2013 Tour de France Stages 6-7

Stage 6:

I know the picture above isn't actually of the stage, but I thought this was the most beautiful picture of the day. Simon Gerrans "passed" the Yellow Jersey on to his Orica-GreenEdge teammate Daryl Impey, and in doing this Impey became the first African, or South African to be more specific, to ever wear the Yellow Jersey. Impey now has a 3 second lead over Edvald Boasson Hagen and 5 second lead over Gerrans.

Andre Greipel was the winner of the stage. He has led the peloton over the intermediate sprints for most of the stages this Tour, but today he took his first win of the 2013 Tour de France. He beat Peter Sagan, Marcel Kittel, and Mark Cavendish respectively.

I was sad to see that Nacer Bouhanni had to abandon during this stage. He got caught up in a crash at the end of Stage 5, and couldn't make it to the finish of Stage 6. This is the first Tour de France for the 22 year old, who is quickly becoming a contender in the mass sprints.

Stage 7: 

Apparently, even World Champions have tight leashes on. This morning, and article came out about Philippe Gilbert not being allowed to try to get in a breakaway and win this stage, which is suited for a rider like him. Although the article isn't in English, Google translate helped me get the gist of it. The team's decision is to keep Evans safe and all team members around him. This is a race for Evans and no one is to go on their own (Sporza.be). Haven't we seen this before? Oh, right...in last year's Tour de France with Mark Cavendish on Team Sky. He wasn't allowed to sprint for himself, it was all about protecting Wiggins.

More came out today about Frank Schleck's release from Radioshack Leopard Trek. He had been training with them even during his suspension, but yet the team still released him. His own country, Luxembourg, believes that Frank didn't intentionally take this diuretic, and even the UCI admitted that the suspension had nothing to do with doping. Yet, the team still released him. Frank is hoping he can find another team before the Vuelta, although with it being mid-season, that may be difficult. His brother Andy even came out and said, "I will not ride in another team with Frank" (CyclingWeekly, and Sporten.tv2.dk with help of Google Translate).

But anyway, back to Stage 7. Jens Voigt was part of a 6-man attack very early into the stage, but the break only got about 10" ahead before being caught. Then Voigt attacked again, this time with Blel Kadri, and that became the break of the day. Unfortunately, as the two broke away, a crash happened in the peloton involving several riders. Because of his injuries from a crash two days ago, and now this crash, Christian Vande Velde abandoned. This was to be his last Tour de France before retiring, and it's sad he couldn't make it all the way to Paris.

Voigt and Kadri, who earned the KOM Jersey today, were caught 94km from the finish as the sprint teams kept the pace of the peloton high. The problem with that was some of the sprinters fell off the back with the mountains; Andre Greipel, Mark Cavendish, and Marcel Kittel all lost sprint points today to intermediate sprint and eventual stage winner Peter Sagan.

After the intermediate sprint, Jan Bakelants make an attack, which ended up giving him Most Aggressive Rider for the stage. He was quickly joined by Cyril Gautier and Juan Jose Oroz. However, their lead of just over a minute was cut fairly quickly when Daryl Impey's Yellow Jersey was threatened. This breakaway was caught just after the 3km flag.

And as I already said, the winner of the Stage 7 was Peter Sagan, and Daryl Impey stays in Yellow for another day.

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.

2012 Tour de France Stage 3, 7/03/12

July 3, Stage 3: Orchies - Boulogne-sur-Mer 197km

Sagan dances to second Tour de France stage win

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/tour-de-france/stage-3/results)

Peter Sagan danced his way to his second Tour de France win in stage 3 to Boulogne-sur-Mer. The Slovakian champion and green jersey holder unleashed his powerful acceleration in the final hundred meters, distancing Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky), who held on for second over Peter Velits of Omega Pharma-QuickStep. A fourth place finish was enough for RadioShack-Nissan's Fabian Cancellara to hold on to his overall lead.

The final climb saw a large group going up for the win in a difficult situation. Oscar Freire of Katusha was squeezed in the dash for the line by a Vacansoleil rider, and set off a crash. It was mostly contained on one side of the road, holding up a number of riders already out of contention for the stage, but all were given the same time as the main bunch. Held up was Denis Menchov (Katusha), Bradley Wiggins and his Sky Procycling teammate Chris Froome. The latter toppled into the barriers but emerged unscathed.

The day was marked by climbs and crashes in the last half of the day. Garmin-Sharp suffered the worst luck of the bunch, although Ryder Hesjedal overcame a late-race puncture to regain the front group and ultimately finish the stage in 12th, the rest of the team's climbers - Dan Martin, Christian Vande Velde and Tom Danielson, in addition to sprinter Tyler Farrar, were held up by a large crash in the final 20km and never regained the front of the race.

Team Sky lost one important helper in Kanstantsin Siutsou, who abandoned after a crash, as did Movistar's sprinter JJ Rojas.

Mørkøv strikes again

Once again, all 198 riders were at the start in Orchies, with the race having finally moved into France. It took only five kilometers for the day's group to form. Andriy Grivko (Astana), Giovanni Bernaudeau (Europcar), Ruben Perez (Euskaltel-Euskadi), Sebastien Minard (AG2R) and Michael Mørkøv (Saxo Bank-Tinkoff) took off and quickly built up a gap of 5:40 by km 30. That was enough for the field, and it soon came down to under five minutes.

It was a return appearance for Mørkøv, who has been in the escape group for all three road stages. He took the mountain jersey in the first stage and gathered points one by one in the first two stage to hold on to it.

With some 107km to go, RadioShack got help with the chase. Sylvester Szmyd of Liquigas turned up at the head of the field, an obvious signal that Peter Sagan would be looking for his chance in the difficult last half of the stage.

The first half of the stage was nearly dead flat, and the field was happy enough to roll along, keeping the break group on a long rein, knowing that the fireworks would come soon enough.

The break group rolled right under the intermediate sprint banner as if it were not there, but things were different behind them.

GreenEdge led the charge for the intermediate sprint, and it was a wild sprint. Mark Cavendish looked like he was boxed in but as so often, managed to pull it out at the last minute. And he even turned back to have a word with Kenny Van Hummel of Vacansoleil, who had unnecessarily boxed him in.

As expected, Mørkøv took advantage of being in the lead group to grab the points at the first climb of the day.

Climbing and crashing

And as the field moved onto the narrow roads that would take them over the climbs, the crashes started. Giro d'Italia winner Ryder Hesjedal was involved in an early one. Only minutes later a more serious crash took out Kanstantsin Siutsou (Sky), who became the first rider to abandon the race.

With 37km to go and a gap of about 2:30, the break group kicked up the speed, and managed to drop one of their number, Bernaudeau. Mørkøv took the points on the second climb as well. The peloton picked up their speed as well, to cut the gap. Between the acceleration and the climbs, the sprinters, especially the wounded ones, started dropping off the back.

Not long there after another crash took down a number of riders, including Simon Gerrans (Orica-GreenEdge). JJ Rojas (Movistar) and Giampaolo Caruso (Katusha) appeared to be injured, Rojas abandoned with an suspected broken collarbone. The crash also split the field, with many riders having a long way to go to catch up again. Even Philippe Gilbert was apparently caught up in it.

Things were frantic form there on. The lead group tried its hardest to stay away, but BMC grabbed control of the chase group and brought the gap down dramatically. Riders were desperate to get up to the front, but Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel) was busy with a stuck rear derailleur and waved down the neutral support car for repairs.

Grivko and Sanchez took the next climb alone in the lead, but with only 16km to go, there were still three more to come.

Gilbert, thought to be a favourite for this stage, was stuck back in one of the chase groups, as was Thomas Voeckler (Europcar), and both were struggling.

Yellow jersey Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack-Nissan) was still in the large first group, as were top race favourites Cadel Evans (BMC) and Bradley Wiggins (Sky). Peter Sagan must also have been there, as a Liquigas rider was often in the lead. And with 10.5km to go, raindrops started to appear.

At the 10km marker, Mørkøv and Grivko had only 28 seconds on the high-powered chase group, and still two more climbs to go. And at 7.3m to go, Mørkøv was caught, leaving the Astana rider alone with a minimal lead. He too was soon overtaken by the chase group.

With 5.5km to go, Sylvain Chavanel of Omega Pharma-QuickStep attacked out of the field. It was familiar terrain for the Frenchman and he popped over the last rise before a long descent, and gradually pulled away.

A roundabout with 2km to go gave Chavanel a problem, and in the peloton behind, Movistar's Alejandro Valverde also had difficulties with it: both had to brake hard and lost ground as the final climb to the finish approached.

Chavanel retained his lead going into the final kilometer, but the thundering horde gave him no chance. Although a crash halfway up broke up the field, the powerful sprinters at the front sailed past the Frenchman.

GreenEdge's Michael Albasini led the way up, but Sagan jumped by him and easily went on for the win, whilst behind him, Boasson Hagen and Velits struggled up the steep climb to fill out the podium.

Full Results

#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale	4:42:58
2	Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling	0:00:01
3	Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-Quickstep
4	Fabian Cancellara (Swi) RadioShack-Nissan
5	Michael Albasini (Swi) Orica GreenEdge Cycling Team
6	Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team
7	Nicolas Roche (Irl) AG2R La Mondiale
8	Samuel Sanchez Gonzalez (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
9	Bauke Mollema (Ned) Rabobank Cycling Team
10	Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale

Other Favorite Picture of the Day:

RadioShack Nissan Team riding

24 - June - 2012 - Daily News

Short of posting dozens of articles on the National Championships that are going on, here is a quick list that links to all the completed ones:

2012 National Championships index page

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/2012-national-championships-index-page)

Australia: Road race - Elite men, Elite/U23 women, U23 men; Time trial - Elite men, Elite/U23 women, U23 men
Austria: Road race - Elite men, Elite women
Belgium: Road race - Elite men, Elite women
Brazil: Road race - Elite/U23 men, Elite women
Canada: Road race - Elite/U23men, Elite women; Time trial - Elite/U23men, Elite women
Croatia: Road race - Elite men, Elite women
Czech Republic: Road race, Time Trial
Denmark: Road race - Elite men, Elite women; Time trial - Elite men, Elite women
Dutch Antilles: Road race - Elite men
Estonia: Road race - Elite men; Time trial - Elite men, Elite women
France: Road race: Elite men, Elite women;  Time trials - Elite men, Elite women
Germany: Road race: Elite men, Elite women; Time trial - Elite men, Elite women
Great Britain: Road race - Elite men, Elite women
Hong Kong: Road race - Elite men, Elite women
Hungary: Road race - Elite men, Elite women; Time trial
Ireland: Road race - Elite men, Elite women; Time trial
Israel: Road Race; Time trial - Elite men, Elite women
Italy: Road race - Elite men, Elite women, U23 men; Time trial - Elite men, Elite women, U23 men
Japan: Road race - Elite men, Elite women; Time trial - Elite men, Elite women
Luxembourg: Road race - Elite men, U23 men, Elite women; Time trial
Mexico: Time trial - Elite men, Elite women
Netherlands: Road Race - Elite men, Elite women, U23 Men; Time trial - Elite men, Elite women, U23 men
New Zealand: Road race - Elite men, Elite women, U23 men; Time trial - Elite men, Elite women, U23 men
Norway: Road race - Elite men, Elite women, U23 men; Time trial - Elite men, Elite women
Poland: Road race - Elite men, Elite women; Time trial - U23 men, Elite women, Elite men
Portugal: Road race - U23 men; Time trial - Elite men, Elite women, U23 men
Russia: Road race - Elite men; Time trial - Elite men
Serbia: Road race; Time trial
Slovakia: Road race; Time trial
Slovenia: Road race - Elite men, U23 men, Elite women; Time trial - Elite men, Elite women, U23 men
South Africa: Road race - Elite men, Elite women, U23 men; Time trial - Elite men, Elite women, U23 men
Spain: Road race - Elite men, U23 Men, Elite Women, Time trial - Elite men, Elite women, U23 men
Sweden: Road race - Elite women, Time trial - Elite men, Elite women
Switzerland: Road race - Elite men, U23 men, Elite women; Time trials - Elite men, Elite women, U23 men
Ukraine: Road race - Elite men
United States: Road race - Elite women, Elite men; Time trial - Elite men, Elite women, U23 men

Some cyclists, like Jakob Fuglsang, are surprised when left off their team's Tour de France roster. Other riders, not so much...

Thomas Dekker says 2012 Tour de France too early for him

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/thomas-dekker-says-2012-tour-de-france-too-early-for-him)

Thomas Dekker was not surprised to be left off the Garmin-Barracuda squad for the Tour de France, stating that he is not yet ready for a race of that difficulty. “It's just too early. I'm too far from the level needed for the Tour,” he said.

The Dutchman served a two-year doping suspension and has been back in the peloton for nearly one year. “It's just a tough sport and you notice that you don't have the hardness,” he told NU.nl. “In the Tour de Suisse I rode 1400 kilometers in nine days. I need more of these competitions."

Giro d'Italia winner Ryder Hesjedal was named as the US team's general classification contender, with Tom Danielson and Christian Vande Velde as backups. “They are much better now and everyone has a certain role in a team. The rest should help them and that's never been my forte.”

Dekker was supposed to ride the Giro d'Italia, but had to pass due to knee problems. He still expects to ride a Grand Tour this year, the Vuelta a Espana. “And then there's the World Championships in my own country, so there is still a lot to go.”  He further expects to ride the Tour in 2013. "Otherwise it would be a significant disappointment."

He has one individual win this season, the fifth stage of the Circuit de la Sarthe. His next race is Sunday's Dutch national road race.

Here's an update from a rider that I have missed in the Tour...

Jan Ullrich: "I would have acted differently"

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/jan-ullrich-i-would-have-acted-differently)

Former Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich hasn't raced professionally since his removal from the Tour 2006 and seems to have finally moved on from the difficult years which followed his dramatic exit from the sport. The German is currently ‘serving’ a two year suspension for his involvement in Operacion Puerto while he has no intension of returning to the sport.

Ullirch may have no desire to race again but believes he should have been honest when his case first came to light: "I wanted to protect my family and was advised not to express myself. In hindsight I would have acted differently" he told Bild am Sonntag (bild.de).

He still remains coy about the exact details in relation to the doping case and said that "the issue was closed with the court’s verdict". Ullrich is disappointed about the length of time it took for his case to be resolved, rather than the verdict itself. He did however admit "I’m partially to blame". All of his results from May 2005 have since been stripped but he has tried to move on with his life. He has been riding his bike, clocking more than 10,000km this year. "Since I am active again, the head is clear again. I am much more energetic" he said.

Ullrich was asked if he had considered the possibility of being awarded the winner of a few more Tours de France - if Lance Armstrong was found guilty and stripped of his titles - but instead hoped for a faster resolution to the case and not necessarily the outcome: "I get the developments but do not follow it" he said.

In the meantime Ullrich keeps himself busy running a number of businesses including cycling camps and promoting an anti-hair-loss shampoo. He also contributes to a blog on eurosport.

Surprisingly, there was no RadioShack Nissan Trek news today that I saw. However, I am going to end with an article about my favorite, Thor Hushovd. I know this is 4 years down the road, but it still makes me sad...

Bergen 2016 Worlds could be Hushovd's last race

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/bergen-2016-worlds-could-be-hushovds-last-race)

Thor Hushovd has said that riding in the 2016 World Championships in Bergen, Norway, would be the perfect end of his career – assuming the city is awarded the races.  “I think I can guarantee that it would be my last race,” he said.

If Bergen is awarded the championships, then “I feel I would have to say yes” to continuing to ride until then, Hushovd said, according to procycling.no.

“To ride in the Worlds is a great experience anyway, but to do it at home would be a dream,” said Hushovd, who would be 38 in 2016.

The BMC Racing Team rider fought a virus much of the first half of the season, and decided to skip the national championships and the Tour de France in order to concentrate on the 2012 London Olympics.

“The feeling is completely different now than it was a few weeks ago. Now I'm 100 percent focused on the Olympics and the rest of the season,” he said.

17 - June - 2012 - Daily News

I'm putting this post out early again because I don't know how long I will be at my in-laws tonight. I hoping to catch some cycling later on TV, but that will hinder we getting home early since it's an hour drive back. At the time this is published, the last stage in the Tour de Suisse hasn't ended yet, and to be honest, I'm not following any feeds, so I'm not even sure what's going on. However, just based on reading this article, and what I heard yesterday about Costa breaking on one of the mountains, I think Frank Schleck has a very good chance to win, but 14 seconds is still a lot to make up in cycling.

Fränk Schleck confident he can snatch Tour de Suisse title

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/frank-schleck-confident-he-can-snatch-tour-de-suisse-title)

With one stage remaining at the Tour de Suisse, RadioShack – Nissan's Fränk Schleck says that he has to confidence to make up the 14 seconds required on race leader Rui Costa (Movistar) and claim overall victory.

The Tour de Suisse concludes today with a 215.8km stage from Näfels-Lintharena to Sörenberg.

"You must seize every opportunity," Schleck told Nieuwsblad.be. "I am very motivated here in Switzerland. In last Sunday's stage to Verbier I launched my attack a little too early, but now I waited for the right moment. I felt good and the team is strong. Everything is still possible in the final stage. I believe in the victory. "

Schleck made a solid attempt on Costa's lead on Saturday with an attack four kilometres from the finish, with Mikel Nieve (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Levi Leipheimer (Omega Pharam-QuickStep) tagging along and darting forward at the last minute to get the better of the bonus seconds available on the line. Schleck however, moved from fifth overall to second with Costa's teammates aiding the Portugese rider to the finish and limiting the damage.

RadioShack – Nissan team director Kim Anderson said his charge would be in for a tough battle on Sunday.
"The big climbs are much harder than today but in the middle of the stage; then the final climb which is not as hard," he told the team website. "But it's a hard race and anything can still happen."

Schleck, who withdrew from the Giro d'Italia with a shoulder injury said that having ridden both the Tour of Luxembourg and now the Tour de Suisse he is feeling more and more confident ahead of the Tour de France which he'll race without brother Andy.

"I feel stronger every day and consider the final classification not yet lost."

Thanks to an ongoing knee injury, another GC contender may no make it to the Tour de France now:

Voeckler's Tour de France participation in doubt?

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/voecklers-tour-de-france-participation-in-doubt)

Thomas Voeckler’s Tour de France participation could be in doubt after the Europcar rider was forced to abandon the Route du Sud on the slopes of the Col du Soulor on Saturday, citing an inflammation of his right knee.

The same injury had already seen Voeckler withdrew from the Critérium du Dauphiné on its final stage the previous weekend, and with just two weeks to go to the Tour de France, the Frenchman faces a race against time to prove his fitness to compete.

Fourth in the Tour last year, Voeckler enjoyed a solid classics campaign and was looking to use the Dauphiné and Route du Sud to fine-tune his climbing form ahead of July. Although he had spent much of Saturday’s mountain stage in the leading group, however, Voeckler had to give best to his injury three kilometres from the summit of the Soulor.

“I wasn’t able to pedal anymore,” Voeckler told L’Équipe. “These aren’t the best moments of my career but there’s nothing to do, the pain is too much. I have to admit that I’m waiting to see what happens a bit. I’ve just spoken with the team doctor and we’re going to see what decisions are to be taken over the course of the next week.”

Even if he does make it to the start in Liège on June 30, Voeckler hinted that his disrupted preparation would have a major impact on his performance.

“It’s clear that with two weeks to go to the Tour, the state of my knee could be a worry,” he said. “I prefer to wait before taking a decision. If I have the fortune to be at the start, I’m afraid that it mightn’t be a Tour like the others.”

In spite of his abandon at the Dauphiné last week, Voeckler was adamant that he would line up at the Route du Sud in order to test himself further. “I preferred to go into a race situation and see how the pain developed rather than just train at home,” he explained on Saturday.

That plan may have backfired, for Voeckler has now been advised to take a week off the bike completely in order to assist his recovery. Thus, he joins the long list of potential Tour protagonists who will not race in the national championships next weekend.

“He will have to observe a complete week of rest, and we’ll advise him according to the tests we make,” said team doctor Hubert Long.

So now we find out why the 'older' generation (minus Chris Horner) didn't get chosen for the London Olympics. I'd like to think that this is because of the Tour de France (or retirement in George Hincapie's case), but is there infact something more to this story, like the article is hinting at? Maybe Lance's former teammates just don't want to be under investigation or they were told by the powers-that-be that they wouldn't be selected? They all seem to have wanted to go to the Olympics, although because of his crash earlier this season, Leipheimer admitted he might not have been a good choice.

Hincapie, Leipheimer, Vande Velde, Zabriskie opted out of Olympics

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/hincapie-leipheimer-vande-velde-zabriskie-opted-out-of-olympics)

USA Cycling has revealed that George Hincapie, Levi Leipheimer, Christian Vande Velde and David Zabriskie all requested that they not be considered by the eight-man selection committee for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. All four riders are former teammates of Lance Armstrong.

"USA Cycling will not speculate on the reasoning behind their requests and will not have further comment on this topic; any questions related to their decision should be directed to the individual athletes," it released via a statement.
Yesterday, USA Cycling named a five-man road team for London: Timmy Duggan, Tyler Farrar, Chris Horner, Taylor Phinney and Tejay van Garderen.

Leipheimer, 38, may have been a consideration for the one time trial position on the US team, having won a bronze medal in the event at the 2008 Games in Beijing. However after being hit by a car while training in April, Leipheimer admitted he was an unlikely starter.

Hincapie, also 38, has represented his country for the last five Olympic Games – from Barcelona in 1992 through to Beijing in 2008. Just last week, the three-time national road champion announced his retirement at the end of the season. He talked to Cyclingnews last year about the prospect of a sixth Olympics.

"It would be nice; I've done five of them. To do a sixth Olympics would be pretty cool. It's pretty crazy actually to think of that," admitting at the time that ending his career at the Games had not entered his thinking.

In May 2011, Hincapie was alleged to have given evidence to a grand jury in the Jeff  Novitzky-led federal investigation into alleged doping practices in American cycling. Unidentified sources claimed that Hincapie told the grand jury that he and Armstrong supplied each other with EPO and also discussed the use of testosterone. Hincapie later denied giving such evidence.

"I can confirm to you that I never spoke with '60 Minutes,' he said via a statement through his attorney. "I have no idea where they got their information. As I've said in the past, I continue to be disappointed that people are talking about the past in cycling instead of the future. As for the substance of anything in the '60 Minutes' story, I cannot comment on anything relating to the ongoing investigation."

Vande Velde missed the chance to compete in Beijing having been passed over in favour of Leipheimer and so the Garmin – Barracuda rider admitted that London was one of his goals for the 2012 season.

"I want to go to the Olympics really bad," he told Cyclingnews earlier this year. "I don't see myself going to Rio – I don't want to go to Rio... I want to come out of the Tour de France really well and I know that in the past that I always have. So the road race coming five days after the Tour de France and the Champs Elysees, I know I can do a good race."

Zabriskie, five time and reigning national time trial champion was seemingly involved in a tight two-man battle for the sole time trial spot on the team. Selectors announced yesterday that 21-year-old Taylor Phinney was their pick.
Speaking after the Tour of California where he dominated the Bakersfield time trial, Zabriskie said he was motivated to perform in order to gain an Olympic bid, and said the selection committee should "take who [they] think is the best. It's pretty simple."

On Wednesday, USADA formally charged Armstrong with doping with the use of evidence gathered in investigation of potential doping on the United States Postal Service (USPS) (1996-2004), Discovery Channel (2005-2007), Astana (2009) and RadioShack (2010) cycling teams. Johan Bruyneel, Dr. Pedro Celaye, Dr. Luis Garcia del Moral, Dr. Michele Ferrari, and Mr. Pepe Marti are also accused of a variety of doping violations, from the administration of doping products, trafficking, assisting and abetting and covering up.

USADA names 10 witnesses to the alleged conduct, made up of cyclists and cycling team employees, but their identities remain secret.

With the Lance investigation going on, rumors begin. Once they spread, it becomes hard to tell what is true and what isn't. Yesterday it looked liked Filippo Pozzato was under investigation for visiting Dr. Michele Ferrari, but now we find out Pozzato isn't under investigation...as of yet anyway...

Pozzato not under investigation, says lawyer

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/pozzato-not-under-investigation-says-lawyer)

Filippo Pozzato’s lawyer has denied that the Farnese Vini-Selle Italia rider is under investigation as part of the Padova-based inquiry into the activities of Dr. Michele Ferrari, following a report published in Italy this weekend.

On Saturday, La Repubblica printed an article which suggested that Pozzato was a client of the controversial Ferrari, who this week has been formally charged with doping by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), alongside Lance Armstrong and Johan Bruyneel.

The article quotes extracts from a telephone conversation intercepted in the summer of 2009, in which Pozzato allegedly speaks of working with Ferrari, something which the Italian Cycling Federation (FCI) outlawed in 2002. According to La Repubblica, Pozzato can be heard speaking in Vicenza dialect in the recording, saying “Listen: I went to Ferrari because I asked him myself.”

Pozzato also allegedly discusses the Emanuele Sella doping case in the recording, and expresses his distaste at the manner in which the rider had negotiated a reduction on his ban after collaborating with the Italian Olympic Committee’s (CONI) panel.

“If you go to see him in his own house, then you’re responsible,” Pozzato is alleged to have said. “You don’t have a gun pointed to your head. I wanted to go to Ferrari. We’re grown-ups aren’t we?”

La Repubblica’s report notes that the recorded conversation also reveals that it cost €40,000-50,000 per year to be “followed” by Ferrari. The doctor has been banned for life by the FCI, and in February 2002, the body issued a decree barring riders from consulting with Ferrari, a regulation which is still in place.

Responding to the article on Sunday, Pozzato’s lawyer Pierfilippo Capello told Tuttobici and Gazzetta dello Sport that his client was not under investigation.

“We’ve checked several times with magistrates in Padova and in other places where there are ongoing anti-doping inquiries, and my client is not listed in any register of those under investigation,” Capello said. “From a criminal point of view, at the moment there is no investigation involving Pozzato and the same can be said from the sporting point of view: we have no news of an investigation from either CONI or the Italian Cycling Federation.”

Pozzato is currently in action at the Tour de Slovenie, as he continues his build-up to the London 2012 Olympics, although his participation could be at risk should the FCI or CONI opt to open an investigation into the allegations.

I want to end with this article. This is what got me out of bed this morning; it's 06:43 EDT right now. I read this article and I wanted to share it with you. This was written by RSNT rider Jens Voigt about his long-time teammate and friend:

The Tour de France won’t be the same without Andy Schleck. Not even close.
By Jens Voigt

(http://bicycling.com/blogs/hardlyserious/2012/06/16/pure-class/)

This week Andy Schleck, my longtime team leader, announced he wouldn’t ride the Tour de France because of injuries sustained in a crash at the Dauphiné. I’ve been asked what it’s like to lose my leader and what it means for my RadioShack team.

But my very first thought was, “What the hell! Forget about losing our leader! I only care about Andy—my friend.”
I’ll just plain miss Andy, for being Andy.

I’ll miss Andy, the man who went ballistic on the stage up the Galibier in last year’s Tour. We talked about that attack before the stage, and he agreed to it, knowing full well that if he failed the fans and the media would butcher him for making such a “stupid” move.

But he straightened his back, took responsibility like a true champ, and went along with our beautiful and risky plan. And he went out there and ignited the fireworks.

I love Andy’s devil-may-care attitude.

I’ll miss the man who, after his dropping chain and then was attacked by Contador, got back on his bike and chased all alone. And after the stage, when the press asked him about what happened, he said not one bad word. He took that hit like a man.

Andy showed character beyond his age. He acted with class, even though I knew he was furious about what had happened.

I’ll miss Andy the boy too. The boy who comes through the team bus 20 minutes before the start of a stage in the Tour saying, “Have you seen my cycling shoes?” Generally he is joking, but he loves our shocked faces, not to mention those of our sport directors.

He can do that because we all know that every now and then Andy is not joking. Once in a while somebody has to race back to the hotel Formula 1 style to get his shoes …

I’ll miss Andy in the Tour for being relaxed on the rest days. Like last year, when he came with me to chill out by the river and watch some locals fishing. Andy’s a great outdoorsman. At the Tour he’s always coming up to me asking if I brought a new fishing magazine or a diving or hunting magazine, and then we talk about our latest fishing experiences. It was Andy who showed me how to catch big pike. He explained where to put the knots and where to place the hooks.

And then later, when his brother Franky’s wife and their little daughter, Leah, came to visit us, I enjoyed watching Andy being totally in love with his little niece, carrying her and laughing with her.

I’ll miss Andy, the little brother in the Tour, who always has these discussions with his big brother Franky in Luxembourgish. Franky still feels responsible for his little brother, and the little brother tries to tell his older brother, “I’m OK. I’m grown up now.”

If nothing else, it’s a very entertaining part of our long bus transfers.

I’ll miss Andy the great bicycle racer, the racer who saved our asses in so many Tours with stage wins, white jerseys, podiums—the Andy who won a Tour for us.

I’ll miss one of our leaders, miss his positive attitude, and how he says with total calmness and self-confidence before some killer hard stage in the Pyrenees or Alps, “No worries, boys. Today’s gonna be a good day for us!”

So yes, Andy’s absence is going to change our plans in the Tour quite a bit. But I believe that Franky and Klöden are both hitting their form perfectly about now, so I think we still have two great chances to go for the podium. OK, maybe we won’t start as top favorites, but such a situation has advantages too. Like this, we can hide and wait a little, maybe surprise a few people one day.

This situation may force us to ride with more improvised tactics than in previous years. And if somebody would come up to me and ask, “Hey, Jens. Feel like going into the break today?” Well, you know the answer I’ll give.

“Does a bear shit in the woods?”

But mostly I love Andy, and it hurts me to see him suffering. All I can say to him is what older and wiser men have said. “Shape comes and goes, but class always stays with you.”

And there’s no arguing whether Andy has class.

2012 Giro d'Italia Stage 20

May 26, Stage 20: Caldes/Val di Sole - Passo dello Stelvio 218km

De Gendt wins Giro d'Italia penultimate stage atop the Stelvio

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/giro-ditalia/stage-20/results)

Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM) took the biggest victory of his career, winning atop the Stelvio on the queen stage of the Giro d'Italia with a superb display. Damiano Cunego of Lampre took second place and third went to Mikel Nieve (Euskaltel-Euskadi).

The maglia rosa stayed with Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) who crossed the finish line over three minutes later, and he managed to make good the thirteen seconds he had lost to Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Barracuda) the previous day.

“I did not expect that,” De Gendt, 25, said. “I attacked on the Mortirolo, because the descents is very dangerous. All the pieces came together. Carrara was was still in the lead. He helped me a lot."

“And I know the Stelvio very well. I have trained there for six years. I've climbed it 20 or 30 times. It's very nice to win on my mountain."

The five brutal climbs did their job in separating the wheat from the chaff, but there were no decisive moves by the favourites until the final climb. They stuck together virtually the whole way, with Ivan Basso (Liquigas) losing contact only in the final kilometres.

De Gendt didn't make the podium, but moved up from eighth to fourth, pushing Basso down to fifth place. Hesjedal defended his second place, and good chances of taking the overall title in Sunday's time trial. He owed much of today's accomplishments to the good work of Christian Vande Velde, who was ordered back out of the lead group and subsequently pulled Hesjedal – and the rest of the favourites – up much of Stelvio. Michele Scarponi again showed he was stronger than Basso, who fell back on the final climb.

Things got off to an early start for the race's queen stage, over five climbs. The peloton was still together as it started up the first of the day's climbs, the category 3 Passo del Tonale. It may have been only category 3 but it was still enough for tired non-climbers to start dropping off the back.

The break of the day finally got away on the climb: Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Barracuda), Roman Kreuziger (Astana), Damiano Caruso (Liquigas), Jose Serpa (Androni Giocattoli), Branislaw Samoilau (Movistar), Oliver Zaugg (RadioShack), Marco Carrara (Vacansoleil-DCM), Mathias Frank (BMC), Matteo Bono (Lampre), Alexander Kristoff (Katusha), Tom Slagter (Rabobank), and Matteo Rabottini (Farnese Vini).

The Passo del Tonale was also the end of the race for four riders. Robert Hunter (Garmin-Barracuda), Andrea Guardini (Farnese Vini-Selle Italia), Dominique Rollin (FDJ-Big Mat) and Ivan Velasco (Euskaltel-Euskadi) were all disqualified by the race jury for hanging on to team cars, and removed from the race.

The gap jumped to six minutes after the second climb, but dropped to about three and half minutes as the lead group started up the Mortirolo.

The grueling grind up the Mortirolo with an average gradient of 10.4% and a maximum of 21%, took its toll, blasting apart the lead group. Oliver Zaugg (RadioShack-Nissan) and Matteo Carrara (Vacansoleil) were the last men standing only 4km up the brutal climb. Behind them, the peloton also fell apart, with Lampre leading the way, perhaps in hope of helping Michele Scarponi move up in the overall standings.

Caruso moved up to the front, as Carrara weakened. Vande Velde and Serpa joined forces with Carrara on the chase. Even the climbers suffered. King of the Mountains Rabottini fell out of the lead group on the climb and was soon absorbed back in the peloton.

Vande Velde and Serpa dropped Carrara and were able to join Caruso and Zaugg in the lead up the climb. Amador was also able to move up to the leaders, making it a quintet in the lead. Zaugg took off from his companions as they neared the top. He really took off as he hit a flat-to-descending section near the top.

Even the 22% gradient near the top didn't significantly slow down Zaugg, and he made his way through the screaming throngs to the top.

Vande Velde fell back on the descent, and the favourites' group got larger again. Thomas De Gendt had jumped earlier, and more and more riders jumped to join him, with Carrara leading the way for him, Nieve Cunego and Losada.

With about 40km to go – and the Stelvio looming nearer – the favourites' group seemed to call a cease fire, slowing down for a break, as riders further behind them on GC taking their chances and jumping out. Zaugg's gap skyrocketed to nearly six minutes.

Eventually a six-man group formed to chase Zaugg, with riders from the former lead group and those who had managed to move up. All the gaps slowly came down again.

With 30.4km to go, the six caught and swallowed up Zaugg. Vande Velde had evidently been called back and was now supporting captain Hesjedal. The field, by now fairly large again, took advantage of the short flat section between the final two climbs to cut the gap.

The leading group took a four-minute gap as they started up the Stelvio. Zaugg paid for his earlier efforts and was no longer able to stay with the others.

With some 16.5km of climbing left, De Gendt jumped, followed by Nieve. Cunego struggled to remain in sight of the duo, while Amador and Kangert disappeared from view.

Vande Velde ground things away at the head of the maglia rosa group, holding the pace high enough to bring the group down to15 riders or so. Cunego clawed his way back to the two leaders, catching them with about 13km to go.

But almost immediately De Gendt attacked again, and the other two couldn't go with him. With jis jersey wide open and flapping, he seemed to have an easy time going up the climb, and in fact the gap to the maglia rosa group grew again, to over four minutes. And with every meter, he moved his way up in the rankings. In fact, he was getting dangerously close to knocking Hesjedal out of second place, and the gap was 5:05 as the favourites crossed under the 10km banner.

Vande Velde finally fell back, after having done countless kilometres of lead work. Meanwhile the riders passed the first snow fields along the way. With about 5km to go, the maglia rosa group took a look around to sum up the situation. Hesjedal moved to the front of the group, looking for, but not getting, help from the others.

De Gendt was obviously suffering as he hit the 3km marker, but over five minutes behind him, the maglia rosa group wasn't doing much better. Basso dropped off, and soon only Hesjedal, Rodriguez and Scarponi were together.

The Belgian crossed the finish line after a day's ride of nearly six hours, but barely able to celebrate his win. Cunego crossed the finish line 55 seconds later, and Nivel came in for third at 2:50

Scarponi, Rodriguez and Hesjedal gave gas at the end, and were able to cut the gap to reasonable poportsion. Rodriguez came in at 3:22 and Hesjedal at 3:35.

Full Results

#	Rider Name (Country) Team	Result
1	Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team	6:54:41
2	Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre - ISD	0:00:56
3	Mikel Nieve Ituralde (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi	0:02:50
4	Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Katusha Team	0:03:22
5	Michele Scarponi (Ita) Lampre - ISD	0:03:34
6	Ryder Hesjedal (Can) Garmin - Barracuda	0:03:36
7	John Gadret (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale	0:04:29
8	Rigoberto Uran Uran (Col) Sky Procycling	0:04:53
9	Sergio Luis Henao Montoya (Col) Sky Procycling	0:04:55
10	Ivan Basso (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale

Canada's First Maglia Rosa

Hesjedal becomes first Canadian to lead Giro d'Italia

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/hesjedal-becomes-first-canadian-to-lead-giro-ditalia)

Three years after he claimed Canada’s first ever Vuelta a España stage victory, Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Barracuda) made history again on Saturday when he became his country’s first ever leader of the Giro d’Italia.

In 2009, Hesjedal outsprinted David García Dapena of Spain at the summit finish of Velefique on an insanely hard Vuelta stage which contained more than 6,000 metres of climbing. Fast forward three years, and the Canadian’s fifth place on another taxing mountain stage netted the 31-year-old former MTBer the Giro lead.

As Hesjedal pointed out, he had come painfully close to taking the lead on Friday, but had fallen short by a tiny margin. On Saturday, he was able to put that right.

Although former double Giro stage winner Tyler Farrar’s abandon due to injury has been a major blow for both the American sprinter and Garmin-Barracuda, Hesjedal’s taking pink is another highpoint in an exceptionally successful first week.

Even before Hesjedal moveded into pink, Garmin-Barracuda had taken the team time trial and led the race for two days with Ramunas Navardauskas. At the moment Garmin-Barracuda also head the teams classification and the young riders competition with Peter Stetina.

“This is just incredible, yesterday was very frustrating, there were really unfortunate events like Tyler crashing. We did what we could at the end but I couldn’t get the jersey by 17 seconds. It was hard to take and I was pretty upset,” Hesjedal said.

“But the team has really kept its confidence and they were fantastic today. Peter and Christian [Vande Velde] were never far from my side on the climb and then Christian put me in the perfect position before the final approach.”

“This is definitely the product of very good team-work. It’s great to get the jersey back in our camp after the great ride that we’ve done.”

Although his Grand Tour debut as a second year pro with Discovery Channel in the Giro back in 2005 was not exactly pleasant - he crashed in stage five and then struggled on for another ten days before quitting - his stage win in the 2009 Vuelta and seventh overall in the 2010 Tour de France confirmed that the former Canadian National Time Trial Champion could perform well in three week races. Then last autumn, Garmin proposed that he lead the team in the Giro.

“I can climb well, although maybe not with the best of the best, I can time trial and get through hard days,” Hesjedal, who was a professional MTBer for six years before switching to the road in 2004, said.

“In the Grand Tours I tend to do best in the last week, and obviously there’s a lot to gain there.”

Asked what Canadians would make of him leading the Giro and what he thought his compatriots knew about the race, Hesjedal joked “I think they are going to know a lot about it now.”

“If I’m not mistaken, Toronto has one of the largest populations of Italians outside Italy itself, so I think quite a few Canadians will be excited about today.”

As for his build-up to the Giro, Hesjedal said “really it consisted of keeping the brakes on in the early part of the year. Nomally I come out in good shape to try and tackle races right from the beginning up to the Ardennes and then focus on the Tour.”

“In November last year, the team put me forward to ride the GC at the Giro and it took me a while to digest this new program. But the more I thought about it, the more it seemed like the perfect opportunity... The team has been incredible this first week, and we’re living off that momentum.”

Getting the pink jersey, particularly after such a near-miss yesterday, was something Hesjedal described as “unreal,” before adding that he had no idea how long he would be able to defend it. But come what may, as Canada’s first ever Giro leader and three years after that Vuelta stage win, Hesjedal has already established another big new landmark in his country’s cycling history.