 0:18
8. Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma – Quick-Step at 0:19
9. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Sharp
10. Matteo Tosatto (Ita) Saxo-Tinkoff.

Stage 1:

It was a very exciting finale on today’s 167 kilometre Stage 2 of the Tour de Suisse where the peloton moved up in the highlands from Quinto, over the HC-categorized climb Nufenenpass to a thrilling finale on the first category uphill finish on Crans Montana.

Christophe Riblon (Ag2r-La Mondiale) soloed away from a front group entering the final 25 kilometres of the stage while Orica-GreenEdge as the leading team were controlling the pace making the chase in the bunch, 15 kilometres from the top, all escapees were brought back in.

With nine kilometres to go, Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Sharp) launched a viscous attack and only Tanel Kangert (Astana) was able to hang on. Team Saxo-Tinkoff then went to the front of the chase group and started reeling the duo back in. The Canadian rider dropped his companion with 5 kilometres remaining but it didn’t last.

In a counter-attack, Bauke Mollema (Blanco) created the crucial gap on the chasers and took the stage win. Team Saxo-Tinkoff’s Roman Kreuziger finished seventh and is now seventh overall:

”I’m very content about the way the stage progressed both before the climb and on the uphill finish where Roman (Kreuziger) was fighting intensely, bridged a few gaps on the final steep kilometre and finished seventh. We’re here to prepare for Tour of course, but I want a good result here as well and I believe that Roman has the legs to do it. Tomorrow, there’ll be another few climbs. Not as long as today but I don’t think it’s going to be a bunch sprint decision so we have to stay in front,” said Saxo-Tinkoff DS, Fabrizio Guidi.

Stage winner Bauke Mollema: “This is the biggest win of my career. It’s been a while since I’ve won. The last time was about three years ago in the Tour of Poland. I’m very happy with this victory.” When Mollema drew a bead on Hesjedal, he knew he was going to win. “I felt it, because I knew I had build up a nice gap with the peloton. The guys did an excellent job in helping me. Going into the finale, I told them I felt really good and that’s when they rushed to the front of the bunch to increase the pace so that Hesjedal couldn’t enlarge his gap.”

Tonight in the hotel, Mollema will uncork a bottle of champagne. However, very little of the bubbly will actually pass his lips as Monday another tough stage awaits. “I want to ride a good GC here. Top three would be nice, although that’s going to be slightly more difficult now because of my time penalty.” Mollema received a twenty second penalty from the jury because in the last twenty kilometres he received a bottle out of a chase car.

With Mollema’s victory, his altitude training in the Sierra Nevada has immediately paid off. “Up there, in the mountains, I already noticed I had some power in my legs. Hopefully, I can take this good form with me into the Tour de France.”

BMC Racing Team’s Mathias Frank finished runner-up to Bauke Mollema (Blanco Pro Cycling Team) on Sunday’s ascent of Crans-Montana to climb into third overall at the Tour de Suisse.

Frank crossed the finish line 11 seconds after Mollema on the 117.2-kilometer stage that was shortened by snow on the original, 161.3-km race route. “I had good legs today and knew if I passed Ryder Hesjedal, maybe I could be in the leader’s jersey tonight,” Frank said. “I came around him with one kilometer to go, but I didn’t quite have it anymore. But generally, I’m happy with the way things went.” Hesjedal (Garmin-Sharp) had put in a bid for the stage win with an attack of his own but the chasing efforts of Frank’s teammates, Amaël Moinard and an attacking Tejay van Garderen, helped bring back the 2012 Giro d’Italia winner. Van Garderen said he later paid for the effort, finishing 29 seconds after Frank’s group, in 25th place. “It maybe wasn’t the smartest thing because I ended up losing a bit there at the end,” he said. “I think the legs just aren’t as sharp as maybe they were a few weeks ago. But it’s definitely good preparation for the Tour de France and I’m excited to help Mathias get on the podium.”

Frank sits five seconds out of the race lead held by Stage 1 individual time trial winner Cameron Meyer (Orica-GreenEDGE) and two seconds behind Hesjedal. Van Garderen jumped from 73rd to 22nd overall and is 58 seconds back. BMC Racing Team Directeur Sportif John Lelangue said he was happy to have Frank follow his 12th place in Saturday’s opening time trial with his best result of the season. “For us, it’s a good satisfaction to see Mathias going onto the podium for the moment,” Lelangue said. “On the general classification, he was pretty close to taking yellow, so it was a really good operation. Tejay is coming from the States, resting a little bit after coming to Europe and being at a nice team time trial camp. It’s still a long ways to the last stage. We know there are still a lot of things that can happen. But Mathias is also one of the guys who we wanted to protect and that was also the clear plan.” Monday’s 204.9-km stage includes three categorized climbs – the last of which summits about 20 km from the finish.

Cameron Meyer (Orica-GreenEdge) held onto his overall lead, but Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Sharp) has moved into 2nd at only 3 seconds.

Tour de Suisse Stage 2 Result:
1. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Blanco in 2:43:00
2. Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC at 0:11
3. Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ
4. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Sharp
5. Johan Tschopp (Swi) IAM Cycling
6. Daniel Martin (Irl) Garmin-Sharp
7. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Saxo-Tinkoff
8. Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre-Merida
9. Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar at 0:19
10. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Ag2r-La Mondiale.

Tour de Suisse Overall After Stage 2:
1. Cameron Meyer (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge in 2:53:06
2. Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin-Sharp at 0:03
3. Mathias Frank (Swi) BMC at 0:05
4. Giovanni Visconti (Ita) Movistar at 0:12
5. Thibaut Pinot (Fra) FDJ at 0:16
6. Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Saxo-Tinkoff at 0:28
7. Moreno Moser (Ita) Cannondale at 0:34
8. Bauke Mollema (Ned) Blanco
9. Alexsandr Dyachenko (Kaz) Astana at 0:35
10. Domenico Pozzovivo (Ita) Ag2r-La Mondiale at 0:36.

Stage 2:

Garmin ProRace Berlin 2013
Andreas Stauff brought in the next top ten finish for Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung at the Garmin ProRace Berlin (UCI 1.1). The German sprinter placed eighth in the mass sprint in the German capital. His countryman Marcel Kittel (Argos-Shimano) dashed across the finish line first, ahead of Matteo Pelucchi (IAM) and Andre Greipel (Lotto Belisol). Stauff finished eighth, for his fourth top ten placing of the season. His teammate Gerald Ciolek unfortunately lost touch in the sprint finale and finished 30th.

“Up until shortly before the finish line everything was going well for us. Everyone worked well in the finale, but unfortunately in the hectic, Gerald lost Andy’s rear wheel in the last roundabout. That was just bad luck,” is how sport director Jens Zemke summed things up after the race. “I am satisfied with Andy’s top ten placing and the team’s overall performance. The attitude was 100 percent right. A special nod to Sergio Pardilla, who worked hard in the chase and showed a good ace as a helper for Ciolek.”

South African Jay Thomson was in the first break group of the day, but it was caught early on. Another group of five riders was more successful, and MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung helped to lead the chase, with Spaniard Sergio Pardilla often visible at the front of the race. The chase was successful and the group was caught with 15 kilometres to go. From there the peloton stayed together and thundered in for the expected mass sprint.
Thanks to the MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung for the race report.

Garmin ProRace Berlin 2013
1. Marcel Kittel (Ger) Argos-Shimano in 4:00:05
2. Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) IAM Cycling
3. Andre Greipel (Ger) Lotto Belisol
4. Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise
5. Roger Kluge (Ger) Team NetApp-Endura
6. Raymond Kreder (Ned) Garmin-Sharp
7. Rüdiger Selig (Ger) Katusha
8. Andreas Stauff (Ger) Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung
9. Grischa Janorschke (Ger) Nutrixxion ABUS
10. Luke Roberts (Aus) Team Stölting.

GP du Canton d’Argovie 2013
ORICA-GreenEDGE put on a dominating display in Gippingen to deliver Michael Albasini to the top step of the podium at GP du canton d’Argovie. It is the second win of the season for Albasini, who has twice won the one day Swiss race near his hometown of Lanterswil.

“It was a perfect, coherent effort from the team,” said Sport Director Vittorio Algeri. “It’s great to see Michael pull off the win. He did a great performance backed up by a solid team.”

“This is one of the only one day races in Switzerland,” added Albasini. “It’s also the 50th anniversary of this race. As a Swiss rider, I’m quite happy to write my name in the history books here.”

Daryl Impey represented ORICA-GreenEDGE in an early move of seven. While Impey toiled away to help establish a lasting advantage, his teammates tried to decimate the bunch on the punishing circuit.

“It was a fast start,” explained Albasini. “The break went quite early. We were covered in the move by Daryl Impey. It was perfect for us because we knew if the break went to the line, we had a good chance. Daryl was the fastest in the group. Only Astana and Vacansoleil had missed the move. They did the work to bring it back together.”

The attacks continued throughout the entire race resulting in a constant reshuffling. Riders from ORICA-GreenEDGE were represented in every significant move.

“It was a chaotic finale with the situation changing after every half lap,” noted Albasini. “Near the end of the race, we had Stuey [Stuart O’Grady], Sebastian [Langeveld] and Impey in a group of around ten riders. This allowed me to stay safe behind and watch the action as it happened.”

Albasini bridged up to the front group inside the final lap. By this point, the lead group had swelled to include 16 riders. The attacks continued nearly all the way to the finish. Alexandr Kolobnev (Katusha) was the final rider to be swept up before the sprint.

“Kolobnev was caught with at 1.5 kilometres,” said Albasini. “There were only 12 guys in the sprint, and I had enough to take the win. I wasn’t sure what to expect of my condition. It’s my first race since Romandie, and I just came back yesterday from training at altitude. I’m a bit surprised to do so well today.”

“It’s really great for Michael’s confidence to take a win like this going into Tour de Suisse and Nationals,” added Algeri. “It’s an important win for the team as we build the bridge into the next part of our season.”

Before he heads to Tour de Suisse, Albasini will spend one last night with his family at home. They were on hand to see him take the win, and they’ll celebrate before sending him off to the nine day tour that begins on Saturday.
“It’s always nice to win in front of the family,” said Albasini. “I didn’t have a chance to see them at the start, but I saw them during the race and a little bit after I had won. I’ll go home tonight because I live quite close to here. We can celebrate as a family, but we won’t celebrate too much. Tour de Suisse starts Saturday, and we have some big goals for the week.”
Thanks to the Orica-GreenEdge team for the race report.

GP du Canton d’Argovie 2013
1. Michael Albasini (Swi) Orica-GreenEdge in 4:24:59
2. Jonathan Hivert (Fra) Sojasun
3. Marco Frapporti (Ita) Androni Giocattoli
4. Jan Bakelants (Bel) RadioShack Leopard
5. Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana
6. Greg Van Avermaet (Bel) BMC
7. Simone Stortoni (Ita) Lampre-Merida
8. Jonathan Fumeaux (Swi) IAM Cycling
9. Laurens De Vreese (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise at 0:01
10. Björn Leukemans (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM.

2 More Year’s for Greipel
André Greipel has extended his contract with the Belgian Lotto Belisol team for two more years. He joined the team in 2011 and has won 44 races in that time. Marcel Sieberg has also signed a contract for a further two years.

André Greipel: “For me there’s no better team than Lotto Belisol. Not many teams focus on the sprint. I find it important that the guys from my train stay as well, like Marcel Sieberg with whom I’m already riding together for many years and who’s a good friend. I don’t see him in another team than me. As well the team as I wanted to sign the agreement as soon as possible, now we can fully focus on the Tour.”
“The next race is in Berlin. I have trained much the past week, so possibly I’m not that explosive. We start with only six riders, that means we’ll have to work together with other teams to catch escapees. It’s a beautiful race in my home country. There is much history in this city and the race passes many monuments and finishes at the Brandenburger Tor.”

Nikita Novikov provisionally suspended after possible breach of anti-doping rules
Team provisionally suspends the rider after positive A-sample

Press Release: During an out of competition test on May 17th there were traces found of Hydroxy-ostarine / O-dephenyl-ostarin in the urine sample of the rider. It concerns a non-specified substance. Due to this positive A-sample the rider is provisionally suspended by the UCI. The team followed the UCI in this decision. A dismissal of the rider will follow after a positive B-sample or when the rider refuses to ask for a B-sample, this is in line with the contractual agreement between the team and rider.

Team manager Daan Luijkx was very disappointed: “At the end of 2011 we hired this young talent for two years. Since that time he didn’t manage to reach his old level in our environment despite all the efforts of our team. It needs no clarification that as a team we are devastated by this. As a team you try to give your riders a safe environment with good coaching and staff and that makes it very disappointing when a rider does something wrong, like it appears this is the case now. When I talked to the rider last night, after the UCI informed us, he said he had no idea how the substance got in his body.”

Luijkx also wants to add something positive: “I strongly believe the sport is on his way up and I am sorry for the sport that this happens but it is good that possible breaches of the rules are traced.”

No Chris Horner in Tour de France
RADIOSHACK LEOPARD TREK’s Chris Horner will not be able to take the start in Corsica on June 29th. Horner recovers from his knee operation of two weeks ago. Chris Horner suffers from an iliotibial band friction syndrome since the end of Tirreno-Adriatico.

No Tour for Fabian Cancellara either
No repeat Yellow jersey for Fabian Cancellara at this year’s Tour de France as he will not be there. The Swiss Super-Champion said in a Press Release: “My ambitions now are for later in the season, for the World championships. Because of this I won’t be part of the Tour de France this time. I will have another program. That’s why I can now follow other goals. You have to go to races 100% motivated and that’s why I’m looking forward to the Tour of Austria, Poland, the Vuelta and to be 100% fresh for worlds.”

2013 Canadian Road Championships Expected to Attract Top Cyclists to Beauce
St-Georges and Lac Mégantic ready to welcome Canada’s top road cyclists.

Press Release: The 2013 Canadian Road Championships promises to be very exciting this summer makes its way for the second consecutive time on the beautiful roads of Québec, with the top cyclists converging onto the cities of St-Georges and Lac Mégantic, QC to race for the ultimate Canadian honors and the coveted Red and White Maple Leaf jersey.

The 2013 edition of the event will be held from June 20th to 30th, featuring the traditional road race, the individual time trials, and the always exciting criterium. The event is expected to bring over 500 riders of all ages, from juniors to masters, including para-cycling.

“We are very confident that the organizing committee led by Francis Rancourt will once again deliver a solid and challenging event as they did last year. The course will be challenging, and the support from the community will be substantial. Preparations are in its final stages, and everyone is excited for this first Canadian Championships of the 2013 season,” said Mathieu Boucher, Performance Development Director at Cycling Canada.

The Canadian Championships are an important opportunity for young riders to test their skills against World Tour and Pro-continental riders, and to grow within the Canadian competitive cycling scene.

The first weekend of competition will feature the Elite and U23 cyclists in St-Georges, while the second weekend will attract the top Para-cyclists and up-and-coming Junior cyclists as well as masters riders

This year, many of the Canadian riders racing on the WorldTour are expected to be on the start line, such as Guillaume Boivin of Longueuil, QC (Cannondale), Hugo Houle of Ste-Perpétue, QC (AG2R La Mondiale), Dominique Rollin of Boucherville, QC (FDJ and Christian Meier of Sussex, NB (Orica-GreenEDGE). All of these riders will already be in the region, representing Canada at the Tour de Beauce a week earlier.

Both defending Canadian Champions, Ryan Roth (Cambridge, ON) of Champion System Pro Cycling and Denise Ramsden of Optum-Kelly Benefits, are also expected to be present.

Added Boucher: “The event is a critical step in our Long Term Athlete Development model. The up-and coming riders will have the exciting opportunity to race against top Canadian riders from the WorldTour, and to test their skills and development.”

Cycling Teams from all over Canada are expected to be present for this race, including Canadian-based UCI Continental teams Équipe Garneau-Quebecor, and Équipe Ekoi-DeVinci and Canadian-based UCI Women’s professional cycling team GSD-Gestion Kallisto.

In addition to the traditional road races, the 2013 Canadian Road Championships will host the Canadian Sprint Challenge for the second time at Canadian Championships. The country’s top sprinters will go head to head, in heats, in a single elimination format. The top rider along with the Elite men criterium will earn their ticket to the Pro Sprint Challenge at the 2013 Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec, this upcoming September.

The organizing committee is led by the Francis Rancourt, the same organizer as the popular and classic Tour de Beauce.

Registration for the event is open, and riders can register at: http://www.championnatscanadiensroute.com/.

SCHEDULE (subject to change)
St-Georges, QC
Thursday, June 20 – Time Trials (Men and Women, Elite and U23)
Friday, June 21 – Road Race (Women Elite, U23)
Saturday, June 22 – Road Race (Men Elite, U23)
Sunday, June 23 – Criterium Challenges (U23/Elite)
Sunday, June 23 – Canadian Sprint Challenge (U23/Elite)
—–
Lac Mégantic, QC
Thursday, June 27 – Time Trials (Juniors, Masters, Para-cycling)
Friday, June 28 – Road Race (Masters)
Saturday, June 29 – Road Race (Para-cycling, Juniors)
Sunday, June 30 – Criterium (Juniors, Masters).

Cycling Celebs Invade Newhaven
As part of the Edinburgh Festival of Cycling, Newhaven are delighted to be hosting an exhibition of the work of top sports photographer, Pete Goding.

Working closely with the Press Association, not happy with having built a reputation on snapping some of cycling history’s most iconic moments including Bradley Wiggins’ yellow jersey-ed days, he’s also co-authored a book that has any cycling enthusiast salivating; Mountain High and previews photography from his new book Mountain Higher.

The exhibition runs from Sunday 16 June from 12 noon til 4pm and then Monday 17 June to Friday 21 June from 11am to 4pm every day. It’s in here. Entry is free. And make sure you pop in for a cup of tea once you’ve looked at the pics.

SIGNED & FRAMED PRINTS BY THE PROS INCLUDING; SIR CHRIS HOY AND DAVID MILLAR,
AS WELL AS A REVOLUTION BELTER BIKE TO BE AUCTIONED IN AID OF THE TRINITY HOSPICE.

Vincenzo Nibali discovers the circuit of the World Championships Toscana2013
Press Release: The National Coach and ten riders, among which Vincenzo Nibali, Valerio Agnoli, Fabio Aru, Luca Paolini, Filippo Pozzato, Diego Ulissi, Fabio Felline, Gian Paolo Caruso, Giovanni Visconti, Mauro Santambrogio, after a spontaneous auto-convocation, met this morning in Florence, to test for the first time the World Championship circuit of Fiesole, that on Sunday 29th September will be the protagonist of the Elite Men Race, that will assign the rainbow jersey.

Starting from the Franchi Stadium, they faced two laps of the circuit (on the day of the World Championship it will be ridden 10 for times) that is 16,570 meters long, paying much attention to the dreaded “stretch” of Salviati Street (600 meters long, average slope of 10.2% and maximum slope of 16%), the place where, according to many experts, the outcome of the World Championship could be decided. The Men Road Race will be the main event of the eight days of competitions, it will start in Lucca and finish at the Nelson Mandela Forum of Florence, after 272,26 km.

Below are the statements collected at the end of the test:
Vincenzo Nibali: “The route is very nice and fast. The climb of Fiesole is important because it is long and will be useful as a springboard for the stretch of Salviati Street. There will be selection if the riders want it.”
Giovanni Visconti: “The city tour of Florence is appropriate for our National Team. It’s very challenging and the stretch of Salviati Street will make the difference. Having already tested it is a positive fact as, we already know how to prepare ourselves.”

Fabio Aru: “I’m very pleased and excited to be here to try the World Championship circuit, together with the others. I’ll struggle to gain a place in the National Team in September.”

Fabio Felline: “Last year I ran the Under-23 World Championship, to be here today means to be inside the project of the National Coach Paolo Bettini, so I can have a chance to earn a place among the professionals. The course is hard, it is possible to ride the slope of Fiesole for once, but from the eighth to the tenth lap there will be selection.”

Paolo Bettini: “It is a demanding route, very similar to the races of the Ardennes. As I always say, the World Championship is a great classic and this year is smiling at us because of our athletes, their conditions and the fact that we are in Italy. From the top of Salviati Street the route is fast, those who will succeed in gaining a few seconds of advantage will have more chance, because the circuit is technical and the group will have more difficulties to reach him. The stretch to approach the final part of the circuit is not a picnic, in fact, the riders will have to face first Montecarlo and then San Baronto. Summing up we can say that the path suits the characteristics of the Colombian runners such as Betancur and Uran, not extremely fast competitors, but able to disturb when taking the breakaway”.

The cycling champions talks about Toscana2013:

The PEZ NEWSWIRE!
Don’t forget to check the “NEWSWIRE” section, you can find it down the right hand side on the home page, just above the EuroTrash section. The bits of news that missed the EuroTrash deadline are in there, plus any news as-it-happens will be in there too.

*****

Any comments drop me a line, email address: alastair@pezcyclingnews.com or Twitter. And there is the PezCyclingNews Twitter and Facebook Fan Page.

This story first ran in Dec. 2003, but is always worth another read.

As part of our series on the Giro climbs, we asked Andy Hampsten to recount his epic day on the Passo Gavia in 1988. A day of unquestioned cycling history, Andy started the 17th stage of that Giro in second place, and despite the Italians pleading with him to ride “piano piano” over the last climb, he went on an epic attack that earned him the maglia rosa, and the only American win of Italy’s grand tour. Pull on your woolies – it’s gonna be a cold one…

Andy began the day in the blue “overall points” leaders jersey, a combined “best score” in all disciplines of the race, which was cool, because as Andy tells us “it was wool. All the leaders’ jerseys were wool in those days.” As Andy recounts the story, you can hear in his voice that he’s back in 1988, only this time feeling pride and joy – but also remembering the fear that gripped the peloton as they climbed into the unknown that gray, sleeting morning… June 5, 1988.

The rain is falling, the temps are dropping, and maglia rosa Franco Chiocciolli attempts to follow Hampsten’s pace.

The stage 17 profile – over the Gavia !

Andy begins the story…
We were about 400-500 meters above sea level, in this big valley in Lombardy… and it was snowing. Most of us on the 7-Eleven team were from Colorado, and were pretty good at math, and if it’s snowing and you go up… and it’s SNOWING… it’s slushy, it’s coming down and then melting, it’s belting in…

There’s no hint of anything changing, looking at the weather forecast. So the Giro organizers held an emergency meeting with all the team managers, telling them “hey, we’re doing the race, the roads open, snowplows are keeping it clear. It’s not icy on the Gavia, but it is snowing.”

When we left it was just raining… kind of sleet-rain, but bucketing down. We went over the Aprica pass, a category 2 with a pretty short descent, but even on that descent I was wearing ALL the warm clothes I could possibly put on. I was shaking uncontrollably on that silly little descent. Then we were up at about 800 meters (altitude) climbing on a long false flat. A break went away and my team was chasing it but we weren’t going too hard, there wasn’t anyone really dangerous up there.

And everyone was freaked out. All the racers were just… “scared”. The roads were wet, we’re just getting soaked to the skin. The cloud cover’s really low, it’s belting down on us, it’s really thick clouds, sometimes it’s foggy, sometimes we’re just below the clouds. We just kno-o-o-w it’s gonna be incredibly cold.

Andy’s voice lifts for a moment when he remembers “My team was taking really good care of me bringing me hot tea every 5 km, we had a big thermos, our team was really well prepared. They’re asking “Andy – should we chase that break? Should we catch ‘em before the mountains?”

But we just did tempo, I think Chiocciolli’s team with the leaders jerseys did a moderate tempo as well.

The real climb up the Gavia starts in the town of Ponte di Legno. The race approached from the west, and turned left in the town center to begin the 17km climb to frozen purgatory…

Andy, meet your date for today, her name is ‘Destiny’…
We went through the town of Ponte di Legno, across the wooden bridge, then we turned left towards the Gavia. It’s a gradual climb for about 4km, things are stringing out a little bit but there’s quite a bit of talk amongst (primarily) Italians… about ‘hey, let’s have a little strike, let’s not really race it, let’s get in the cars, let’s just go home’…

And someone says: ‘hey Andy, you’re not gonna attack are you?’

I just looked at him… and I didn’t say… a word.

…they knew damn well I was going to attack.

So sure enough, I was right at the front, with my teammates doing tempo. Road turns to dirt… and it’s a long way to go. But I knew everyone was terrified… I was scared…

So I attacked.

Not a hundred percent, but because everyone was sooo intimidated by the whole climb… It was the climb of the race, everyone had been talking about it. Gianni Motta, who was always really friendly with Americans, super encouraging, told me the first day ‘you can win this race, and you can win it on THAT day…’ And they hadn’t used it for 30 years – the last time was 1961 & 62 when Charly Gaul won both stages into Bormio…

It’s a really hard climb 18% in parts, never really gets below 10%… dirt, one lane road – a really good dirt road, with every few hundred meters there’s a little parking place carved out of the mountain, so when two cars meet, one can pull over and pass…

Steady, steep grades, tons of switchbacks. The top is paved for about 3 km. Then it turns back to dirt on the way down, pretty much a one lane road, incredible number of switchbacks… turns, gradual turns, super sharp turns… (you can still hear the awe in Andy’s voice as he describes the road – ed.)

After the middle section of switchbacks, there’s a final set just below the summit.

Usually in a race I’d go 100% up a climb and be able to hold it together in good weather, even rainy weather, on the descent. But, when my head’s spinning a little due to the effort on the uphill. I’m risking losing time due to a crash on the downhill. So in these conditions, I decided to go up the hill at 90-95%. Physically, but psychologically the uphill there I was producing some heat, while for the downhill, I just kneeew… because the storm was coming from the north, which was the direction we were traveling – I knew the descent would be colder and snowier than the climb.

When I attacked it was still pretty much raining, but within a few kms, it turned into big, heavy snowflakes, plummeting down – like in the Christmas movies…

So I dropped everyone right away, and it was in the switchbacks so I could really see my main rivals – Breukink, Zimmerman, Chiocciolli, stretched out behind me, it’s too steep for anyone to organize anything…

I like dirt – I really like riding on dirt roads, I was kind of having fun (he chuckles). It wasn’t gravelly or chunky, it was a good dirt road, no potholes. A perfectly fine dirt road to ride your bike on, soft enough that I could see my tires were leaving imprints, so quite a bit of resistance, but technically nothing challenging. Which was wonderful, because over the top I was testing to see if it was icy, and it wasn’t. It was just slush on top of a very wet dirt road, so it wasn’t ever very dangerous…

When we had a meeting in the morning, we were more worried about the descent, due to the weather, than the climb. So I certainly kept that in mind. Even when I attacked with 18km still go… I was thinking ‘okay you’re going to go really hard, but it’s a really long climb – obviously don’t blow it – ‘

So on the way up it turned to snow, I could see I was opening gaps up, checking the time splits, catching a bunch of riders who had been away. Johan Vandevelde had jumped away earlier, and he was a bit up the road, and I was slowwwly closing on him, but I was trying to be first over the mountain…

A few kms from the top I got a bottle of hot tea from one of my soigneurs we’d planted there. 2 kms from the top I got a musette bag filled with clothes that each one of us prepared and gave to Jim Ochiwizc (our team manager), and we were the only team to prepare warm clothes for this whole thing…

On the way up I got rid of all of my warm clothes, my legs were bare, no shoe covers. I did have a pair of neoprene diving gloves that I kept on for the entire climb. Along the way my team car gave me a neck-gator and a wool hat.

I wanted to dry my hair before I put it on – maybe 4-5 ks before the top, so I brushed through my hair, thinking I was going to wipe some water out, and a big snowball rolled off my head, and down my back.

I thought – ‘Oh my gosh – I’m really not producing much heat, even though I’ve been going up a really hard grade.’ So then I had my raincoat, a super thin polypro undershirt on , so my arms were covered, but I was NOT warm at the top of the mountain. We could spend a few hours while I figure out how to describe how cold I was…

Over The Top, But Not Over…
On the way up, Andy caught and passed everyone from the early break, except for Vandevelde. While Andy struggled to put on his raincoat “too cool to stop and do it safely”, Eric Breukink closed a 45 second gap. The descent is a roller coaster all the way down to the village of Santa Catarina, about 13kms down the road. Then it’s two lanes, about 8% for another 13km straight down to Bormio, where the stage finished.

But I was thinking ‘it’s still a race, I’ve still got to get down the other side, as fast as I can. I kept pedaling on the downhill, but no one was there – no team car. Breukink – I followed him for a few hundred meters and figured out he had no clue how to ride in the snow and I’d rather make my own mistakes. Visibility was okay, but it was probably 20 or 30 yards. I kept one gear moving because all my other gears were frozen up with ice. It was –4 celsius (25F) at the top.

There was slushy snow on the road, they’d been plowing the road beforehand, but stopped probably an hour before we came over. I think I was riding in a 53x 14 or 15, and I pedaled the whole way down. I’ve been back twice, in the summer, so I know now what the road actually looks like – it’s a fantastic road. But you can’t go very fast on it anyway, because it’s soo narrow, and soo many turns, there’s really no place you can open it up and go too fast…

I told myself “neevvvver look down at my legs”
…so I looked down at my legs and the were bright red with a sheet of ice on my shins… I thought ‘man I’m in biiiigg trouble…’ I know there’s nothing on the mountain, if I stop, there’s no team car behind me because it’s too snowy – they can’t go, the Giro directeur was already down in the next village just hoping the race came by, there’s no lead motorcycle, nothing out there.

There was one Carrera team mechanic with a spare pair of wheels on the dirt downhill, just walking down the middle of the road, sweaarrring and ranting because he’s been left alone, thinking they cancelled the race and no one told him about it… he freaked and shouted when I went past him.

Meanwhile Vandevelde – I didn’t see it but he stopped. This road goes back to Napoleon, and there’s 2 refuges, he stopped at the second one, his team gave him a cotton hat and a plastic raincoat … and he just freaked out – he finished 48 minutes later. He was sooo cold, and so unprepared for the descent…

So I’m on my way down, I don’t care about the race I don’t care about anything, I’m pissing and moaning and grumbling, done asking God to come help me and I’ll make a deal with the devil if he shows up! (laughing) But there’s just me and my silly bike and there is a village after 15km of descending and I’m just telling myself to go go go. I knew if I put a foot down I was just going to freeze up. I can’t tell you how cold I was, but I was calculating “can I make it to that town?’ The only choice was to just keep going, try to create some heat – braking and pedaling at the same time.

But I think I was going at a fairly good pace for the conditions because it was snow until about 3kms before the village of Santa Catarina and by that time I’m trying to do little tricks with myself – ‘oh joy! now it’s just sleet – it’s warmed up to just freezing!’

And I really don’t know if I’m going to make, it but I’m committed to going as hard as I can. Breukink caught me with about 8ks to go, and I tried to jump on his wheel… he must not have nee far behind me on the descent. I could not hold his wheel, but then I thought I could use him as a bit of a rabbit playing the silly game in my head… ’is it warmer to put on the brakes and go down this hill at 10 mph, or is it better to go 40-50 mph on this straight 8% slope?’ I’m going to get there quicker, but am I going to get hypothermia? But I figured if it’s so cold that I’m in danger of freezing, I’m just going to fall off my bike anyway…

So I kept going down, kept him within 7 seconds at the end. I didn’t even want to stop at the finish line, but I didn’t even know where the hotel was anyway! (laughing) So I just sort of collapsed at the finish line, got warmed up, putting on the pink jersey, which was really really fantastic. At that point I ‘kind of’ cared about the race more than a hot bath… but not by a long shot…

As a postscript, I asked Andy if he ever gets tired of talking about his racing days – he must have told the Gavia story a million times!

Says Andy: “No, no. Talking about the Gavia… I get… pretty emotional each time. I’ve been back a couple of times to ride it with journalists and recount the day, and man, I’m waaasted by the end of the day…!”

Randomly picked from several thousand entrants by the super-computer that runs the PEZ website, but has never had the chance to ride in Italy. Glen and a friend of his choice will ride for two weeks in Riccione, Lago di Garda, and Bormio, and stay at the three best bike hotels in Italy at the Hotel Dory, Enjoy Garda Hotel, and Hotel Funivia.

I’ve personally stayed at all three of these fine bike hotels and can attest they are top of the class:
• Hotel Funivia who offer the unequalled Stelvio Riding Experience in Bormio
• the Enjoy Garda Hotel on shimmering Lago di Garda, and
• the Hotel Dory in Riccione on the stunning Adriatic coast.

Once Glen gets himself there, pretty much everything else is covered:
Airport pick-up & drop off, transfers between hotels, accommodations in gorgeous hotels, breakfasts, dinners, and post ride snacks, guided rides, full van support.

He can take his own bike, or arrange for rental of one the top road brands available at the hotels like Pinarello, de Rosa, Scott and Merckx.

Our partner hotels are the best in this business, which is why I’m pleased to offer this amazing trip to my loyal PEZ-Fans, and say thank you for supporting us for the past 11 years:
• Read the PEZ-Report on Hotel Funivia here
• Read the PEZ-Report on Enjoy Garda Hotel here
• Read the PEZ-Report on Hotel Dory here

Thanks to everyone who entered and stay tuned for more awesome giveaways coming this summer on PEZ.

Race Comment: You can teach a rider how to train, when and where to go hard, when to pull back. You can educate a rider in how best to recover, when to take breaks from the schedule, when to ramp it up. When to get a massage, when to refuse. Every top level team provides nutritional advice, the best equipment, time in the wind tunnel to perfect position and to improve pedaling efficiency. All of this of course is supplementary to the personal knowledge that each individual rider has accumulated over the years, first as a junior, later as an U23 rider, and then as an emerging professional.

It’s a jigsaw puzzle, in effect, trying to get all the pieces on the board before you even start to really crank it, before the fuller image appears, before the rider becomes a man, a machine equipped with the necessary components to be ready to function at the highest possible level.

Another fine and scenic day for bike racing in France.

But despite all this, there is one final element that cannot be taught – how to win.

It’s the last piece of said puzzle, the final, most gigantic of the redwoods in the forest, the summit of the mountain, and it’s what so many riders desperately want to acquire, if they even realize they are lacking it in the first place.

Tactics can be drawn out on a board, wise old hands can have a word in the ear, videos of successful cyclists can be devoured, but the guy out there in the break on the bike has to put it all together. Has to make the connections. Join the dots. Make it work.

Of course, all the guys in today’s sixth stage of the Criterium du Dauphine have won. Even the so-called ‘lowliest’ domestique was more than likely a star in their home town in their younger years, racking up victories left, right and center.

Yet to produce the same from within the pro peloton, jam-packed as it is with the best guys in the world, that takes something else. It’s a combination of experience, skill, talent and, crucially, self-belief, and the ephemeral je ne sais quoi – all of which was shown in spades earlier today by Europcar’s wiley performer, Thomas Voeckler, as he cracked the break and roared to the line with arms raised above his head.

Voeckler keeping his eye on the rivals, and saving his strength.

Voeckler was away in an 8-man break, doing his share here and there, moving things along, then as the Astana pair put the metal down and whittled the group down to 4 (forced in part to do so due to their numerical superiority and no doubt from some shouting from the team car into their respective heads), Voeckler stepped in. He went to the front and drove hard, knowing that winning from 4 is, of course, easier than winning from 8.

With the gap to the peloton not coming down fast enough, the race proper began.

The adrenalin’s pumped up a notch or 50 in the riders’ systems. The central cortex gets flooded, like flash-flood flooded. Binary code just about emerges through the fug of pain, fatigue drops away like the heavy cloak it is, every detail becomes sharper, every edge refined. Minds turn in an instant from survival to the finish line. To the final kilometers. And how long it can seem to take to come, how tortuous the process of deciphering the others’ condition, of evaluating one’s own form.

After the stage Voeckler said he kept an eye on the two Astana guys but was worried a little by the Movistar rider, “because I didn’t know too much about him.”

That was telling. He’d already sized up the Astana pair, who by being a pair had the upper hand, on paper, as the race neared its conclusion. One Astana rider attacks, the others must follow, then Astana rider #2 goes. Textbook. Only, there is a Voeckler in the mix. A proven winner. He knows he can take them. You could almost feel the fear that riddled the others’ thoughts, emanating through the screen, feel the self-doubt, the sheer worry of having ‘that guy’ there.

Oh – that is sweet.

And there is the Frenchman, abiding like The Dude. Crouching, almost reclining, waiting, counting the moments, watching the wheels, sensing the meters, feeling the wind. Knowing that it is not, for him, a case of realizing a destiny but of making it happen himself, of repeating the process of winning.

Now that’s the difference. The habit, once it comes, is almost impossible to lose. You might lose form, which means you no longer win so much, but that instinct gets hard-wired in. Some mistake it as cockiness – Mark Cavendish’s innumerable detractors are evidence of that – but it’s not as simple as that. It’s a complex mix of guile, power, self-knowledge, experience, charisma on the bike, balls and, finally, that which you cannot put a name on.

The stuff that floats in the ether that winners seem to have at their fingertips.

It was boys against a man today. He took it, and you knew he would, even though of course, until the final 100, you really didn’t. But you did…

Chapeau, Thomas, a fine win.