2013 Tour de France Stage 9

Stage 9:

We all knew that the Yellow Jersey was going to be tested on this mountain stage. The other teams and CG Contenders wanted to break Froome and Team Sky. The question was would Froome be beat?

Garmin-Sharp, and in particular Dan Martin, along with some help from Movistar, shook Froome and Team Sky pretty much from the beginning of the stage, and with about 140 km still left to race, it was just Froome and Porte left. Then Porte was dropped on the second climb, leaving Froome solo. However, for most of the rest of the stage, Froome was able to answer and attack that his rivals threw at him.

The last climb of the day was where the action took place. Just under 5 km from the top, Dan Martin attacked and Jakob Fuglsang bridged to him. They hit the summit just under a minute before the Yellow Jersey. And then it was a descent to the finish line where Martin and Fuglsang battled it out for the finish. Martin took the last turn better than his rival, and pulled away with the win!

Froome was not to be beat though, he crossed the line 20" behind Martin, allowing him to stay in Yellow. Porte, however, was not so lucky; he lost over 18' on the Yellow Jersey.

Picture made by @aslanscubs

Although no panda showed up this time to motivate Dan Martin, it wasn't for lack of trying. Even Jonathan Vaughters, manager of Garmin-Sharp, asked for some panda help via Twitter:

For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about with Dan Martin and a panda then check this out!

Frank Schleck Let Go

Okay, you all know how I feel about the Schleck Brothers, so I'm sure you think I'm biased. I probably am, but I'm still not sure why Radioshack Leopard Trek let Frank Schleck go 11 and a half months into his 12 month suspension. Shouldn't this have happened last July? Or maybe not at all?

Alberto Contador wasn't let go from his team when he came back from his doping suspension. Neither was Christian Vande Velde, although Garmin is built around a strict anti-doping program. But yet, Frank Schleck is. I'm guessing because Radioshack was Lance Armstrong's former team, and they are still trying to clean up from that. Although from what I am reading, Leopard is the one that actually dropped Frank, as that is the sponsor that holds the UCI WorldTour license. However, when Trek picks it up next year, there is a possibility that they could re-sign Frank.

Fabian Cancellara has already committed to 3 years with Trek, and with him on the team, I don't see any reason that Andy Schleck wouldn't want to be there. And we all know that the brothers can't be broken up, so I can see Trek wanting to re-sign Frank.

I've seen rumors (or so I hope that they are just rumors) that the brothers are going to sign with Omega Pharma-Quickstep, becoming teammates with Mark Cavendish. As much as I have grown to love Cavendish, I don't think the team can have both Schlecks and Cavendish. Isn't that why Cav left Team Sky? There was no room for a sprinter on a team build around GC contenders.

I guess we just have to wait to see what 2014 brings.

Frank Schleck sacked by RadioShack-Leopard with immediate effect

(http://www1.skysports.com/cycling/news/12040/8806128/Frank-Schleck-told-RadioShack-Leopard-will-not-welcome-him-back-after-doping-ban)

The Luxembourg rider had been due to return from a doping suspension on July 14, but team owners Leopard have decided to terminate his contract.

However, with Leopard finishing their association with the team at the end of this season, Schleck could rejoin the set-up under its new owners and title sponsor, Trek, for the 2014 campaign.

A team statement read: "With the end of Frank Schleck's suspension approaching, Leopard and its partners have assessed the situation in view of a possible renewal of the collaboration with him.

"Having finalised this assessment in a broad and objective way, Leopard has decided to not renew the collaboration between Frank Schleck and the RadioShack Leopard Trek cycling team. Leopard wishes Frank Schleck a successful continuation of his career."

Schleck tested positive for Xipamide at the 2012 Tour de France and was banned for 12 months.

Leopard have sold their UCI WorldTour licence to the Trek Bicycle Company for 2014.

They have already announced Fabian Cancellara will be part of the team after agreeing terms on a reported three-year deal earlier this week.

Wiggins Against His Team

I know I missed the beginning of this feud, but it seems as if Bradley Wiggins is against being a part of a team. He won the Tour de France last year, and his goal was to win the Giro d'Italia this year. Chris Froome was going to the Tour de France this year as the main GC contender for Team Sky. Simple, right? Nope...

A couple weeks ago, Wiggins said he was going to the Giro and then will go to the Tour with the goal of repeating his performance last year. Wiggins was not going to help Froome win and the team would be there to help Wiggins again, not Froome. Of course Team Sky comes out and says that the focus has not changed, and Froome will be the main contender. We shall see, I guess...

Today, Wiggins and Team Sky proved yet again that there is only room on the team for one GC contender. This morning started with three Sky riders in the Top 8: 2. Uran +17", 6. Wiggins +34", and 8. Henao, +37". With 6 kilometers left to race, Wiggins went down on the wet road, and Uran and Henao were told to wait for their team leader. All three of them came across the finish line over 2 and a half minutes down: Wiggins +2'31", Henao +2'40", and Uran +2'43". If Uran had been allowed to go off on his own, he would have finished in the Pink Jersey, but because of having to wait for Wiggins, the new GC leader is Intxausti, from Movistar.

Now Uran is 22nd, +1'27" down, while Wiggins is 23rd at +1'32" and Henao is 25th at +1'44". Once again Team Sky proves that only one GC contender can be on the team.

And while I don't cheer on anyone when they crash, no matter the rider, I do kind of hope that this is the margin that Team Sky finishes the Giro. Maybe that will make them see that there is more than one rider on the team.

Wiggins slides down the pecking order at Giro d’Italia

Control was the byword for Bradley Wiggins at the Tour de France last year but on the evidence of stage 7 to Pescara, it seems that the Giro d’Italia will not bend as readily to the will of the Englishman and his Sky team.

After the heavens opened in the closing kilometres, Wiggins crashed on the rain-soaked descent of San Silvestro with 6km to race and conceded 1:24 to his principal rivals for final overall victory and dropped to 23rd overall, 1:32 off the maglia rosa of Benat Intxausti (Movistar).

The breathless finale in Abruzzo was eons removed from the methodical calm with which Sky stage-managed affairs at the Tour last July, with no one team able to control the race and with attacks flying in all directions.

Already sluggish in reacting to the first major move on the penultimate climb of Santa Maria de Criptis, Wiggins was unable to follow Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) when he zipped clear on a sharp descent before the final ascent, the San Silvestro. On the 14 per cent slopes of the climb itself, Wiggins was even distanced from the pink jersey group as it strained to shut down Nibali’s move.

Worse was to follow as Wiggins tried to fight back on the descent. In conditions reminiscent of the famously slippery plunge off the Zovo into Schio at the 1998 Giro, Wiggins seemed to channel Alex Zülle’s performance from that day, sliding off his bike with 6 kilometres from the finish and then proceeding at a snail’s pace the rest of the way down, before being shepherded by teammates Rigoberto Uran and Sergio Henao towards Pescara.

On crossing the finish line, Wiggins rode impassively towards his team bus and clambered up the steps eager to put a disappointing afternoon behind him. After a lengthy conference on board, it was yet again Sky manager Dave Brailsford, rather than Wiggins, who eventually emerged to share Sky’s thoughts on the day with the reporters waiting outside.

“It was very, very slippery and once you fall, it takes you a bit of time to regain your composure,” Brailsford said of Wiggins’ decision to soft-pedal the remainder of the descent after his crash. “It was a setback but not disastrous I don’t think. It could have been a lot worse. There’s a lot of racing still to come and you’ve got to take your good days and your bad days and add it all up at the end and see where you’re at. It’s a long way from being over.”

Brailsford confirmed that Wiggins had not sustained any injuries in the crash, beyond the cut to his right elbow and he said that his leader was looking to keep his disappointment in perspective. “He didn’t say too much to be honest, but I think he’s fine. He recognises that you get your ups and downs in cycling and we’ll see where we are after tomorrow’s stage,” Brailsford said. “Physically he’s strong, very, very strong but having crashed he had to limit his losses and regain his composure, which I think he did.”

Although Wiggins’ difficulties in following the moves even before his crash must be a cause for concern, Brailsford insisted, too, that his rider was “in better shape than he was last year at the Tour. Obviously it’s been a bit sketchy in some areas but we’ll deal with that and welcome the time trial tomorrow and as soon as the road goes uphill we’ll welcome that too.”

Time trial

The frenetic finale on the approach to Pescara has torn up the “script” of this Giro d’Italia, in which Wiggins was expected by many to hold a commanding lead after Saturday’s 55 kilometre time trial from Gabicce Mare to Saltara. Instead, Wiggins begins the test 1:27 behind Nibali, 1:24 behind Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Sharp) and 1:16 behind Cadel Evans (BMC).

Brailsford was coy about the prospects of his leader overhauling all of his rivals in one fell swoop in the Marche on Saturday afternoon. “I think it will be difficult, given that it’s a minute and half, but there’s more than tomorrow’s time trial,” Brailsford said. “There’s a whole race left but obviously there are some brilliant riders in there and it will be difficult to claw that time back.”

It would be foolish to draw conclusions before seeing the nature of Wiggins’ response on the road to Saltara on Saturday afternoon, but the Sky machine could now find itself in the unusual position of looking to recoup ground rather than constricting the race.

“It’s opened it up for the rivals. I also think that in order to win stage races you’ve got to take the rough with the smooth and it’s all about how much balls he’s got really,” Brailsford said. “We’ve got to take it on, haven’t we? Claw it back and take it on – let’s race. Let’s chase some other people down for a change rather than have them chasing us.”

My favorite picture of Team Sky showing that it only rides for one rider is this Mark Cavendish, the World Champion. In the photo, Cavendish has taken on the role of Domestique and is in charge of going to get water bottles for his team mates.

Now I do understand that Cavendish went to the Tour de France last year knowing that he was going to have to help Wiggins and Team Sky win. However, it's not everyday that you see the Rainbow Jersey acting as a Domestique.

Hoogerland Update, RSLT / Schleck News

This is going to be short and sweet today. I am at the library, and only have a set amount of time that I can be on their computers. I worked on my other blog first, so I don't have much time left. If I didn't have plans this afternoon, I would just go to another library and get on those computers, but I do have plans later.

I feel like I am in déjà vu. Hoogerland crashed in the 2011 Tour de France, and I kept track of his progress. The when Soler crashed in 2012, I kept track of his progress as well. Now here I am on Hoogerland again. The good news is though, Johnny Hoogerland is back to training indoors!

Hoogerland trains on a bike for first time following accident

Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team) is making steady progress in his recovery after being seriously injured during a training ride accident on February 3.

The 29-year-old Dutchman posted a picture today on Twitter of his bike mounted on an indoor trainer with the statement, "Here we go, 3 weeks later." Hoogerland later revealed via Twitter that he was able to train for just over an hour and covered 30.18km, his first ride since his accident.

Hoogerland sustained serious injuries three weeks ago when he was hit by a car while out on a training ride in Spain. The Dutchman broke five ribs, sustained fractures to his spine and bruised his liver. After spending time in intensive care at a hospital in Spain, Hoogerland returned home to the Netherlands where his rehabilitation is underway.

Hoogerland expects to resume racing in May. He has only competed once thus far in the 2013 season at the Grand Prix Cycliste la Marseillaise on January 27, the first race contested in European soil this year.

Next up is some bad new for Radioshack Leopard Trek. Just like Garmin a month ago, the RSLT bikes got stolen overnight. However, unlike Garmin, the RSLT riders were able to get spare Trek bikes and were able to take the start today at West Flanders.

RadioShack bikes stolen at West Flanders

Thieves have struck the peloton again, and RadioShack-Leopard is the latest victim. One of its trucks was robbed during the night, leaving the team scrambling for bikes before Saturday's second stage of the Three Days of West Flanders.

Update: The riders were able to take to the start, as the team tweeted, "Stage 2 of #3dwvl is underway. All #RSLT riders were able to start on spare bikes after thieves stole 8 race bikes from the truck overnight."

“Bad news from our team in Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen: overnight 8 bikes, a bunch of wheels and a tool box got stolen from the truck. We're doing all we can now to get the guys on spare Trek bikes at the start of stage 2!” the team posted on Facebook, Saturday morning.

Only last month thieves cleaned out a Garmin-Sharp truck at the Tour du Mediterraneen, taking 17 bikes before the queen stage of that race. Other teams offered to supply substitute bikes, but the riders did not want to take on the mountains on unfamiliar bikes, and the team abandoned the race.

 

 

And the best news of the week, came a few days ago. Andy Schleck finished his first race since April of last year! Hopefully this means he is on the way back to his old self, however, I am still kind of fearful since this was only a one-day race that he finished.

 

Schleck back in action at the GP Camaiore

Andy Schleck started the GP Camaiore race in Tuscany on Thursday, with his Radioshack Leopard team hoping he can finish his first race for almost year.

Schleck came to Tuscany after training in Mallorca for ten days, hoping to finally put his problems behind him. He quit the Tour Méditerranéen on stage one citing illness and has now not finished a race since the 2012 Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

His negative spiral of results and problems began last June when he fractured his pelvis during the time trial stage of the Critérium du Dauphiné in early June. Schleck missed the Tour de France and his comeback was delayed several times, with his bother's doping case also creating problems and difficulties within the Radioshack-Leopard team.

A recent report in L'Équipe compared Schleck to Jan Ullrich, questioning Schleck's self-discipline and lack of motivation to that of the former German rider.

Schleck's poor performances have been ridiculed by many people, especially on social media. However, it seems Schleck's problems are more complicated than just a lack of fitness and motivation.

New Radioshack-Leopard team manager Luca Guercilena has hit back at the criticism, confirming that the team is trying to help Andy get his season and career back on track.

"I think it's sad that whenever a rider goes through a difficult moment in life, a lot of people in cycling forget all the good things they have achieved," Guercilena said.

"Andy is human just like anyone else and so can have difficult moments in life. We're trying to help him and help him get back to his best. We're ready to accept any criticism of what we do but to target Andy and try to undermine him psychologically is unfair."

Schleck seemed keen to race when he stepped off the Radioshack bus before the start of the GP Camaiore. The team had informed Cyclingnews that Schleck would not talk to the media but he was willing to explain how he is feeling.

"In training some good sensations are coming back. I'm feeling good, so we'll see what happens," he said.

"The race route makes me worried, it’s tough, but the objective is to finish. I've got an important week coming and so this is an important race."

Schleck avoided making eye contact when talking. He admitted that the criticism had hurt him but showed signs of wanting to prove he is on his way back.

"I know what I have to do. People talk about you if you go good and talk if you good bad. It's not motivating but I need to be good in races for my own confidence," he said.

"I know that people care about me but they haven't been through what I've been through last year: a long time without racing. I have people on my side and they're supporting me really well. I've got a lot of support from the team and everyone. I'd like to show everybody that I'm still here."

Guercilena described Andy Schleck's problem as a 'momento buio’ – a dark moment – that has affected him more psychologically than physically.

"Physically he's pretty good. He trained intensively for ten days in Mallorca under the guidance of Kim Andersen. The goal today is to finish the race," he told Cyclingnews.

"His problems were caused by a series of factors from last year: his injury first of all and then the way his problem was managed. Then there's the family aspect: Frank's suspension, that caused psychological problems. And the psychology of a rider is always very important. Even if a rider has a decent level of fitness, psychological problems can cause bigger problems."

Guercilena confirmed that Schleck is set to ride Strade Bianche on Saturday and then stay in Italy to ride Tirreno-Adriatico, which starts next Wednesday.

"That's the plan at the moment, as long as there are no last minute problems," Guercilena said.

 

I'll Take WTH for $200, Alex...

We live in a society where cruelty is becoming part of every day life. We can't turn on the news any more without hearing about some one murdering another, or the wars we are in. Everytime we think we are moving forward, something else happens to hold us back. I guess we all just have to deal with the negativity of the world.

I woke up this morning and, like always, opened up Twitter on my phone. One of the first tweets I read this morning was from The Inner Ring (@inrng): "Thieves steal all the Garmin-Sharp team bikes overnight at the Tour Med via @mattrabin." Matt Rabin is the team chiropractor for Garmin-Sharp. Because of this cruel incident, the team wasn't able to take the start for the last two stages of the Tour de Mediterraneen. Other teams did offer the Garmin-Sharp riders some bikes, but the team pulled out of the race.

The more I looked into this, I learned that these bikes are all worth about $64,000!! However, the criminals left the time trial bikes, not that it makes the situation any easier.

Garmin-Sharp bikes stolen at Tour de Med

The Garmin-Sharp truck was broken into at the Tour de Mediterranean overnight and virtually all of the team's bikes were stolen. Riders of the US-based team tweeted their shock, called for help and wondered how they would take on the race's Queen stage on Saturday. The loss forced the team out of the race for the final two stages.

Thomas Dekker broke the news, saying, “A good start is half the work. All bikes stolen here in France. And what now ..? Please wait ...”

Dekker later tweeted that the riders were packing their bags and would be flying home in the afternoon.

Team chiropractor Matt Rabin photographed the empty truck and said, “While everyone was sleeping, some unscrupulous local scallywags have gone & pilfered ALL THE BIKES.”

David Millar noted that it was not all the bikes, as the time trial bikes were still there. "Scumbags clearly don't like TT's."
“Please RT. Stolen bikes. 16 brand new di2 equiped cervelo R5. Still with race numbers. #couldntmakeitup no race today then #badstarttotheyr”, tweeted Dan Martin.

In other news, news stories are starting to come out about Andy Schleck's motivation to make a comeback. He hasn't finished a race in 10 months, and it seems that he doesn't have what it takes anymore. Is it physical or mental? I know we could debate this, and although he is one of my favorite riders, I am beginning to think that mentally he isn't ready. I also know that I am not alone in feeling like this.

Radioshack defend Schleck after Tour of Med retirement

Radioshack Leopard team manager Luca Guercilena has moved to defend Andy Schleck after a report in French newspaper Equipe suggested that his comeback from injury is being hit by a lack of motivation rather than a lack of fitness.

Schleck climbed off during stage one of the Tour Méditeranéen on Wednesday after suffering with breathing problems. He has not finished a race since the Circuit Sarthe in April 2012. However a detailed report in Equipe suggests that Schleck is struggling to find the motivation and discipline to train and race.

"He's got some breathing problems but at the moment the biggest problem with Andy, is what's going on his head," Equipe quote Guercilena as saying.

Cyclingnews has also heard stories of Schleck struggling to find the self-discipline and desire to make a successful comeback after missing the second of the 2012 season after fracturing his pelvis during the time trial stage of the Criterium du Dauphine in early June.

Equipe titled their report "Andy a-t-il jeté l’éponge?" – Has Andy thrown in the towel?

The newspaper compared Schleck to Jan Ullrich, whose career was blighted by a lack of winter discipline and the need for intense training camps to ensure the German rider was competitive for the Tour de France. Ullrich failed to live up to the huge expectations he created when he won the 1997 Tour de France and was never able to beat Lance Armstrong at the Tour de France. Ullrich was eventually suspended for doping after retiring in 2006, for his involvement in Operacion Puerto and his links to Dr. Fuentes.

Equipe also quotes the newspaper's photographer motorbike pilot Marc Meilleur, who said he saw that Schleck had the form to ride at 60km/h but suggested he lacked the fight to stay in the race. Internal issues at the team also appear a factor, with questions about Kim Andersen role and his responsibility for Schleck's training in Luxembourg.

"In 2012 Andy complained that Johan Bruyneel was putting too much pressure on him and that he was stressed by it. Johan is no longer there, but the situation is the same," Equipe quote Gallopin as saying.

"Perhaps his victory at the Tour de France 2010 (after Contador was disqualified for doping) has not done him any good. He still hasn't really won the Tour."

Gallopin is also surprised that Schleck did not spend the winter training in Mallorca or Gran Canaria. "Andy did not realize he had to work," Equipe report him saying.

Guercilena tried to limit the damage caused by the Equipe article, revealing to Cyclingnews that Schleck has been forced to take antibiotics to treat his breathing problem.

"It's a pity he was force to quit the Tour of the Med but he was ill and is taking antibiotics. We think the change in weather from the heat in Australia to the cold in Europe caused it," Guercilena told Cyclingnews, acknowledging that Schleck is not at his best both mentally and physically.

"Andy's been out of action for six months and so it was always going to be difficult for him to make a comeback. We know it will take time," he said.

There's the physical aspect and also the mental side to it too. It's never easy for a great rider. They're not used to suffering. There were some good signs in Australia but now he's taken a step backwards."

"Andy's got to find the desire to suffer. We're confident he'll gradually get fitter and stronger and we'll do everything we can to help him."

Guercilena confirmed that Schleck will stay with the Radioshack team in the south of France for a training camp in St Raphael, and then race again at the Tour du Haut-Var (February 16-17).

25 - June - 2012 - Daily News

We are 5 days from the beginning of the Tour de France and more teams are finalizing their roster. I'm not going to continue posting the list, but you can go to http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tour-de-france-start-list-2 for up to date infomation.

However, I will post that Thomas Voeckler has been named on the Europcar's roster. For awhile he was unsure if he could rider because of his knee injury.

Voeckler set to ride Tour de France

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/voeckler-set-to-ride-tour-de-france)

Europcar has named its line-up for the Tour de France, putting to rest speculation that Thomas Voeckler might be forced to forgo the race due to the effects of a nagging knee injury.

Voeckler abandoned both the Critérium du Dauphiné and the Route du Sud in June citing an inflammation of his right knee, but the former yellow jersey wearer has been included in Europcar’s nine-man Tour selection. He spent a week off the bike following his withdrawal from the Route du Sud and only got back into the saddle on Monday morning.

Fourth place in Paris twelve months ago, Voeckler told L’Équipe last week that he would be hard-pressed to repeat the feat in 2012 given his troubled final approach to the Tour. “If I have the fortune to be at the start, I’m afraid that it mightn’t be a Tour like the others,” he said.

Flanking Voeckler at the head of Jean-René Bernaudeau’s team is Pierre Rolland. Best young rider in 2011, the Frenchman enjoyed a solid start to the campaign at Étoile des Bessèges but was still searching for his best form at the Dauphiné. Like Voeckler, Rolland suffered from a knee injury earlier in the season, which ruled him out of Paris-Nice.

Europcar impressed during its ten-day defence of Voeckler’s maillot jaune last July, and the promising Cyril Gautier will again feature in the squad this time around, as will Christophe Kern, who was forced out with a knee injury after five stages in 2011.

Giovanni Bernaudeau makes his Tour de France debut, while Yukiya Arashiro, Yohann Gène, Vincent Jérôme and new signing Davide Malacarne are also included in the final selection. Alexandre Pichot and David Veilleux are listed as reserves.

There is no place in the squad for 2010 king of the mountains Anthony Charteau, who was a victim of Europcar’s epidemic of knee injuries at the 4 Jours de Dunkerque.

A few days ago, I posted the Top 5 GC contenders for the 2012 Tour de France. Today, the Top 5 contenders for the Points Classification was released. I personally think that Cavendish, Greipel, and Sagan are the only contenders, but I guess we will see in a few days.

2012 Tour de France: Top five points classification contenders

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/2012-tour-de-france-top-five-points-classification-contenders/mark_cavendish)

1. Mark Cavendish
Age: 27
Team: Sky Procycling
Career Highlights: 1st UCI Road World Championships – 2011; Tour de France – 20 stages, points classification (2011); Giro d'Italia – 10 stages; Vuelta a Espana – 3 stages
Tour debut: 2007 (T-Mobile)
Best points classification finish: 1st - 2011
Summary: If there's a question regarding Cavendish's 2012 Tour it's whether he will ride all the way to Paris knowing the Olympic Games road race is just six days later. Cavendish is a prolific winner at the grand boucle and this year while he will add to his tally, he will do so with limited support given Sky's general classification ambitions. It's unlikely to be an issue given that when key lead-out man Mark Renshaw was disqualified in 2010, Cavendish still went on to win two more stages.
As he is the defending points champion, Cavendish will be hoping to be protected somewhat by his Sky teammates. Last year a lot of energy was spent by the teams in chasing points at the intermediate sprint and Sky could find this challenging on some of the tougher days where the positioning of Bradley Wiggins is the priority. The first week should be decisive for Cavendish's outlook towards the remainder of the race.

2. Matt Goss
Age: 25
Team: Orica GreenEdge
Career Highlights: Milan – San Remo – 2011; 2nd UCI Road World Championships – 2011; Giro d'Italia – 2 stages; GP Ouest France – 2010.
Tour debut: 2011 (HTC-Highroad)
Best points classification finish: 46th - 2011
Summary: Goss' first year as sprint leader hasn't all been plain sailing with just one solo victory to his name, albeit at the Giro d'Italia, and a frustrating run of five second places.
Unlike Cavendish, Goss says that he is aiming to be in the game once the Tour reaches the Champs Elysees on July 22 with his season steadily building towards a crescendo of this next month of racing. With Orica GreenEdge not focussed on general classification and instead sprint and taking their chances in breakaways, Goss will be able to rely on a lead-out train.
Goss has steadily found his rhythm with his powerful lead-out men Sebastian Langeveld, Brett Lancaster and linchpin Daryl Impey over the last few months and should be in full-flight. Far from being a one-trick pony, the Australian's ability to endure the lumpier days will fall in his favour.

3. Jose Joaquin Rojas
Age: 27
Team: Movistar
Career Highlights: 3rd Stages 3 and 5 Tour de France – 2011; Spanish Road Champion 2011; Points classification Tour of Poland – 2007; Mountains classification, Tirreno-Adriatico – 2006.
Tour debut: 2009 (Caisse d'Epargne)
Best points classification finish: 2nd - 2011
Summary: Which Rojas will we see at this year's Tour? The Rojas who is focussed on the prize or the Rojas more concerned about what his competition is doing? The answer could well determine where the Spaniard finishes in the points classification.
In 2011, Rojas wore the green jersey for two days only to be presented and then stripped of it on the third after he was relegated, along with Tom Boonen, for blocking Mark Cavendish at the intermediate sprint. Rojas then claimed he'd been punched by Alessandro Petacchi at the sprint finish. He would wear green once more on Stage 7, before losing it to Philippe Gilbert. With Cavendish then ensconced in green on Stage 13, second-placed Rojas complained to director of competition Jean-Francois Pescheux that his rival was hanging on to cars in the Pyrenees. It was a claim dismissed by Pescheux who suggested that Rojas was "looking for excuses to win."
Rojas has the talent, but he'll need to ignore the drama to claim the green jersey in 2012.

4. Andre Greipel
Age: 29
Team: Lotto Belisol
Career Highlights: 1st Stage 10 Tour de France – 2011; 3rd UCI Road World Championships – 2011; Giro d'Italia – 2 stages; Vuelta a Espana – 4 stages, Points classification – 2009.
Tour debut: 2011 (Omega Pharma - Lotto)
Best points classification finish: 7th - 2011
Summary: Greipel is approaching the Tour with caution saying that he'll decide if he is to make a bid for the green jersey after the first week. The German's showdown with former teammate and great rival Mark Cavendish is sure to be one of the highlights of this 99th edition, given Greipel will be in attendance with his awesome sprint train.
Greipel began the season stating that his team "didn't sleep during the winter" stamping his authority on the Tour Down Under and kicking off his season win tally which now stands at 13. Better for his extra year away from the Highroad sprint train, unlike Cavendish and Goss who are flying solo for the first time, Greipel can call on the services of former Highroad teammates Adam Hansen, Greg Henderson, Lars Bak, and powerhouse Marcel Sieberg. It's easily the strongest lead-out of all contenders for the green jersey so the pressure will be on to win.

5. Peter Sagan
Age: 22
Team: Liquigas-Cannondale
Career Highlights: Vuelta a Espana – 3 stages; Tour of California – 8 stages; 2nd Gent-Wevelgem - 2012
Tour debut: 2012
Best points classification finish: n/a
Summary: We all know that Peter Sagan is good, but the question of how good should be answered at the Tour. Like Greipel, Sagan has 13 wins to his name so far this season, five (five!) of which came at the Tour of California and another four from the Tour de Suisse. Impressive? Absolutely. But when it comes to the Tour, experience counts for a lot.
Sagan comes to the Tour as part of a Liquigas-Cannondale team which has dual ambitions, for both the yellow (Ivan Basso, Vincenzo Nibali) and the green jerseys meaning we'll be seeing a lot of them. In terms of a lead-out, Sagan has formed a solid combination with fellow rouleur Daniel Oss, but don't be surprised if you see the Slovakian striking out on his own – simply because he can. He's another of the green jersey contenders that will benefit from his climbing ability.

Two teams today have announced that they found a second sponsor. Garmin-Barracuda is now Garmin-Sharp, and SaxoBank is now Saxobank-Tinkoff Bank.

Garmin-Sharp replaces Garmin-Barracuda at the Tour de France

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/garmin-sharp-replaces-garmin-barracuda-at-the-tour-de-france)

Garmin-Barracuda will become Garmin-Sharp as of the Tour de France, team owner Slipstream Sports announced Monday. Barracuda will stay associated with the team.

As teams are only allowed to have two sponsor names, the team will officially be known as Garmin-Sharp. “Barracuda Networks will continue as an important co-title sponsor, and team materials and the website will refer to the team as Garmin-Sharp-Barracuda,” according to the team's press release.

Sharp is a world-leading technology provider, offering a wide portfolio of business and lifestyle products in markets across the globe.

"In the year Sharp celebrates 100 years of creating unique technologies and products that bring genuine benefit to society, we are delighted to become Technology Partner to the most exciting team in one of the world's most beautiful sports, which perfectly showcases the convergence of technological and human achievement,” said Paul Molyneux of Sharp Europe.

"Sharp shares our passion and commitment to the best innovations in technology," said Jonathan Vaughters, CEO of Slipstream Sports. "We are incredibly excited to partner with them to together develop technologies that will help our riders do what they do every day, even better."

In addition to the commercial possibilities for Sharp, this deal “also gives them access to some of the best athletes in the world to develop products for the future,” said Matt Johnson, president of Slipstream Sports.

The new kit will be introduced at a press conference Thursday at the team's Tour de France hotel in Belgium.

Tinkoff Bank announced as co-sponsor to Saxo Bank

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/tinkoff-bank-announced-as-co-sponsor-to-saxo-bank)

Team Saxo Bank manager Bjarne Riis announced on Monday that he has found a new co-sponsor for his team: the Russian Tinkoff Bank. The Credit Systems company will support the Danish team for the rest of this season and throughout 2013, while Saxo Bank has also extended its sponsorship contract through next year.

The team will be named Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank.

Tinkoff Bank was founded by Russian businessman Oleg Tinkov, who started his involvement in cycling with the Tinkoff Credit Systems team in 2007, before moving onto creating the Katusha squad in 2009. Tinkov left the team that year after a conflict with the other team head, Andre Tchmil.

“For me of course it's a fantastic day, a beautiful day for me and for the team, that so close to the Tour de France we are able to announce that we are going forward for next year,” Riis said at the press conference on Monday afternoon at Riis Cycling headquarters in Hellerup, Denmark. “It is tough to get ready as there is a lot of practical stuff to do, but it’s very exciting, and it gives the whole team extra motivation going into the Tour.”

But Riis was mainly thinking of the future. “We have big ambitions. This year is the restart, to build my dream again, and my dream and ambition is to have the best and strongest cycling team in the world again, and this is the first step in that direction.

“To me, it is a dream to have two partners like that, who want to be the best in their area, which exactly the same as what I want. I want to be the best in my area and I would say that as of today, we are on are way to building that up again.”

When asked what the team's new budget would be, Riis refused to say the numbers. “The most important thing for me is that have sponsors also in the coming year and that means I can also sign up a team for next year, which of course I will. I am already working on it.

“I am not going to tell you the budget and I am not going to tell you who is coming to the team – yet. The plan is be stronger and the plan is to win races.”

The team will debut a new jersey at the Tour de France, which gets underway in Liège on Saturday. The jersey incorporates Tinkoff Bank’s yellow to the bottom half of the existing Saxo Bank design. There are also yellow stripes and accents on the collar and shorts.

Tinkov, who took time to make a video of the proceedings on his mobile phone, said: “What a comeback to cycling!” He pointed to his own experience of running a team, stressing that he knew cycling “very well.”

“I always used to admire how Mr. Riis ran the business,” Tinkov continued. “To me he is the best team leader in the word and it was always my dream to work with him. I said that if I ever come back to cycling, I would come back with Riis Cycling.”

Saxo Bank director Lars Seier Christensen announced the extension of his sponsorship contract with the team. “For us, it has been of importance to have a co-sponsor for 2012, and the fact that we have found a good partnership with Tinkoff Bank has made us decide to extend again for 2013.”

I know I didn't talk a lot about the National Championships yesterday, but I did want to touch on them briefly tonight. Omega Pharma-Quick Step won 8 titles yesterday! Congratulations to the team!!!

Omega Pharma-QuickStep takes eight national championships

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/omega-pharma-quickstep-takes-eight-national-championships)

It is not often that a team wins four races in one day, or eight races within a few days. But that is what Omega Pharma-QuickStep did, winning eight national titles, with eight different riders. The team topped things off with Tom Boonen winning the Belgian national road championships on Sunday, the most important title for the Belgian team.

The team can claim four winners in each discipline. On the road, Boonen won in Belgium, Niki Terpstra in the Netherlands, Matthew Brammeier in Ireland, and Michal Golas in Poland.

In the time trial, world champion Tony Martin also won the German title, Sylvain Chavanel in France, Peter Velits in Slovakia and Dario Cataldo in Italy.

Those victories cement Omega Pharma-QuickStep's top ranking in the number of team wins on the season. They now have 38, with Team Sky second with 31.

Of the eight riders, three will be riding the Tour de France starting on Saturday, all of them time trial champions:  Martin, Chavanel and Velits.

And for my daily RadioShack Nissan article, here is an update on Jakob Fuglsang's new team search:

Fuglsang in negotiations with Saxo Bank

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/fuglsang-in-negotiations-with-saxo-bank)

RadioShack-Nissan rider Jakob Fuglsang has been approached by Team Saxo Bank for next season. The Dane has been disappointed not to have been selected for the Tour de France this year, stating openly that he would prefer to leave the team directed by Johan Bruyneel at the end of this season, when his contract expires.

"My manager has spoken to Bjarne (Riis)," Fuglsang confirmed to Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten. "It could be something, but there are other offers that look interesting too."

But even if the prospect of returning to Saxo Bank is an interesting one, the 2012 Danish time trial champion will compare the possibilities offered to him closely before signing anything, and his choice will not depend on financial considerations alone.

"He has made an offer, and in any case it is a first offer. It can still not work out, so I won't say too much. It has to be the right terms, and I also want to know what Bjarne has in mind for his team. It wouldn't be good if he takes four new captains in, as I would I end up in the same situation as now. That is also a thing to be taken into consideration," said Fuglsang.

Fuglsang rode for Saxo Bank in 2009 and 2010, before joining Leopard Trek in 2011 and being taken over by RadioShack this season. He should have been the team's captain at the Giro d'Italia this year but had to withdraw at the last minute due to a knee injury. A gifted time traillist and solid climber, the 27-year-old has developed into a week-long stage race specialist also able to target the hilly Classics.