Frank Schleck's Verdict / Ivan Basso's Past

Wow! I haven't posted anything about Frank Schleck since July 8th of last year, when he came in 10th on the 8th stage of the Tour de France. Not long after that stage, he abandonded the Tour because he tested positive for a diuretic: Xipamide.

He had stood by his claim that it was unintentional, through a contaminated product. But like everyone else who tests positive, his case had to be heard by the Luxembourg Anti-Doping Agency. So from July 13th, 2012, until the verdict today, January 30th, 2013, Frank Schleck's fate was unknown.

However, today we learned, that he will be given only a 1 year ban, since the diuretic levels in his system were so low. And, the ban had been backdated, so it starts from the time he abandoned the Tour. This means, after July 14th of this year, Frank can race again. So while he has to miss the Tour de France, he comes back in enough time to race in the Vuelta a Espana - just like Alberto Contador last year.

Contador came back from a 2 year suspension last year just in time to race in the Vuelta...and he won! Now while I don't think Frank is going to come back and win the Vuelta, I do think if he trains during his ban (not with the team, of course) then he has the potential to place in the Top 10 GC of the Vuelta.

I guess we will just have to see...

Fränk Schleck given one-year doping ban

 

Fränk Schleck has been handed a one-year suspension by the The Luxembourg Anti-Doping Agency for testing positive for Xipamide during the Tour de France in 2012 according to the RTL. The ban has been retrospectively applied by the Disciplinary Board, meaning that the RadioShack rider is free to ride after July 14, 2013. He will therefore miss this year's Tour de France.

The Disciplinary Board could have issued a maximum two-year penalty, but went with one year after noting the extremely low amount of the banned substance.

"Of course I am disappointed by the verdict that has just been announced. I think that the decision to suspend me during one year is too severe considering the fact that the Council acknowledged that I unintentionally consumed a contaminated product. Unfortunately the provisions of the UCI are such that an involuntary contamination is sufficient in order to pronounce a punishment," Schleck said in a statement.

“However I am relieved that the judges acknowledged that the present is not a case of doping and that I had no intention to enhance my performance. This is very important for me, my family, for my team and all those who support me”.

“We will now analyse the decision in detail and decide on potential further steps. However I bear a positive aspect of the decision in mind: the judges acknowledged that I am not a cheater.”

“I wish to thank all my friends and fans who kept their faith in me during this tough period.”

On July 14, 2012, the UCI advised Schleck of an Adverse Analytical Finding in a urine sample collected from him at an in-competition test.

The WADA accredited laboratory in Châtenay-Malabry detected the presence of the diuretic Xipamide in Schleck's urine sample.

Team RadioShack Leopard released a statement, saying: "The Management of Leopard S.A. has taken note of the verdict of the CDD (Conseil de Discipline contre le Dopage) in the case of Fränk Schleck's positive test for xipamide during the 2012 Tour de France."

"Leopard S.A. is content that the anti-doping authorities have now reached a verdict, but will not make any further declarations about the case until it has studied the argumentation of the CDD more closely."

One of my other favorite long-time riders, Ivan Basso, has also served a 2 year suspension during 2006-2008 for alleged ties in the Fuentes case. However, he has made a clean comeback, and I look forward to seeing him race more this year.

Ivan Basso: "I've regained my dignity"

Ivan Basso is scheduled to testify via video at the Operacion Puerto trial on February 11 but the Italian would prefer to put his involvement in the Spanish blood doping ring behind him and focus on his racing.

"I've been called to testify, but for me it's a formality because it was part of my life six or seven years ago," Basso told Cyclingnews in an exclusive interview in Tuscany as he trains for the 2013 season.

"I was banned by the Italian Olympic Committee and was found guilty in an Italian court, so it only brings back bad memories for me." 
 
The Team Cannondale captain initially denied his links to Dr. Fuentes when Operacion Puerto exploded during the final days of his dominant victory at the 2006 Giro d'Italia. Yet he was forced to flee the start of the 2006 Tour de France in Strasbourg by a backdoor when the allegations of blood doping became much stronger. 
 
While still in denial, Basso quit CSC and joined the Discovery Channel team during the winter of 2006. He rode several races but was then formally placed under investigation by the Italian Olympic Committee in April and was given a two-year ban.

Basso made a comeback with the Liquigas team in 2009 and went on to finish fourth in the Vuelta and then won the 2010 Giro d'Italia.

Now 35, Basso is no longer the rider he was while working with Bjarne Riis at his peak. He finished fifth in the 2012 Giro d'Italia and 25th at the Tour de France.

He has published some of his blood data and power metre profiles online, but has always refused to speak in detail about his past as a doper or speak to help make cycling cleaner for the future. True to his hard working and reserved nature, Basso prefers to let his racing do the talking.

"When you've lied so much, people don’t want just words. The wind blows words away, as we say in Italian. People want facts. I've got to produce facts, as I did in 2009 and 2010," Basso told Cyclingnews.

"I won the 2010 Giro d'Italia, finished on the podium in another Giro and was on the podium at the Vuelta. People want facts: my results are my facts, as is the possibility to look at the details: your values, what the anti-doping associations says about you, your biological passport.

"There's no point in me telling fairy tales. People have eyes, heart and a mind to evaluate what they're see."

"I know people were very disappointed with me but then I came back and won the Giro d'Italia again and a few weeks later a magazine published info on my biological passport and said 'This race was won by a clean rider'. I think that's important. I didn’t only say I'd done all the controls, the people were able to see it."

Can people now trust Ivan Basso?

"Yes. 100 per cent," he replied. "I know I can't be considered a saint. That'd be wrong. But I think I've regained my dignity.

"When I came back in 2008, I made some promises and I've kept them. I was also lucky to consolidate them with some important victories and just by being transparent."

Basso claims he has not followed the USADA investigation into Lance Armstrong or the Texan's partial confession. He has little to say on the expected Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

"It's nothing to do with me. I've served my two-year ban. I'm focused on doing a great 2013 and 2014 and maybe even later," he said.

"It's not up to me to take the moral high ground and judge other people. A true leader is followed in silence. It's about 'leading by example', that's my mission now. It's about having the respect of my teammates. I don’t want to think about the past. I want to think about the present and about the future."

Nibali Unhappy, Schleck in the Back

Six months later, and I am back. Sorry for the hiatus, but I needed to step away for a while. My passion for cycling had lowered at the end of the Tour de France, and so I just needed to back off for a while. However, I am back now, and that is what counts. I may not post every day, but I am going to try to post more often than once every six months.

On twitter this morning, Cyclingnews.com posted the link for the article: "Nibali regrets not joining Team Sky". I don't follow Nibali as much as other riders so I wasn't sure what this article meant. I took it as Nibali regretted not joining Team Sky this year, so I was confused: I thought he wanted to be team leader, to win in a Grand Tour. Why did he regret not joining, when if he had joined, he would probably have been third to Wiggins and Froome? Of course, once I read the article, it all made sense...and I feel bad for Nibali. I mean, it could have been him winning the 2012 Tour de France, instead of Wiggins, since it really is a team sport.

Nibali regrets not joining Team Sky

Vincenzo Nibali has told Cyclingnews that he regrets not being able to break his contract with the Liquigas team at the end of 2009 and sign for Team Sky.

The Italian was lined up to sign for the British team to be their Grand Tours leader in their inaugural year. As well as meeting with a Team Sky intermediary, Nibali also met with Team Sky’s management with a multi-year contract put in front of him.

Speaking exclusively to Cyclingnews at the Tour de San Luis, Nibali said: “I was very close to joining Sky, yes that’s true. I met with Max Sciandri to discuss a move and we met a few times. Then I had a meeting with the Team Sky management during the year. In the end I couldn’t move because of the contract with Liquigas. Sky offered me a contract though and I was very close to signing but couldn’t break the Liquigas contract.”

“Do I wish I’d signed? It was new team and I was looking forward to being part of a big international team. Yes, I wish I’d been able to ride for them then.”

Nibali eventually left Liquigas this winter, signing for Astana, where he will lead their charge at the Giro d’Italia this May. With Alberto Contador heading to the Tour in July many expect Nibali and Bradley Wiggins – the rider who was signed after the Italian's Team Sky deal fell through – to fight it out for the maglia rosa.

The Giro d'Italia organisers have attempted to create a finely balanced route for 2013, one that offers both the climbers and time trialists equal opportunities to shine. With 74.9 kilometres of time trialing, Wiggins can expect to severely dent Nibali’s chances. The Italian lost roughly six minutes in last year’s Tour de France to Wiggins against the clock.

However the Italian believes that the style of climbs in the Giro d'Italia will suit his characteristics better and the fact that there’s no final time trial offers the climbers of Nibali’s ilk further encouragement.

“The climbs are very difficult and different to the ones in the Tour. Wiggins is certainly a very good rider and there’s a long time trial for him but the race is wide open. I’m going to give my best and you have to remember that Wiggins won’t have the same team as he had at the Tour last year. Sky is a great team but they can’t send the same team to the Giro and to the Tour, so they have to decide where they split their strengths,” he told Cyclingnews.

“I don’t know who they’ll send to the Giro but I read the papers and from what I can see Wiggins will do ride the Giro, and Froome will ride the Tour. Wiggins is a big competitor with a lot of character but the road will decide.”

The time bonuses on offer are another reason for Nibali to be cheerful.

"They could be really important," he said. "For example Cunego won a Giro thanks to time bonuses in 2004. This year the course doesn’t have a final time trial. It would be better for Wiggins if there was final time trial but the final week suits the climbers better.”

The Giro isn’t Nibali’s only target in 2013. The Italian differs from a number of current grand tour riders in that he races throughout the season and at a consistent level – from attacking at Milano-Sanremo to aggressive riding at Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Il Lombardy – the 28-year-old selects a number of targets but without being fixated on one goal.

“In the last few years I’ve raced from the start of the season right up until the end. I was second at Liege last year, only just missing out and I was third at the Tour. I don’t like to start a season with just one target and there are so many big races in the calendar. The most important race is of course the Tour but it’s not the only important one.”

“When I was growing up I was a big Moser fan. I loved how he’d work towards finding new technologies. My father had a VHS of his wins and I’d watch that all the time and feel inspired. I like to be like him because he’d try and look for new technologies as a rider and that’s something I’m interested in. But Moser didn’t just target one race, like the Tour, and I’m like that too.”

Leading Astana

Currently finding form in Argentina at San Luis, Nibali appears to be settling in nicely with his new team. Each evening after dinner he leads his teammates down into the lobby for a quick coffee. The team has certainly thrown their weight behind him too. Earlier this month Astana and Specialized began a special project to work on his time trial position. Nibali is also now able to pick his own race programme. This and a significant pay increase, appear to have been a major incentive in his decision to move to Astana.

“It’s been a really nice experience so far. The team is trying to look to the future and we’re doing the best that we can. I feel good, and I’m the leader here. I’ve come because I wanted to try a new experience in an international team. I spent a lot of years at Liquigas but I wanted a change, a different environment, and here I’m the only leader and that’s something that’s really good for me,” he told Cyclingnews.

“It was a big step, I know that, but I’m not sentimental about the past and I don’t miss the old squad. And while it’s an international team here there are also a good number of Italians here as well.”

“For an Italian rider it’s important that I do the biggest Italian race. Astana were really interested in me doing the Giro as well. Last year, at Liquigas, it would have been nice if I’d had the chance to decide for myself if I was going to do the Giro or not, especially after seeing the results. Liquigas chose a different programme for me though.”

Now, after Stage 5 of the Santos Tour Down Under, Andy Schleck, is sitting in a comfortable 127th place...that's right, he is second to last. Or my new favorite term, coined by @Thorley_Lydia, #SchleckndFromLast. 

Last year, I remember that us Twitter-folk were worried about riders peaking too early, so far in advance of the Tour de France. However, this is just crazy. I know Schleck was out most of last season with a fractured hip, but second from last? I'm worried that five months from now he will still not be ready, although it seems he believes differently:

Andy Schleck rediscovering his way at Tour Down Under

It was during Stage 2 of the Tour Down Under when Andy Schleck's happiness and relief at being back on the bike was evident for all to see. In the last 12 months he's been handed a Tour de France title in a way in which he did not want it bestowed, and been to hell and back with injury. It was time to ride and it wasn't just about staying out of trouble in a nervous peloton, nor was it a training exercise.

"Why should it always be Jens [Voigt] that is riding [on the front]?" Schleck had told his RadioShack Leopard teammates during the pre-stage meeting. "I can ride as well. Riding in the front in the wind, suffering; that is what makes my shape better and stronger so that's the main goal. I won't hesitate the next day to do the same. I like it. I ride in the front and of course it hurts. Sometimes when I am really hurting, I hope that the guys behind are hurting also. I like to do it and I'm really, really happy to be back in the bunch again in the peloton. It's something different when you can do something like I did today."

It's Schleck's first appearance at the Tour Down Under after years of gentle nudging from former teammate, Adelaide local Stuart O'Grady. It's only now, as part of his build up to full competition following his crash at the Dauphine last June which left him with a fractured pelvis, that the Australian WorldTour event has been an option. Schleck's return began at the season-ending Tour of Beijing.

"Beijing was hard because I knew that I'd go back there and I probably had better shape when I was a junior than when I went to Beijing," he told Cyclingnews. "It was terrible but I went there because I want to race. It was not a good idea I found out after three days but still I finished the stage and I was happy. The positive thing about it was that it was the kick off for my new season again.

"To come here, mentally it was easy, really easy. I was counting the days to come here. Beijing was really different..."

The schedule Schleck has to have

Schleck's 2013 calendar is packed in the lead-up to the 100th Tour de France. After the Tour Down Under the 27-year-old will race the Tour of the Mediterranean, Tour du Haut Var, GP Nobili, Strade Bianche, Tirreno-Adriatico, Criterium International and the Tour of the Basque Country.

From there, he will probably head to the Tour of California and wrap up his preparations with the Tour de Suisse, before heading to Corsica for the Tour's Grand Depart.

That's a lot of racing for someone essentially starting from scratch, but he's unconcerned about it potentially being a case of too much, too soon.

"I think I have pretty wide shoulders on that kind of [thing]. I am not afraid of that," Schleck. "People ask me, 'You might be over trained?' I don't know one guy who is over trained. For me it's a myth so ..."

The time is now

Schleck will turn 28 this year, an age that he admits is make or break for the rider that he could potentially become.

"I am definitely going to improve," he said. "The best age of a cyclist is between 28 and 32. That is what they say. I hope I am not an exception, or I'm not different. But it's also kind of ... cycling is mentally a really hard sport. My last year, 2012, made me mentally a lot stronger because I realised it is really, really what I want to do - it is winning bike races. Mentally I have no doubt ... it was not good last year. I'm still recovering to come back and be good and be in front in the final of a race. That will come. But I am happy to be here and have a bike number on my jersey and compete."

Returning to the peloton means more clashes with the likes of great rival Alberto Contador (Saxo - Tinkoff) at the grand tours. The Tour de France which he missed in 2012 saw Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome rise to the occasion for Sky and Schleck wants to pit himself against them all.

"For me now I can tell you 100 names I have to beat first! Wait I was 89th today [Wednesday] so 98 now!" he joked. "I go with of course big ambitions into the season but I know it's going to be a bumpy road until I am where I want to be because it's not easy, you cannot build up shape in three months, it's simply not possible. Maybe some say so but no, if you ask me, not."

But for now, Schleck is all about getting back to the normal and it's not just about racing the big events, it's also about rediscovering the confidence he needs to just be able to sit in the peloton.

"I am a little, I won't say scared, but I think it's also normal because you have to get used to riding in the peloton again. I rode in Beijing but that was more like behind the peloton than in the peloton so ... it worries me a little bit, honestly but it just takes time."

2012 Tour de France Stage 9, 7/09/12

July 9, Stage 9: Arc-et-Senans - Besançon (ITT) 41.5km

Wiggins crushes time trial in Besançon

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/tour-de-france/stage-9/results)

Team Sky stamped their authority on the Tour de France with a commanding display in the 41.5-kilometre time trial to Besançon. Race leader Bradley Wiggins won in a time of 51:24 with teammate Chris Froome in second at 35 seconds. The result moved Froome up to third in the general classification and strengthened Wiggins’s grip on yellow.

Defending champion Cadel Evans (BMC) lost time at each time check point before finishing 6th, 1:43 behind Wiggins. Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale), who started the day in third place overall, managed to limit his losses, finishing in 8th, 2:07 down on Wiggins, and now lies 4th in the race for yellow.

"I'm just really pleased with how I put the day together, mentally, too. The noise when I rolled off the ramp was incredible and not letting that phase me and not going out too hard. So I’m just really satisfied with how I put the whole day together an that’s what I’ve been focusing. So at the moment it’s just relief and pride in myself for doing that," Wiggins said.

"When I get back tonight, that when you start thinking about the context of how it fits into the whole Tour and everything. Numbers are being thrown around, you got this on Cadel, this on him but at the moment it’s a lot to take in."

Heading into the stage BMC had hoped to limit their losses to less than a minute but after just a few kilometres of Evans’s ride Wiggins was up on the 2011 winner. At the first time check, 16.5km into the stage, Wiggins cruised through at a time of 21:05, five seconds up on Froome but already over a minute up on Evans. The Sky pair obliterated the time of Fabian Cancellara and from there Evans began a campaign of damage limitation.

At the second time check at 31.5 kilometres it looked to be working with Wiggins only adding 19 seconds to his time on the Australian but by the finish the British rider had extended his lead to 1:43, the exact time gap between the two riders posted at last month’s Dauphine.

Earlier in the day, world time trial champion Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) cut a sorry figure on the start ramp in Arc-et-Senans. With a wrist strapped due to a broken bone the German was perhaps riding his last stage in this year’s Tour but his luck, which as deserted him throughout the race, was in no mood of changing, and within the first few kilometres suffered a puncture. Despite the misfortune Martin posted the fastest time at each check point to take an early but incomprehensive lead.

Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack-Nissan) put Martin out of his misery setting a time 39 seconds faster at the first check, and 1:19 quicker at the finish. However, when French time trial champion Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) came through the first check just a handful of seconds down on the Swiss rider, it was clear that the former world time trial champion was far from firing on all cylinders.

It wasn’t until Tejay van Garderen (BMC) came through the first check three seconds faster that it was confirmed that Cancellara would not repeat his prologue success. The American, riding in just his second Tour, looked at ease over the testing first part of the course, catching Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale) for three minutes and going fastest at the second check. Although he tired by the finish, crossing the line nine seconds down on Cancellara, the RadioShack-Nissan rider’s position was in the line of fire.

By now the GC contenders, Froome included in that echelon, were on the road. The Kenyan-born rider, who beat Wiggins in an individual time trial at the Vuelta last September, stormed to a 24-second lead at the first check. Denis Menchov (Katusha), in his Russian national time trial champion's kit, could only manage 7th with Nibali in 10th and Evans 12th. Wiggins was still to reach the 16.5km mark but his rhythm and speed looked on course, and he crossed the check point five seconds faster than Froome.

Sky’s Froome was looking almost as assured as Wiggins in his time trial position, out of the saddle on the rolling terrain, and faster than Van Garderen at the second check point. Wiggins came in 16 seconds faster than Froome, cementing his position as Sky’s undoubted leader in the race.

Menchov crossed the line, then Nibali, but both were off the pace and looking set to lose over two minutes. Froome meanwhile had crushed Cancellara by 22 seconds with just Evans and Wiggins left on the road.

Having gained 35 seconds on Froome, 1:43 on Evans and over 2 minutes on his nearest rival Wiggins will be greatly satisfied with his day and tomorrow’s rest day will give the British rider time to let the events sink in. The Tour is far from over but Wiggins has landed a heavy blow.

Full Results

1	Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Sky Procycling	0:51:24
2	Christopher Froome (GBr) Sky Procycling	0:00:35
3	Fabian Cancellara (Swi) RadioShack-Nissan	0:00:57
4	Tejay van Garderen (USA) BMC Racing Team	0:01:06
5	Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Omega Pharma-QuickStep	0:01:24
6	Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team	0:01:43
7	Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-QuickStep	0:01:59
8	Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale	0:02:07
9	Denis Menchov (Rus) Katusha Team	0:02:08
10	Andreas Klöden (Ger) RadioShack-Nissan	0:02:09

23 - June - 2012 - Daily News

This article really hit me. This cyclist just came back from a two year ban and won the Italian Road Championship. I know if it was Lance Armstrong, they'd be testing him again. Congrats to Franco Pellizotti!

June 23, Elite Men Road Race: Pergine - Borgo Valsugana 254.7km

Pellizotti returns from ban to win Italian road title

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/italian-road-championships-2012/elite-men-road-race/results)

Franco Pellizotti scored an emphatic victory in the Italian road championships, returning from his two-year ban for irregular biological passport values to solo to his first tricolore. Danilo Di Luca was second from the chasing group.

Now riding for Androni Giocattoli, Pellizotti attacked an elite group which had bridged up to the solo move of Michele Scarponi. He left behind Liquigas-Cannondale duo Moreno Moser and Vincenzo Nibali, Scarponi and Katusha's Giampaolo Caruso en route to the win.

“Anyone who knows me will know how hard I tried in that last kilometre,” Pellizotti said. “At 400 metres to go, I knew I’d won and was able to enjoy it. I wish that it could have never ended.

“I must thank Androni for the great trust they have shown in me. After they confirmed my appointment I was able to train in the best possible way for this race.”

Scarponi had a lead of almost a minute-and-a-half with two laps of the course and 27km to go, but saw his advantage quickly eradicated as the race hurtled towards its conclusion. He was eventually swallowed up by the three podium finishers, Nibali and Caruso just ahead of the beginning of the final lap.

Pellizotti then attacked almost immediately as the riders started to climb for the final time. Caruso was the only rider who was capable of going with him and the duo formed a leading pair for a few kilometres before Pellizotti, who was easily the fresher man, turned the screw and piled on the pressure until Caruso cracked.

Caruso quickly came back to Di Luca and Moser, who eventually overtook him and took their places on the podium. Both Nibali and Scarponi, whose minds were probably several hundred miles north in Liege, where the Tour de France starts next weekend. Nibali had publicly played down his chance of winning here in the build up the race, having spent some punishing hours on the Passo San Pellegrino as part of a training camp ahead of the Tour de France.

Di Luca bettered his previous best finish at the championships (3rd place in 2009) while Moser’s performance offered up further evidence that he could be the next best thing in Italian cycling, belying his tender years at the age of 21.
This year’s renewal was a particularly brutal one, with only 20 riders finishing the race.

Here is a look at the Top 5 Tour de France GC contenders. Although, I must disagree with Frank Schleck. I don't think he will be a threat this year. I really believe this will be a Wiggins/Evans showdown.

Tour de France: Top-five general classification contenders

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

There’s much uncertainty leading into the 2012 Tour de France, with recent injuries and quiet showings throughout the season catapulting some of the favourites into the ‘unknown’ category. Albero Contador is of course absent from this year’s race and this may instil confidence in a number of contenders, while others will hope to turn around a year of poor form. Some, like Bradley Wiggins will be arriving back at the Tour after being forced out last year in the crash-marred first week or from skipping last year’s race.

Cadel Evans and Bradley Wiggins are the top-ranked favourites, but what about the remaining spot on the podium, top five or top ten? Many of last season’s top-ten finishers aren’t looking so sharp, with injuries preventing the likes of Thomas Voeckler from attending his national championships.

Andy Schleck whould have been one of the main protagonists but a fall in the time trial at the Critérium du Dauphiné and subsequent fractured pelvis means he will miss the race. Denis Menchov may have timed his condition perfectly as he demonstrated by winning the Russian time trial title earlier this week. Menchov often needs a pre-Tour, grand tour in his legs before being able to be competitive but with Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a’Espana titles he cannot be ruled out. His Geox-TMC team’s omission last year and disappointing Vuelta in 2011 mean he is not included in the top-five. Ivan Basso has pledged his support to his team mate Vincenzo Nibali and following his assault at a second Giro title, it would appear his condition is not be up to the task regardless.

With such uncertainty we look at a list of five riders who have the potential to win the race or at least finish on the podium...Name: Cadel Evans
Age: 35
Team: BMC Racing Team
Career Highlights: 1st Critérium International (2012), 1st Tour de France (2011), World Road Race champion (2009)
Tour debut: 2005
Best Tour finish: 1st (2011)

Summary: There’s no doubting Evans’ ability to lead his BMC Racing Team at this year’s Tour. This will be his eighth Tour start and despite the disappointment of 2009 and 2010, he’s proven he can climb with the best and time trial quicker than the purist climbers. Evans has received criticism over the years for not being aggressive enough but the confidence and leadership he showed last year quashed such doubts.

Evans had hinted he would begin his season slowly and in his first outing of the season, Tirreno-Adriatico, he made little impression. Just a week-and-a-half later however, he turned up to Critérium International where he won the time trial on his way to the overall victory.

Evans’ Ardennes campaign was cut short due to illness and he lacked the form to repeat last year’s win at Tour de Romandie. However, he showed the kind of aggressive racing often missing to win a stage and finish third overall at the recent Critérium du Dauphiné despite being off the pace in the 53km time trial against Bradley Wiggins. "I still have some improvements to make before the Tour" he said.

His BMC team is specifically designed to winning the overall and unlike Wiggins, his team will have nothing but yellow in Paris on the agenda. This may prove crucial at the end of three weeks.Name: Bradley Wiggins
Age: 32
Team: Sky Procycling
Career Highlights: 1st Critérium du Dauphiné (2012), 1st Tour de Romandie (2012) and 1st Paris - Nice (2012)
Tour debut: 2006
Best Tour finish: 4th (2009)

Summary: Bradley Wiggins has the backing of what looks to be the strongest team in the race. There is a team of domestiques at the Briton’s disposal who, on any other team, would be worthy of a protected role. However, this year Sky is looking to secure the first ever win in the Tour by a Briton and they appear to have timed the team’s form perfectly.

The way Sky led the Critérium du Dauphiné is not necessarily how the Tour will unfold but it was a controlled performance by the team which had Michael Rogers (Aus), Chris Froome (Gbr) and Richie Porte (Aus) finish inside the top-ten. These three will line up as super-domestiques and yet they could have a leader role if they were on any other team. All of them understand this Tour is about Wiggins and personal motives will not be tolerated unless approved by their directors.

Wiggins is a solid bet for a top place in the general classification despite matters being complicated with the inclusion of road world champion Mark Cavendish. With ambitions to win the green and yellow jersey, it could be too much to ask from the team which may be forced into taking charge on the road from day one.Name: Vincenzo Nibali
Age: 27
Team: Liquigas - Cannondale
Career Highlights: 1st Tirreno-Adiatico (2012), 2nd Giro d’Italia (2011), 1st Vuelta a Espana (2010)
Tour debut: 2008
Best Tour finish: 7th (2009)

Summary: Vincenzo Nibali has ridden enough grand tours for a young rider to prove his endurance over a three-week race. He shows initiative in the mountains when necessary and, on a good day, doesn’t need to wait for a last-minute attack to the line. His time trialling is below Wiggins and Evans but he seems to understand the importance of improving this area.

He may have ‘only’ a single grand tour victory on his palmares, the 2010 Vuelta a Espana, but he has finished on the podium of the Giro d’Italia twice; 2nd in 2010 (elevated from third after Alberto Contador was stripped on the title) and 3rd in the 2011 edition.

The need to be patient may be critical to his success as his number one road captain Ivan Basso will likely enforce. Basso and his domestiques took control of the race in the Giro to suit his capabilities and this leadership will be an asset. Nibali has matured in the last few seasons but there is no denying Basso’s experience on the road. If Basso has recovered successfully from his Giro campaign he will be invaluable to the "Shark of Messina".

Nibali has achieved a number of wins this year, including the brutal mountain stage to Jabal Al Akhdar (Green Mountain) and second place overall at the Tour of Oman, plus the hilltop finish of stage five and the overall classification at Tirreno-Adriatico. He has also shown his endurance over longer one-day races, and was frustratingly close to winning one of the season’s Monuments at Milan San-Remo and Liege-Bastogne-Liege, where he was third and second respectively. It’s an impressive list for the Italian, who opened his season in January with the Tour de San Luis. A heavy block of training leading into the Dauphiné may excuse his lacking in the mountains but he should be fit come Tour time.Name: Fränk Schleck
Age: 32
Team: RadioShack-Nissan
Career Highlights: 3rd Tour de France (2011), 1st Tour de Suisse (2010), 1st Amstel Gold Race (2006)
Tour debut: 2006
Best Tour finish: 3rd (2011)

Summary: Fränk Schleck may not have the natural potential of his brother but Andy will be absent this year, leaving Fränk with a sole leadership role - a situation the older brother hasn’t been in since Andy’s debut in 2008 when he shared it with eventual winner Carlos Sastre.

This will be new territory for the Luxembourger who was quick to express he didn’t want to be the designated leader at the Tour: "Because if I put in a disappointing performance, then everyone can afterwards complain that I was not good enough," he told Het Nieuwsblad.

A number of riders at the Tour de Suisse believed he was one of, if not the strongest, in the race, and was seen attacking on the climbs far from the finish. Has his form peaked too soon?

"I'm not a machine. You should be realistic. I am already very lean and in great shape, I cannot continue to maintain this level" he said following the completion of the eight-day race.
Together, Andy and Fränk are a serious force in the mountains but y
ou have to wonder if their talents wouldn’t be better used separately and away from each other. This year will expose Fränk’s reliance on his younger brother and will also answer the question as to whether his team problems have affected his preparation and focus.Name: Robert Gesink
Age: 26
Team: Rabobank
Career Highlights: 1st Tour of California (2012), 1st Tour of Oman (2011), GP Montréal (2010)
Tour debut: 2009
Best Tour finish: 6th (2010)

Summary: The 2012 Tour of California winner crushed his rivals to the top of Mount Baldy in stage seven. He caught the ruminants of the early breakaway, including Chris Horner (RadioShack-Nissan), and finished ahead to two Colombians - Coldeportes climbers, John Atapuma and former U23 world road race champion Fabio Duarte.

Gesink can climb. That has been proven on multiple occasions but where he excels, he also shows weakness. His descending has marginally improved since he lost the race lead in Paris-Nice - essentially on a descent - to Davide Rebellin in 2008, but his ability to stay upright has impeded his grand tour hopes in the past. The Dutchman’s slim and lanky build doesn’t do him any favours when the road heads downward. And unfortunately he won’t have the luxury of Basso’s team escorting him downhill as Nibali prefers to take opportunities and risks wherever he sees fit.

Gesink came away from California on a high but arrived at the Dauphine seemingly behind expectations. His condition improved as the race progressed but it was a common sight to see him teetering off the back of the leading group, unable to cope with the accelerations and instead making his way slowly into contention. Gesink had the fifth best time in the stage seven time trial - a dramatic improvement from 26th in the opening prologue, where he lost 31 seconds to Peter Sagan (Liquigas - Cannondale) - but he will lose time to Evans, Wiggins and Menchov. With a fourth overall in Suisse one can assume is form will have progressed by the start of the Tour in Liège.

So how does the reigning Yellow Jersey feel a week before he has to defend his title?

Evans glad pre-Tour de France spotlight has been on Wiggins

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/evans-glad-pre-tour-de-france-spotlight-has-been-on-wiggins)

Defending Tour de France champion, Cadel Evans (BMC) is the first to admit that leading rival Bradley Wiggins (Sky) has had the better run of form but remains confident that he can once again stand on the top of the podium on the Champs-Élysées in July.

Evans will lead a BMC outfit to the Tour de France which has been bolstered by potent off-season signings Philippe Gilbert and Tejay van Garderen, along with the experienced Stephen Cummings, off the back of his third-place performance at the Critérium du Dauphiné. It’s been acknowledged from the release of the 2012 parcours, generous in time trials, that the 35-year-old Australian should find himself in his element for this 99th edition of the Tour.

"The only thing that has changed mainly has been the level that Team Sky has come to," Evans explained of the time between October when the route was revealed, and the present. Evans was speaking to journalists from his home country over conference call from a low-key and relaxed setting of a teammate’s house where he is currently working through his final preparation for the French Grand Tour. His young son Robel playing in the background Evans was at ease, despite the difficulty communicating throughout the call, saying that he felt he was in much the same space mentally as he was at this time last year.

Overall victories at Paris-Nice, the Tour de Romandie and the Critérium du Dauphiné have ensured that the spotlight has shone brightly on Wiggins while Evans has had a comparatively quiet lead-in with the Critérium International his only GC win for the season to date. And Evans is okay with that.

"The main thing for most riders is just getting to a good level, a level you know you need to be at to race - avoiding injuries, health issues and so on," he said of his preparation. "This year it's been a good progression for me into the Tour and in some ways, not having some race results, it keeps people's attention away from me. That also helps make life a little bit easier."

While Wiggins has been in the spotlight, Evans suggested that there were others who will be starting in Liège on June 30 deserving on general classification consideration. The 38km, Stage 9 individual time trial and another on the penultimate stage could play into the favour of the likes of Levi Leipheimer (Omega Pharma – QuickStep) or Andreas Klöden (RadioShack – Nissan) who will have several more seasons of grand tour experience under their belt in comparison to the Brit. Samuel Sanchez, Denis Menchov, and Frank Schleck, "if he can get some time," also rated a mention as possibilities for overall contention from Evans. Then there was Alejandro Valverde, "but his performance at the Tour de Suisse wasn’t convincing," Evans said.

Sky’s performance at the Dauphiné was a dominant one, but if there was cause for concern particularly due to their strength in numbers when it came to the Joux Plane on Stage 6 with Michael Rogers, Chris Froome and Richie Porte protecting Wiggins, Evans wasn’t giving anything away.

"At this point if they hold that level, yeah, they’ll have the numbers when it comes down to 20 guys but let’s see what happens with it comes down to five or 10," he said with the more selective climbs of the Tour in mind.
Evans undertook reconnaissance of the Tour’s tougher stages in May and believes that the sage profiles don’t tell the whole story.

"There's a little bit more than it shows on paper, there are a few surprises along the way," he explained. "The Tour organisers seem to have liked adding these in over the last few years - when we get to them, we'll see."

And here is the daily RadioShack Nissan Trek news:

Schlecks to found new German-sponsored team in 2013?

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/schlecks-to-found-new-german-sponsored-team-in-2013)

The newest twist in rumours surrounding problem-plagued RadioShack-Nissan now have the Schleck brothers leaving the team after this season and founding a new team with a German sponsor.

According to De Telegraaf, Fränk and Andy Schleck have found a so-far unnamed German company willing to be co-sponsor.  “Some” German riders are said to already have been approached about signing with the new team, but it is not clear whether that means the Germans currently at RadioShack-Nissan or now. 

The team's management would be handled by Schleck confidant Kim Andersen, as well as Dirk Demol and Alain Gallopin.

Both Schlecks have contracts with the current team through the 2014 season. However, there have long been reports of problems within the team, including late payment of salaries.

The Schlecks and team manager Johan Bruyneel have often been at odds this season. Only yesterday Bruyneel announced that he would not attend the Tour de France due to the USADA doping investigation, in which he is a target.

21 - June - 2012 - Daily News

Cyclingnews.com put together a provisional start list of the Tour de France. The * means the team is confirmed. Remember, teams will only have 9 riders, so the listed teams with more will have some riders cut before the start on June 30th.

Tour de France start list

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tour-de-france-start-list-2)

AG2R La Mondiale: Maxime Bouet (Fra), Jimmy Casper (Fra), Mickaël Cherel (Fra), Hubert Dupont (Fra), Martin Elmiger (Swi), Sébastien Hinault (Fra), Blel Kadri (Fra), Sébastien Minard (Fra), Lloyd Mondory (Fra), Jean Christophe Peraud (Fra), Christophe Riblon (Fra), Nicholas Roche (Irl)

Pro Team Astana*: Borut Bozic (Slo), Janez Brajkovic (Slo), Dmitriy Fofonov (Kaz), Andriy Grivko (Ukr), Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz), Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz), Fredrik Kessiakoff (Swe), Robert Kiserlovski (Cro), Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz)

BMC Racing Team*: Marcus Burghardt (Ger), Steven Cummings (GBr), Cadel Evans (Aus), Philippe Gilbert (Bel), George Hincapie (USA), Amaël Moinard (Fra), Manuel Quinziato (Ita), Michael Schär (Swi), Tejay Van Garderen (USA)

Euskaltel-Euskadi*: Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa), Jorge Azanza Soto (Spa), Gorka Izaguirre Insausti (Spa), Egoi Martinez De Esteban (Spa), Ruben Perez Moreno (Spa), Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa), Amets Txurruka Ansola (Spa), Pablo Urtasun Perez (Spa), Gorka Verdugo Marcotegui (Spa)

FDJ-BigMat: Sandy Casar (Fra), Mickael Delage (Fra), Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra), Anthony Geslin (Fra), Yauheni Hutarovich (Blr), Arnold Jeannesson (Fra), Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra), Rémi Pauriol (Fra), Cedric Pineau (Fra), Thibaut Pinot (Fra), Anthony Roux (Fra), Jérémy Roy (Fra)

Garmin-Barracuda*: Tom Danielson (USA), Tyler Farrar (USA), Ryder Hesjedal (Can), Robert Hunter (RSA), Daniel Martin (Irl), David Millar (GBr), Johan Van Summeren (Bel), Christian Vandevelde (USA), David Zabriskie (USA)

Katusha Team*: Giampaolo Caruso (Ita), Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa), Vladimir Gusev (Rus), Joan Horrach Rippoll (Spa), Aleksandr Kuschynski (Blr), Denis Menchov (Rus), Luca Paolini (Ita), Yury Trofimov (Rus), Eduard Vorganov (Rus)

Lampre - ISD: Grega Bole (Slo), Danilo Hondo (Ger), Yuriy Krivtsov (Ukr), Oleksandr Kvachuk (Ukr), Matthew Lloyd (Aus), Marco Marzano (Ita), Manuele Mori (Ita), Przemyslaw Niemiec (Pol), Alessandro Petacchi (Ita), Morris Possoni (Ita), Michele Scarponi (Ita), Davide Vigano (Ita)

Liquigas-Cannondale: Ivan Basso (Ita), Federico Canuti (Ita), Tiziano Dall'Antonia (Ita), Kristjan Koren (Slo), Alan Marangoni (Ita), Dominique Nerz (Ger), Vincenzo Nibali (Ita), Daniel Oss (Ita), Maciej Paterski (Pol), Peter Sagan (Svk), Sylvester Szmyd (Pol), Alessandro Vanotti (Ita)

Lotto Belisol Team*: Lars Ytting Bak (Den), Francis De Greef (Bel), André Greipel (Ger), Adam Hansen (Aus), Gregory Henderson (NZl), Jurgen Roelandts (Bel), Marcel Sieberg (Ger), Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel), Jelle Vanendert (Bel)

Movistar Team: David Arroyo Duran (Spa), Juan Jose Cobo Acebo (Spa), Imanol Erviti (Spa), Rui Alberto Faria Da Costa (Por), José Ivan Gutierrez Palacios (Spa), Vladimir Karpets (Rus), Vasil Kiryienka (Blr), Ignatas Konovalovas (Ltu), David Lopez Garcia (Spa), Ruben Plaza Molina (Spa), Jose Joaquin Rojas Gil (Spa), Alejandro Valverde Belmonte (Spa)

Omega Pharma - QuickStep*: Sylvain Chavanel (Fra), Kevin De Weert (Bel), Dries Devenyns (Bel), Bert Grabsch (Ger), Levi Leipheimer (USA), Tony Martin (Ger), Jérôme Pineau (Fra), Stijn Vandenbergh (Bel), Peter Velits (Svk)

Orica-GreenEdge Cycling Team: Michael Albasini (Swi), Baden Cooke (Aus), Allan Davis (Aus), Simon Gerrans (Aus), Matthew Harley Goss (Aus), Daryl Impey (RSA), Brett Lancaster (Aus), Sebastian Langeveld (Ned), Cameron Meyer (Aus), Stuart O'Grady (Aus), Tomas Vaitkus (Ltu), Pieter Weening (Ned)

Rabobank Cycling Team*: Robert Gesink (Ned), Steven Kruijswijk (Ned), Bauke Mollema (Ned), Mark Renshaw (Aus), Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (Spa), Bram Tankink (Ned), Laurens Ten Dam (Ned), Maarten Tjallingii (Ned), Maarten Wynants (Bel)

RadioShack-Nissan*: Fabian Cancellara (Swi), Tony Gallopin (Fra), Christopher Horner (USA), Andreas Klöden (Ger), Maxime Monfort (Bel), Yaroslav Popovych (Ukr), Frank Schleck (Lux), Jens Voigt (Ger), Haimar Zubeldia Agirre (Spa)

Team Saxo Bank: Jonathan Cantwell (Aus), Juan José Haedo (Arg), Lucas Sebastian Haedo (Arg), Karsten Kroon (Ned), Anders Lund (Den), Rafael Majka (Pol), Takashi Miyazawa (Jpn), Nick Nuyens (Bel), Sergio Miguel Moreira Paulinho (Por), Chris Anker Sørensen (Den), Nicki Sørensen (Den)

Sky Procycling*: Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor), Mark Cavendish (GBr), Bernhard Eisel (Aut), Christopher Froome (GBr), Christian Knees (Ger), Richie Porte (Aus), Michael Rogers (Aus), Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr), Bradley Wiggins (GBr)

Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team*: Kris Boeckmans (Bel), Johnny Hoogerland (Ned), Gustav Erik Larsson (Swe), Marco Marcato (Ita), Wouter Poels (Ned), Rob Ruygh (Ned), Rafael Valls Ferri (Spa), Kenny Robert Van Hummel (Ned), Lieuwe Westra (Ned)

Argos-Shimano*: Roy Curvers (Ned), Koen De Kort (Ned), Johannes Frohlinger (Ger), Patrick Gretsch (Ger), Yann Huguet (Fra), Marcel Kittel (Ger), Matthieu Sprick (Fra), Albert Timmer (Ned), Tom Veelers (Ned)

Team Europcar*: Giovanni Bernaudeau (Fra), Anthony Charteau (Fra), Sébastien Chavanel (Fra), Damien Gaudin (Fra), Cyril Gautier (Fra), Vincent Jerome (Fra), Christophe Kern (Fra), Pierre Rolland (Fra), Thomas Voeckler (Fra)

Cofidis, Le Credit en Ligne: Yohan Bagot (Fra), Rémy Di Gregorio (Fra), Samuel Dumoulin (Fra), Leonardo Duque (Col), Nicolas Edet (Fra), Julien Fouchard (Fra), Jan Ghyselinck (Bel), Luis Angel Mate Mardones (Spa), David Moncoutie (Fra), Rein Taaramae (Est), Tristan Valentin (Fra), Romain Zingle (Bel)

Saur - Sojasun: Jerome Coppel (Fra), Anthony Delaplace (Fra), Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra), Brice Feillu (Fra), Jonathan Hivert (Fra), Fabrice Jeandesboz (Fra), Cyril Lemoine (Fra), Guillaume Levarlet (Fra), Jean-Marc Marino (Fra), Maxime Mederel (Fra), Stéphane Poulhies (Fra), Julien Simon (Fra)

Now that the riders who are lucky to be going to the biggest race of the year know who will be there, they begin to chime in on who is the race favorites...

Valverde: Anything can happen in Tour de France

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/valverde-anything-can-happen-in-tour-de-france)

Alejandro Valverde has come out of the Tour de Suisse with confidence for the Tour de France. “We will go for the overall title” in France, the Movistar rider said. He said that while he was impressed with Fränk Schleck in Switzerland, Bradley Wiggins remains the favourite to win, and he does not discount defending champion Cadel Evans.

For the Spaniard to win the Tour “will be difficult, especially because the course is not the best for my talents, but you have to go with high aspirations,” he told marca.com.  “Because anything can happen.”

Because of the many time trial kilometers in the Tour, “I see Wiggins and Evans. This year the Englishman won't fail, but the Tour is unlike any other race and Evans has extensive experience.”

Valverde was astonished by Schleck's performance in the Tour de Suisse.  “To follow him was impossible.  He rode very easily, the strongest by far, but I think he is too good too soon.”

The Spaniard is skipping this weekend's national championships, in which he was to ride both the road race and the time trial.  The Tour de Suisse “was very hard and now it is essential to recover well before the Tour.  The trouble is not the championships but the travelling.”

...and teams begin telling us why they chose certain riders...

Garmin-Barracuda favors experience in Tour de France selections

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/garmin-barracuda-favors-experience-in-tour-de-france-selections)

Garmin-Barracuda named its nine men for the Tour de France today, with Giro d'Italia winner Ryder Hesjedal tipped as the team's general classification contender and Tom Danielson and Christian Vande Velde as climbing support.

Choosing a squad with an average age of 32 and not a single rider qualified for the best young rider classification, the team has favored experience over youthful talent in this year's line-up.

Dan Martin is the only first time Tour participant in the team, which also features time trial specialists David Millar and Dave Zabriskie, sprinter Tyler Farrar and lead-out man Robbie Hunter along with 2010 Paris-Roubaix winner Johan Vansummeren.

"We have put together a well-balanced team with an emphasis on support for our leader, Ryder. We have Christian and Tom, both excellent climbers who each have had great GC rides in the Tour and have shown their strength in recent racing. Dan Martin, making his Tour debut, rounds out the climbers of the team," said main director Allan Peiper.

"The climbers will have the support of TT specialists David Millar and David Zabriskie along with Johan Vansummeren, who will also be able to help out sprinters Farrar and Hunter in the quest for stage wins."

Notably absent from the Tour roster is Australian Heinrich Haussler, who has struggled this year and was fighting to earn results toward the Tour and the Olympic Games. He had to drop out of the Tour de Suisse due to severe saddle sores.

Also missing are the team's young American Andrew Talansky, who came second in the Tour de Romandie, and Alex Rasmussen, whose CAS decision on his whereabouts violations is due on July 6, during the first week of the Tour.

Wiggins and Cavendish lead Sky at the Tour de France

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/wiggins-and-cavendish-lead-sky-at-the-tour-de-france)

Bradley Wiggins leads a Team Sky selection based primarily around his yellow jersey challenge at this year’s Tour de France. While world champion Mark Cavendish also features, Sky’s nine-man line-up features no fewer than six of the riders who flanked Wiggins during his victorious ride at the recent Critérium du Dauphiné.

Edvald Boasson Hagen, Chris Froome, Richie Porte, Michael Rogers, Christian Knees and Kanstantin Siutsou were all part of Sky’s dominant showing in the Alps and will be charged with repeating the feat in July.

The only member of the Dauphiné squad to miss out is Danny Pate, as the other two slots in Sky’s Tour line-up are filled by Cavendish and Bernhard Eisel.

While the team selection is a clear indication of where Sky’s priorities lie in July, Team Principal Dave Brailsford is confident that the squad can also support Cavendish in the sprints.

“Our priority this year is the general classification with Bradley but that doesn’t mean we’ll neglect the sprint stages, or Mark’s bid for green jersey,” he said on the team website. “Chris, Mick, and Richie are among our strongest climbers and will all be there to support Bradley in the mountains, but then we’ve got riders like Christian and Kosta who have strong engines on the flats, and versatile riders like Edvald and Bernhard who can support Mark in the sprints.”

After victories at Paris-Nice, the Tour de Romandie and the Critérium du Dauphiné already in 2012, Wiggins lines up as favourite for overall victory at the Tour and he approaches the race with greater confidence than in the past.

“I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time and I’ll do everything I can to win the Tour de France,” he said. “Hopefully we can do the business for ourselves and our fans, and become the most successful British-based cycling team ever.”

For his part, Cavendish acknowledged that Wiggins’ presence meant that he would not enjoy the same level of outright support as he had done at Highroad. Nonetheless, the Manxman has shown that he is well capable of winning without a full lead-out train when the occasion has arisen this season.

“It's a dream to ride for a team that holds so much British interest and has a chance to win the yellow jersey,” he said. “I know the push for the GC podium will make it more difficult for me to repeat the success I've enjoyed the last few years. But I'll compete and - as always - I'll dedicate myself to making it a successful Tour for Team Sky and, let's hope, for Britain.”

Norway’s Edvald Boasson Hagen has been Sky’s stand-out performer at the Tour in the team’s history to date, winning two stages in 2011, although he stressed that his primary role this time around will be to support Wiggins.

“If I get the opportunity to go for stage victories myself, I’ll definitely try to take them, but I have a role in the team to fulfil and anything other than that will be a bonus,” he said.

And of course, I couldn't forget to mention my favorite team today...Radioshack Nissan Trek. This first article was kind of mentioned two days ago, but in case you didn't get the memo, here is another one:

Fuglsang looking to leave RadioShack-Nissan over Tour de France snub

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/fuglsang-looking-to-leave-radioshack-nissan-over-tour-de-france-snub)
Jakob Fuglsang may be on the verge of leaving RadioShack-Nissan when his contract expires this year. The Dane is not happy with the team's decision not to nominate him for the Tour de France.

“I am disappointed not to be taken and it doesn't give the team any plus points on my account,” he told the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten, according to the Ritzau news agency.

“It doesn't make RadioShack my first choice for next season,” he said, as “being on the Tour team and riding as captain [...] is still my goal.”

He does not know where he might go.  “I have to consider and find out where I can get the position of captain, which I must have to achieve the results that I dream about.  It is difficult, because all teams have one or maybe two captains, but there are teams where it could be easier.”

Fuglsang was to 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.

But despite all of the bad news going on at RSNT these days, there is always a silver lining in the clouds.

Cancellara happy with progress after Swiss TT win

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cancellara-happy-with-progress-after-swiss-tt-win)

Fabian Cancellara tuned up for the Tour de France and the London 2012 Olympics by taking his first victory since March in the Swiss time trial championship in Messen on Wednesday.

The RadioShack-Nissan rider has been feeling his way back into competitive action in recent weeks after he fractured his collarbone in a crash during the Tour of Flanders on April 1. After a surprise defeat at the hands of Fredrik Kessiakoff (Astana) in the Tour de Suisse time trial last week, Cancellara was glad to get back into the winning habit.
Cancellara’s victory was his seventh Swiss time trial title and it was his first participation in the event since 2008. In the intervening period he has twice been crowned Swiss road race champion.

“I'm very proud to have won another Swiss title in the time trial,” Cancellara said. “It's an honour to wear the colours of your country, even for the seventh time. The competition was very motivated, because all of us want that title.”

Cancellara clocked an average speed close to 50kph as he saw off the challenge of Thomas Frei (Christina Watches) by 1:54, while Martin Elminger (Ag2r-La Mondiale) was a further 6 seconds back in third.

Cancellara has long stated that his primary objective for the summer is the London Olympics. Gold medallist in the time trial in Beijing four years ago (as well as silver medallist in the road race), Cancellara will do battle with the likes of Tony Martin (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) and Bradley Wiggins (Sky) for the top step of the podium outside Hampton Court Palace on August 1.

“I'm happy with where I stand at this point,” Cancellara said. “I was relaxed and very focused. In a race like this you don't have the big infrastructure around you, there are no official split times and there are not so many competitors [there were six starters – ed.], but it's still very good to go home with a good feeling in the pocket. The race was only 20 kilometres from my home, so that made it extra special."

Directeur sportif Luca Guercilena was satisfied that his man remains on course for London. “Fabian's time trial project is a work in progress. Even though he still feels the last two heavy mountain stages of the Tour de Suisse in his legs, he can be proud of his performance today,” he said. “This is not yet the Olympic time trial, of course, but it was a good test for him. Every victory is a victory. He put two minutes into the second man, so that's very good.”