Schleck's Yellow Jersey & Soler Update

I may be one of the only ones, but I strongly believe that Contador is innocent. Yes, his drug tests showed clenbuterol, I still firmly believe his word that it was in the meat he ate. As much as I love Andy Schleck, it saddens me that he is now the winner of the 2010 Tour de France since Contador was stripped of the title. Who knows how the 2010 Tour would have turned out without Contador; Schleck may not have in fact won. I disagree with him being presented the Yellow, but I guess it all just becomes a publicity stunt anyway.

Andy Schleck presented with 2010 Tour de France yellow jersey

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/andy-schleck-presented-with-2010-tour-de-france-yellow-jersey)

Andy Schleck was presented with the yellow jersey of winner of the 2010 Tour de France at a ceremony in his hometown of Mondorf, Luxembourg on Tuesday. Schleck had finished second behind Alberto Contador, but was awarded the race after the Spaniard was stripped of his title following a positive test for clenbuterol.

News of Contador’s positive test was first made public in September 2010, but the lengthy legal process was only resolved in February of this year, with the Court of Arbitration for Sport disqualifying him from the race and handing him a two-year suspension.

Second in the Tour in 2009 and 2011, Schleck is still waiting to win a stage race on the road, and he admitted that he did not feel like the victor of the 2010 Tour.

“It’s nice to accept this jersey, but for me it doesn’t change anything – it’s not like a win. It’s not the same sensation as climbing on the podium,” Schleck said, according to AFP.

Schleck received the jersey from Tour de France race director Christian Prudhomme in front of an audience of 150 invited guests, including RadioShack-Nissan manager Johan Bruyneel.

“I can only hope that this jersey will lead to others. And I think there will be others,” Prudhomme said.

It was the second time in Prudhomme’s tenure that such a ceremony was required. In October 2007, Oscar Pereiro was presented with the maillot jaune of the previous year’s Tour, which had been stripped from Floyd Landis after he returned a positive test for synthetic testosterone.

Schleck is currently preparing for an assault at the 2012 Tour de France, and Prudhomme insisted that the Luxembourger could aspire to overall victory in spite of a route that seems weighted in favour of rouleurs.

“Everybody claims that the 2012 Tour isn’t suited to Andy, but I’m convinced to the contrary,” Prudhomme said. “In its history, it’s been common to have Tours with 100km of time trials. It’s only in the past few years that it hasn’t been the case. If Andy is aggressive, he’ll have his chance, I’m sure.”

For his part, Schleck pointed out that the Tour’s first sorties into the mountains in the Vosges and the Jura could prove more difficult than anticipated.

“I’ve just come from reconnoitering the stages in the Vosges, Jura and Alps, and I have to say that it will be a lot harder than I had imagined when I saw the map of the course,” he said.

In better news, Mauricio Soler is doing great on his recovery:

Soler back in Europe for further examinations and enjoying Giro d'Italia

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/soler-back-in-europe-for-further-examinations-and-enjoying-giro-ditalia)

Mauricio Soler has returned to Europe, and made a point of visiting the Hospital Sankt Gallen, where he lay in the intensive care unit for 20 days after a crash in the Tour de Suisse. The Colombian is continuing his rehabilitation in Pamplona, Spain, and cheered on his former teammates and countrymen in the Giro d'Italia.

Soler fractured his skull after colliding with a spectator in the sixth stage of the 2011 Tour de Suisse. He was placed in an induced coma, and in July was moved to a hospital in Pamplona, before returning home to Colombia in December. Soler had to return to Spain for further examinations, and whilst here, wanted to visit the Swiss hospital.

“He doesn't remember anything from what happened there, but he felt it was something he needed to do," his wife Patricia said on the Movistar website. "It was really emotional and special. Mauricio had only known of the doctors and staff from some pictures, but felt like those voices weren't unconnected to him, but something familiar."

The medical staff was pleased with his recovery, she said. “Mauricio has still many steps to improve ahead, but it's amazing to remember how he was, 11 months ago. Travelling back there was an indescribable experience, being the place where he had to learn to speak and walk again... There, a part from his life was left.”

Soler has only thing on his mind when it is time to leave therapy, his wife said. When the appointment is done, “even though we still have to do the daily shopping or anything else, he says to me we can do it later, because he has to see the Giro d'Italia on TV. He is enjoying really much seeing his teammates doing such a great race and feels really proud about them still remembering him when they win."

He has no bitterness against the sport that so changed his life, she said. “He says he's sad of having left bike racing that way, but is also convinced there's another way to enjoy the sport. No one could ever hear bad words from him towards this sport. For him, the most important thing is being alive and enjoying life with his son. Not everything was bad, because all these things made him feel love shown by so many people."

Lastly, Norway announced its Olympics team: Edvald Boasson Hagen, Thor Hushovd, Lars Petter Norghaug, and Alexander Kristoff for Road, while EBH will also ride the TT.



Being sick sucks...

As Dan Wouri (@dwouri) tweeted: "Boy, when DZ cracks he does it with style. 1st to 118th in one stage," I guess being sick does suck...

Fever fells Zabriskie in Malaysia

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/fever-fells-zabriskie-in-malaysia)

Dave Zabriskie (Garmin-Barracuda) was the big loser of yesterday’s 187.2 km run to Pandan Indah, conceding more than 19 minutes to stage winner Jose Serpa (Androni Giocattoli), his yellow jersey, and any hope of overall honours.

The American dropped off the back of the bunch at the same point as an injured Adam Phelan (Drapac), with the Australian barely able to use his right knee since a crash on Saturday.

Initially several teammates were sent back to help Zabriskie, but when it became clear that he was not going to be able to recover, only Raymond Kreder remained to escort him to the finish.

Competition Director Allan Peiper said the team was still trying to figure out exactly what had gone wrong with the American.

"We are really not sure what happened to Dave Zabriskie," said Peiper to Cyclingnews. "He had a little fever two nights ago but before yesterday’s stage he seemed okay health-wise. The only other explanation could be some heat stroke or severe dehydration from the really hot days just before. We’re still unsure though. "

The team is now hoping that Tom Danielson, who has won the race once before back in 2003, will be able to retake yellow after yesterday's disappointment.

"We will see what happens on Genting, but we’re banking on him," concluded Peiper.

Armstrong, KRISTIN Armstrong

Armstrong confirmed for US national team at Women's Tour of New Zealand

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/armstrong-confirmed-for-us-national-team-at-womens-tour-of-new-zealand)

2008 Olympic time trial gold medalist and two-time world time trial champion Kristin Armstrong will compete in the NZCT Women's Tour of New Zealand as part of the US national team. The 38-year-old American will be joined in New Zealand by compatriots Evelyn Stevens, Theresa Cliff-Ryan, Kristin McGrath and Ally Stacher.

Armstrong, the 2008 Women's Tour of New Zealand champion, along with Stevens, the current US time trial champion, McGrath and Cliff-Ryan had already been named to the 13-rider strong US Olympic Games long team vying for positions for the London Games. The final women's selection will be determined by results of UCI races between January 1-May 31.

The UCI 2.2-rated stage race takes place February 22-26 in the city of Palmerston North, New Zealand and is one of 12 UCI-sanctioned stage races occurring within the qualification window.

Race organiser Jorge Sandoval is pleased about the powerhouse line-up his race has attracted in an Olympic year, with reigning time trial world champion Judith Arndt confirmed to compete with the GreenEdge-AIS squad, while 2010 road world champion Tatiana Guderzo will lead the Italian national team.

"We are so far away from the rest of the world, and top overseas teams are reluctant to come all the way to New Zealand for a five-day race," Sandoval said. "However, those coming know the importance of winning the tour, and picking up international ranking points which will help qualify riders and teams for the London Olympic Games later in the year."

5 Time TdF Champion: 2012 Vuelta Difficult

So what happens when Miguel Indurain, a 5 time Tour de France Champion, is asked about the 2012 Vuelta a Espana? Lets first take a look at the newly unveiled route:

2012 Vuelta route revealed

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/2012-vuelta-route-revealed)

It probably won’t come as much of a surprise to hear that the 2012 Vuelta a España route will suit the climbers, as that is very much the way the race has gone in recent years. However, the itinerary unveiled by race director Javier Guillén in Pamplona’s Palacio de Congresos on Wednesday morning looks so climber-friendly that it’s hard to see how a time trial specialist or rouleur will get a look-in at all.

As was indicated when Marca leaked most of the details of the route on the eve of the presentation, the 67th edition of the Vuelta will take place in northern Spain. Madrid is the race’s most southerly point, reached on the final day.

The race starts in the shadow of the Pyrenees in Pamplona on August 18 with a 16km team time trial. The route initially heads north-west into the Basque Country, where the first of seven finishes that are officially listed as summits is located on the Arrate climb above Eibar. The next comes the following day at Valdezcaray in the neighbouring province of Rioja.

“There are so many summit finishes because that is what the public demand,” Guillén explained. “We’ve gone out looking for short and explosive stages.”

The route then tracks back itself, heading south of Pamplona and into the Pyrenees to Jaca for what is the first of three unofficial summit finishes. This will take the race up to the Fuerte de Rapitán, which is rated a third-category climb as it features ramps of 11%. Surprisingly, this is listed as a flat stage by the organisers, which perhaps underlines how climber-friendly this route is.

Two days on from that there is a more severe climbing test up to the Santuario Canolich in Andorra. This is one of the “many novelties” promised by Guillén and sections of 18% suggest this will be a very tough day. The first part of the race finishes in Barcelona, where the riders will tackle the Montjuich climb on which Thor Hushovd edged out Oscar Freire to win a stage in the 2009 Tour de France.

The first rest day brings a long transfer from one corner of Spain across to the opposite corner in Galicia. The only individual time trial comes on stage 11. Measuring just 40km, it surely won’t be enough to prevent the specialist climbers dominating the race, especially given what lies just around the corner.

The next day brings another 3rd-cat climb that is not officially listed as a summit finish. On this occasion it’s the Mirador de Ezaro above La Coruña. The 28% ramps there should suit Joaquim Rodríguez, who has made such super-steep climbs his forte at the Vuelta over the last couple of years. Another day beyond that brings three back-to-back summit finishes that lead up to the second rest day.

These start on the stunning Ancares pass that featured on the 2011 edition of the race for the first time. Next comes one of the Vuelta’s iconic summit finishes, Lagos de Covadonga, and following that is another new finish at the Cuitu Negro. This climb currently exists only as a dirt road above the Valgrande-Pajares ski station, but it will be resurfaced in the coming months, providing a 2.5km extension to the climb with sections of 25%.

Following the second rest day, there’s another uphill finish on the second-category Fuente Dé in the Picos de Europa, then a couple more straightforward stages before the final summit finish on the Bola del Mundo above the Navacarrada pass, north of Madrid, on the penultimate day. Two years ago this was the setting for an epic battle between Vincenzo Nibali and Ezequiel Mosquera, with Mosquera taking the stage – before being subsequently banned – but Nibali doing enough to hold on to the leader’s jersey.

As the curtain was formally lifted on the route, all eyes in the Palacio de Congresos were on Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha), who will have been delighted by the plethora of sharp summit finishes that pepper the route. “Purito is going to love this route because he can win the Vuelta,” Euskaltel-Euskadi’s Samuel Sánchez pointed out.

The man himself could scarcely hide his enthusiasm for a Vuelta tailored expressly to his talents, with the 40km time trial to Pontevedra on stage 11 the only obvious stumbling block. The second half of the race should offer Rodriguez ample opportunity to recoup any losses, however.

“The first part of the Vuelta is where you don’t want to lose the race, the second part is where you will win it,” Rodriguez said. “There are lots of explosive summit finishes. I like it, I like it, I like it…”
 
The route of the 2012 Vuelta a España:
Stage 1, August 18: Pamplona team time trial, 16.2km
Stage 2, August 19: Pamplona-Viana, 180km
Stage 3, August 20: Oion-Arrate (Eibar), 153km
Stage 4, August 21: Barakaldo-Valdezcaray, 155km
Stage 5, August 22: Logroño-Logroño, 172km
Stage 6, August 23: Tarazona-El Fuerte del Rapitán (Jaca), 174km
Stage 7, August 24: Jaca-Motorland (Alcañiz), 160km
Stage 8, August 25: Lleida- Coll de la Gallina (Andorra), 175km
Stage 9, August 26. Andorra-Barcelona, 194km
August 27: Rest day
Stage 10, August 28: Ponteareas-Sanxenxo, 166km

Stage 11, August 29: Cambados-Pontevedra time trial, 40km
Stage 12, August 30: Vilagarcía-Mirador de Ezaro (La Coruña), 184.6km
Stage 13, August 31: Santiago de Compostela-Ferrol, 172.7km
Stage 14, September 1: Palas do Rei-Los Ancares, 152km
Stage 15, September 2: La Robla-Lagos de Covadonga, 186.7km
Stage 16, September 3: Gijón (Villa de Jovellanos)-Cuitu Negro, 185km
September 4: Rest day
Stage 17, September 5: Santander-Fuente Dé, 177km
Stage 18, September 6: Aguilar de Campoo-Valladolid, 186.4km
Stage 19, September 7: Peñafiel-La Lastrilla, 169km
Stage 20, September 8: Palazuelo del Eresma-Bola del Mundo, 169.5km
Stage 21, September 9: Cercedilla-Madrid, 111.9km


Then let's ask Miguel Indurain:

Indurain: I would have struggled on 2012 Vuelta a Espana route

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/indurain-i-would-have-struggled-on-2012-vuelta-a-espana-route)

Miguel Indurain has admitted that he would not have been capable of winning the 2012 Vuelta a España, such is the amount of climbing packed into the race’s three weeks. The five-time Tour de France winner was speaking at the Vuelta route presentation in Pamplona on Wednesday.

“With so many tough mountain stages, I would have been stuffed from the start,” Indurain said, according to Reuters. “It wouldn't have been possible for me to win this race, there are too many summit finishes and there’s very little time trialling.”

While Indurain’s time trialling ability carried him to seven Grand Tour victories in the 1990s, he recognised that the Spanish riders of today struggle against the watch. The home nation's contingent will appreciate the welter of short, sharp summit finishes that dot the race.

“This kind of route is exactly what the fans want, and the climbing specialists will have a great chance to win the race," said Indurain.

The race will feature seven summit finishes, beginning in the Basque Country on stage 3 to Monte Arrate. The Vuelta will visit the Pyrenees at the end of week one, but it is likely that a troika of mountain top finishes in the final part of the race will decide the winner of the red jersey.

After visiting Lagos de Covadonga and Cuitu Negro on consecutive days, the grand finale will come on the penultimate stage with a finish atop the fearsome Bola del Mundo.

Notably, the longest stage of the Vuelta is just 194km in length, but while distances are down, Indurain noted that  “they’ve maintained the level of difficulty of the stages.”

Hailing from Villava, on the outskirts of Pamplona, Indurain grew up riding on the roads featured on the opening two days of the race. He warned that teams would have to be well-drilled ahead of the technical opening team time trial in the streets of the city.

“It'll be very hot in August, and some sections are technical so the riders will have to be careful,” he said. “But nowhere near as dangerous as running with the bulls in July.”

All told, Indurain believes a rather novel Vuelta is in store, with the finish in Madrid, the southernmost point of the race. “It’s going to be different, because it’s all in the north, and it’ll be quite a nervous race because there are a lot of summit finishes,” he said.

Only 262 Days Left!!!

Anyone getting excited yet?

2012 Tour de France route revealed

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/2012-tour-de-france-route-revealed)

In the early European afternoon on Monday, race owner Amaury Sports Organisation (ASO) mistakenly published the 2012 Tour de France route on its official Tour de France website, letour.fr. For only a few minutes, the link was activated, revealing the complete listing of next year's Tour stages that were supposed to be made official only on October 18.

The first website to catch the big fish was Velopeloton.com and the news spread quickly. Cyclingnews contacted officials at ASO, who would not deny nor confirm the authenticity of the information.

"I can't tell you anything about this. We are fixing it now internally. The only person who could comment on it would be (race director) Christian Prudhomme himself," Claude Rasch told Cyclingnews.

If the information is correct, then it would be the first time in many years that ASO has not been able to keep the secret over the race route until the official presentation. Unofficial leaks have always existed in the days prior to the event held in Paris' Palais des Congrès, but this sort of large-scale error has no precedent.

2012 Tour de France stages:
P Prologue Sat 30 June Liège > Liège 6.1 km
1 Road stage Sun 1 July Liège > Seraing 198 km
2 Road stage Mon 2 July Visé > Tournai 207 km
3 Road stage Tues 3 July Orchies > Boulogne-sur-Mer 197 km
4 Road stage Weds 4 July Abbeville > Rouen 214 km
5 Road stage Thurs 5 July Rouen > Saint-Quentin 197 km
6 Road stage Fri 6 July Épernay > Metz 210 km
7 Road stage Sat 7 July Tomblaine > La Planche des Belles Filles 199 km
8 Road stage Sun 8 July Belfort > Porrentruy 154 km
9 Time trial Mon 9 July Arc-et-Senans > Besançon 38 km
10 Road stage Weds 11 July Mâcon > Bellegarde-sur-Valserine 194 km
11 Mountains Thurs 12 July Albertville > La Toussuire - Les Sybelles 140 km
12 Mountains Fri 13 July Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne > Annonay 220 km
13 Road stage Sat 14 July Saint-Paul-Trois-Châteaux > Le Cap d’Agde 215 km
14 Road stage Sun 15 July Limoux > Foix 192 km
15 Road stage Mon 16 July Samatan > Pau 160 km
16 Mountains Weds 18 July Pau > Bagnères-de-Luchon 197 km
17 Mountains Thurs 19 July Bagnères-de-Luchon > Peyragudes 144 km
18 Road stage Fri 20 July Blagnac > Brive-la-Gaillarde 215 km
19 Time trial Sat 21 July Bonneval > Chartres 52 km
20 Road stage Sun 22 July Rambouillet > Paris Champs-Élysées 130 km

Hurricanes Just Keep Getting In The Way

Well not only did North America get hit hard with Hurricane Irene, but apparently Katia stuck around to hit Britain...

Weather forces cancellation of Tour of Britain stage

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/weather-forces-cancellation-of-tour-of-britain-stage)

The second stage of the Tour of Britain has been cancelled due to adverse weather conditions in the north of England. The area has been buffeted by high winds and heavy rainfall over the past twenty four hours as the remains of Hurricane Katia pass over the country.

Race organisers took the decision on Monday morning before the beginning of the stage two in Kendal. The presence of debris on sections of the route is understood to be the principal reason for the cancellation of the stage. Strong winds were also anticipated at the finish on Blackpool’s seafront.

Race director Mick Bennett explained that the exposed sections of the course would have posed particular dangers given the 75mph gusts that were reported in the area.

“There were large sections of the stage on exposed hillsides, including the three Skoda King of the Mountains locations, plus the final five kilometres of the stage along Blackpool Promenade, where conditions were deemed unsafe by ourselves as organisers, hence the regrettable decision to cancel the stage,” Bennett said.

“We've had to take the decision based on the advice we've had from the police and Highways that it is unsafe to run today's stage so it is being cancelled," Tour of Britain Commercial Director Alistair Grant told bbc.co.uk. "The high points of the stage, and particularly Blackpool on the seafront, are unsafe, unfortunately."

The peloton will instead ride a neutralised lap around Kendal before travelling to Stoke-on-Trent, where stage 3 begins on Tuesday. “There are thousands of people here in Kendal and we want to give them something to see,” Grant said.

A spokesman from the Met Office said that conditions were unlikely to prevent the running of Tuesday's third stage. "Although it will still be a windy day on Tuesday, we are not expecting the strength of those gusts to be as bad for the third stage tomorrow," Dan Williams said.

Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad) leads the race overall after winning the opening stage in Dumfries on Sunday.