2013 Tour de France Stages 4-5

Here is an brief summary of stages 4 and 5 of the 2013 Tour de France:

Stage 4:

This stage was a team time trial. As one of my Twitter-friends said, "A team TT is a perfect blend of teamwork, sport, and art"(c/o @Beal88). I couldn't have said it better myself.

As soon as Cannondale started their TTT, Ted King was dropped. Because of his injuries from the Stage 1 crash, he couldn't hold on to the fast-pace of his teammates. However, unlike a normal stage, the cut-off time is not known until the last team crossed the finish line. Unfortunately, 7 seconds was all it took for Ted King to be outside the time limit.

Going into the TTT, there were two teams that most people thought would win: Team Sky (dominators of last year's Tour de France) and Omega Pharma-Quickstep (TT World Champions). However, it was in fact Orica-GreenEdge that took the win, placing Simon Gerrans in the Yellow Jersey.

As much as I would have loved Jan Bakelants to remain in Yellow some more, with only 1" separating him and a bunch of other riders, I knew Radioshack Leopard Trek could not hold the lead. They aren't exactly a team known for time trials.

Stage 5:

All I really need to say is that this was Mark Cavendish's comeback stage! After getting caught up in a crash in Stage 1, and then fighting two mountainous stages, this was the first chance that we actually were able to see Cavendish sprint to the finish. Not to mention, he is also recovering from bronchitis! He beat Edvald Boassan Hagen and Peter Sagan, respectively, while most of the peloton was held up in the last 200m because of a crash.

As you can see from the sprint photo above, Cavendish, third from right, had the most aerodynamic position for speed! I think it's going to be a showdown between Sagan and Cavendish for the Green Jersey, although Sagan is up by 35 points as of right now. We'll have to wait and see what the road to Paris brings.

It seems to me that Sagan and Cavendish are only contesting the finish line, as Andre Greipel has won all of the intermediate sprints.

Katusha's Good News / Gilbert's Goals This Spring

With the future of Katusha unknown, Joaquim Rodriguez said earlier this week that he would be looking for another team. The team lost WorldTour status, and because of that lost bids in many of the upcoming races. In order to ride in the Tour de France, Rodriguez was going to switch teams.

However, thankfully the Court of Arbitration heard Katusha's appeal and returned a verdict in favor of the team. However, the question that is no on everyone's minds is, will 19 teams be allowed to have WorldTour status or will another team get cut so that the 18 teams remain?

Rodriguez happy to stay at Katusha after CAS verdict

Joaquim Rodriguez finished third on stage five at the Tour of Oman but hugged his Katusha directeur sportif Valerio Piva as if he had won, after hearing that the Russian team had won it's appeal to the Court of Arbitration and secured its return to the UCI WorldTour.

Rodriguez and Piva refused to confirm their good news, under strict orders not to talk by the team's management, but the big smiles and hugs between the riders and staff as they whispered the news, made it clear that Katusha had finally received some good news.

Since being turned down for a WorldTour spot by the UCI Licence Commission on December 10, the team's future has been up in the air. 

It was granted a provisional Professional Continental licence so it could compete but the team had been snubbed for wild invitations to the Giro d'Italia, Paris-Nice, the Criterium du Dauphine, and most recently the Tour de Romandie.

On Thursday night, Rodriguez confirmed that he would leave Katusha if the team failed to secure a WorldTour place. He is determined to ride the Tour de France and was unwilling to let the team's problems impact on his season.

Fortunately the team's future now appears safe. Rodriguez's contract with the team is valid and he insisted he was happy to continue racing in the red and white Katusha colours.

"I'm happy to stay with the Katusha team because I've been in the team for several years now. The team has given me a lot and I've given a lot to the team. This is the best possible solution for everyone," Rodriguez said in a hastily arranged press conference in the permanence of the Tour of Oman.

"In the days before the verdict, we were optimistic and we always believed we'd win, even if it wasn't our decision to make and even if we'd never understood the reason why we were left out of the UCI WorldTour."

"I'll admit it, I was worried about my future, even if I knew I'd have ridden the Tour de France in one way or another. Now my race programme won’t change. I'll ride Tirreno-Adriatico, then the Volta a Catalunya, go for a spell of training at altitude on Mount Teide, and then the Ardennes Classics."

Piva echoed Rodriguez's sentiments of relief and satisfaction. The Italian is highly respected in the sport but had been struggling to keep morale up in the team and struggled to convince organisers to invite the team to key races.

Now it seems Katusha and six other team that applied for a WorldTour licence will have to go through the selection process with the Licence Commission. Rather than eliminate another team from the WorldTour, Rodriguez believes the sensible solution is to allow 19 teams to be part of the 2013 WorldTour.

"I hope another team doesn't have to go through what we've been through and so perhaps the best solutions is to allow 19 teams in the WorldTour," he said.

"That would be fair even if it caused some problems by raising the number of riders in the peloton and on the roads. It'd be worth it and much fairer all round."

"I'm sick of everyone talking about all the problems in our sport. There are still a lot of good things going on. I'd much prefer if we could talk about the Tour of Oman and the Volta ao Algarve, or the Vuelta a Andalucía. At least now I can look ahead to the rest of the season, knowing that goal for the year are safe and that the future of the team is safe."

 

After a fantastic 2011, and a not so good 2012, Phillipe Gilbert is ready to take on the Spring Classics. It doesn't seem to phase him that there are riders better than him at the moment, but he knows he'll be ready, in top form, by the time the time the Ardennes come up.

Gilbert building his form for a long assault at the spring classics

At the Tour of Oman, Philippe Gilbert (BMC Racing Team) has stood out more for his rainbow jersey than for his results but he has dismissed off any doubts about his form and is convinced he will be a contender in the spring Classics, from Milan-San Remo until Liège-Bastogne- Liège.

Gilbert is always polite and professional, but he is more protective of his time and privacy after the scrutiny and thousands of questions, especially in Belgium, about his difficult 2012 season. He answers further questions about last year but they clearly touch a nerve.

"There's been a lot of talk about my spring season last year but it's only three months in a career of ten years. I have nothing to complain about," Gilbert said, firing a warning shot while speaking to the media, including Cyclingnews, at the Tour of Oman.

"I was there in the finale in almost every classic but everyone said things were very bad. But bad is when you get dropped and climb off in races. I was not that bad and got better week after week. Eventually my best form came back."

Gilbert concedes that his hugely successful 2011 season left him tired for 2012. Poor results in 2012 were the price he paid for his long run of victories in 2011, although he recovered his powers sufficiently to win the world championships in Valkenburg in September.

"Maybe in life you only have one big season and perhaps it was 2011 for me," he said.

"But it was also long season: I did all the classics, rode the Tour de France and went for the green jersey, I was at full gas everyday but then I never rested afterwards because I won the WorldTour. After the Tour de France I targeted San Sebastian, the Eneco Tour, the Canadian races and the Worlds. I think it was too much for one person and I needed a few months to recover from it."

To avoid the constant scrutiny of 2012 and avoid having to chase his fitness, Gilbert started his season at the Tour Down Under. Stage races are key building blocks as he prepares for the Classics.

"My form's not bad for the moment. I'm not good enough to win, but I'm not unfit. I had a good winter and I'm riding some stage races like Tour Down Under, now Oman and then Paris-Nice, to get better and better every week.

"I feel ready and on track. The intention is to be at my best for the classics. The season is becoming longer and longer in cycling, but it's difficult if you have to chase your form. Last season I was in that position and never managed to catch up."

Goal for 2013: Milan-San Remo and the Tour of Flanders

Gilbert is one of few riders who has the ability and characteristics to win on the cobbles of the Tour of Flanders and the steep climbs of the Ardennes.

He will target every classic except Paris-Roubaix but has set himself a special goal.

"It'd be special to win one of the classics I've still to win: Milan-San Remo and the Tour of Flanders," he said.

"My classics campaign is very long but I think you can win 'La Primavera' even if you're not at your best. Everything depends on the wind. With a tailwind (on the late Capi climbs) you have a far better chance. When a headwind becomes a factor, then everyone just stays on the wheels."

Gilbert is not worried or interested by possible rivals such as Mark Cavendish or Peter Sagan, who was far better than the Belgian in Oman and won two stages before pulling out with a sore throat.

"There are twenty riders who can win Sanremo. It's not a good idea to focus on what he (Cavendish) has to say," he said.

"I worry about myself. What counts is the shape of your rivals in the week before a big race. I don’t care if Sagan is stronger than me at the moment. If he's still stronger than me at Flèche Brabançonne (on April 10, just before the Ardennes week) then I have a problem. But that will not be the case."

 

26/27 - June - 2012 - Daily News

I know this is a late post for yesterday (or an early post for today), but I didn't have time last night. There isn't going to be another post tonight because I will be out of town at a meeting.

This article is almost two days old, but I wanted to share it with you. It's not only RadioShack Nissan that is having management issues:

Cofidis sacks manager Boyer

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cofidis-sacks-manager-boyer)

Eric Boyer, team manager of French squad Cofidis, has been sacked on Monday following weeks of rumours. François Migraine, head of the team's sponsor, blamed Boyer for the outfit's lack of results this season and decided to replace him. According to L'Equipe, former Festina, Astana and FDJ-BigMat directeur sportif Yvon Sanquer will replace him, with the start of the 2012 Tour de France only a few days away.

Boyer, a former pro rider and Giro d'Italia stage winner, joined Cofidis in 2005 to save the team in the aftermath of the Cofidis doping affair, which involved a soigneur and several riders including Philippe Gaumont and David Millar. The now 48-year-old succeeded in restoring the team's credibility and brought the outfit back to success, while at the same time being active as president of the team's association AIGCP. Cofidis' best year in terms of results during his tenrue was in 2008, when Samuel Dumoulin and Sylvain Chavanel won stages at the Tour de France and Chavanel won two Flandrian semi-Classics, Dwars Door Vlaanderen and Brabantse Pijl.

But after the team lost its ProTour license in 2010, results have not been convincing and Boyer's recent incapacity to keep such promising riders like Tony Gallopin, who opted for RadioShack, were additional reasons which led to his exit. Nonetheless, L'Equipe quotes a rider agent, who noted, "It's suprising to reproach to Eric Boyer for having failed in terms of rider recruiting when it was actually François Migraine who directly negotiated the contracts, often behind Boyer's back."

Boyer has not yet publicly reacted to this new turn of events, nor has Cofidis officially announced Yvon Sanquer as new manager. But Migraine hopes that the change of management will serve as "a shock treatment" for the team's riders at the Tour.

This article surprises me. I know when a Tour de France team gets built, it usually has one goal in mind, and most times it is the Yellow Jersey. However, I am surprised that last year's Green Jersey winner is not looking to win it a second time...oh wait, his team wants Bradley Wiggins to win the Yellow.

But on the other hand, I do understand. Mark Cavendish is alos looking to the Olympics, so he can't burn himself out in the Tour de France:

Cavendish not eyeing Tour de France green jersey

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/cavendish-not-eyeing-tour-de-france-green-jersey)

With just four days to go until the start of the 2012 Tour de France, Cyclingnews was present in East London as 2011 green jersey winner Mark Cavendish held court at a press conference organised by Team Sky.

The 26-year-old from the Isle of Man looked lean and ready for action as he answered questions about his ambitions and that of his team for the three-week showpiece, which starts in Liège on Saturday. Cavendish was in a calm and co-operative mood but there was no doubting the steel in his eyes and supreme self-confidence in some of his answers, which is the hallmark of all great athletes as their date with destiny draws nearer and nearer.

"My form's really good, it's the best it's been for a few years heading into the Tour," he says.

"I've got a lot of wins this year and I'm excited to get started on Saturday. It's come round quickly - it always does - but I'm happy I've done everything right and prepared properly."

With the Tour imminent and the small matter of a home Olympics coming just six days after its finish, there is much on Cavendish's plate. So just how much has his new surroundings at Team Sky helped him to digest it all?

"You're not just expected to turn up and ride here - there's actually an emphasis on getting you prepared to ride," he said.

"I was never a big fan of the scientific approach in the past. I didn't used to look at my numbers on a graph. But I've been working with Tim Kerrison and Rod Ellingworth for a while now and I've come to realise that it wasn't the methods that I didn't like, it was the way they were presented to me.

"They're now put to me in a way I can understand and not by some scientist who has never ridden a bike and who thinks he knows more than me. You can see the results, you can see what's happening, you can see a trend. Once you buy into that it's incredible what you can do with your training. If anything it makes the pressure bigger as you've done everything right in preparation - there's no excuses if you fail."

This transformation in his training has paid dividends, with Cavendish saying he's in the best shape he's been in for years. Despite this, he claims that he doesn't have his eye on retaining the green jersey he won in Paris last July.

A combination of other ambitions and his team's stated goal of securing an historic yellow jersey for Bradley Wiggins appear to have put dreams of more green on the backburner, at least for now. And the fact that he won't have a full, dedicated leadout train doesn't appear to be an issue that fazes him.

"I don't think stage wins alone will be enough to win the green jersey this year, you'll have to go for the intermediates as well. I haven't got my eyes on green to be honest but of course there's always a chance.

"I've got other goals apart from the Tour de France (alluding to the Olympic Road Race on July 29). It's going to be a long July. I've been working on a lot of things, not just my sprint. I may not dominate the sprints like before but I should be there or thereabouts."

Indeed, Cavendish failed to win any of the sprints in the recent Ster ZLM Toer but consistently placed high enough to earn the overall victory, and the first stage race win of his career. It is a transformation from a focus on pure speed to bringing out characteristics more in line with a Classics rider in order to get over climbs like Box Hill, which he will face in London.

Cavendish still aims to win stages, but because the team will have limited resources dedicated to bunch sprints, he may not equal his records of past years.

"I won the World Championships without a leadout train and I think I've proved time and again that I can do it. You always need one or two guys to get you to that last 200m - nobody does it alone. We've got some guys at the Tour who can help me there but there's not going to be a full blown leadout train like I've had in the past.

"But I joined Team Sky because they're a British team and the biggest team in the world right now. Obviously I knew Brad had an opportunity to do well in the Tour de France and it's a big aim to win the yellow jersey for Sky. The aim is to win the yellow and green jerseys in the next few years. It's a good position to be in."

I am not a fan of suing someone because you are too stupid to know better. For example, the woman who sued McDonalds because SHE spilled hot coffee on her lap. Really? I'm still surprised that she won that case. If I was the judge I would have laughed in her face, then made her pay all court fees.

However, I think Johnny Hoogerland should have sued Euro Media sooner. This crash happened almost a year ago, and it shouldn't have happened at all. The driver of the car should have never gotten that close to the riders. And the fact that Euro Media doesn't seem to care about his injuries just adds fuel to the fire:

Hoogerland to sue over Tour de France 2011 crash

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/hoogerland-to-sue-over-tour-de-france-2011-crash)

Johnny Hoogerland is going to court against Euro Media, who auto driver forced him off the road and into a barbed wire fence during stage 9 of last year's Tour de France. The media company has apparently shown little interest in negotiating a settlement with the Vacansoleil-DCM rider, and today is the deadline for filing a suit.

With only 36km to go on the ninth stage  of the Tour 2011, Hoogerland and Juan Antonio Flecha (Sky) were in a five man-break group going for the win. The media car attempted to pass them on a narrow road and ended up hitting Flecha. The Spaniard crashed, and Hoogerland collided with him and was then catapulted into a barbed-wire fence alongside the road.

Both riders finished the race, and Hoogerland went on the podium to receive the King of the Mountains jersey with tears in his eyes and extensive bandages on his legs.

“We have tried long enough” to come to an agreement, his manager Aart Vierhouten told De Telegraaf. “That failed, so unfortunately we have to take a different tack. And that is through the judicial process. Yesterday I actually had an appointment with a representative of Euro Media, but he never showed up.”

Tour organizer ASO will have nothing to do with the matter, he said. “This week I was in Paris to ask the ASO if they would take any responsibility. All they say is, you must talk to the director of Euro Media. They gave us his number, nothing more. The human aspect is hard to find.”

Hoogerland is said to still suffer from back pain, mood swings and insomnia as a result of the crash.

Now here is a list of the Top 5 Young Rider Contenders for the 2012 Tour de France:

Tour de France: Top five best young riders

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/tour-de-france-top-five-best-young-riders)

A part of the Tour de France since 1975, the best young rider classification has showcased the top developing talents in the peloton on the world's biggest stage, and although not all of the winners of the white jersey classification go on to add an overall title to their name, a fair number have.

The list of names in the palmares of this competition is impressive: Francesco Moser, Laurent Fignon, Greg Lemond, Andy Hampsten, Marco Pantani, Jan Ullrich, Oscar Sevilla, Ivan Basso, Alberto Contador and, for three years in a row, Andy Schleck. Each year the competition brings to the forefront promising new talent.

Last year's winner, Pierre Rolland (Europcar) has aged out of the category, which now includes riders born in 1987 or after. At present there are only 21 such riders set to take place in this year's Tour, but not all will be contenders. Many are in their first Tour or will be dedicated workers for a prime overall contender. Cyclingnews has chosen five riders who could stand a chance at taking home the white jersey in July.

Name: Tejay van Garderen (USA)
Age: 23
Team: BMC Racing
Career Highlights: 2nd 2009 Tour de l'Avenir, 3rd 2010 Critérium du Dauphiné, Best Young Rider in 2011 & 2012 Tour of California, USA Pro Cycling Challenge and 2012 Paris-Nice
Tour debut: 2011
Best Tour finish: 81st
Summary: Tejay van Garderen has been one of the most exciting talents to come out of the USA in recent years, and his third place in his debut Critérium du Dauphiné in 2010, in his first ProTour season, put his name on the list of favorites for every stage race he entered since.

He may not have a chance to fight for the white jersey classification as his loyalties will lie in helping Cadel Evans to his second Tour de France victory, but as one of the main climbing lieutenants for his captain and a world-class time trialist in stage races one cannot discount van Garderen slipping into the jersey as a consequence of his work. Should Evans falter, the young American will be his team's second hope for the overall podium in Paris.

Name: Wout Poels (NED)
Age: 24
Team: Vacansoleil-DCM
Career Highlights: Stage win, 2nd overall 2012 Tour of Luxembourg, Stage, 2nd in 2011 Tour de l'Ain, 17th Vuelta a España, 2nd on Angliru
Tour debut: 2011
Best Tour finish: DNF
Summary: First off it's Wout, not Wouter like Mr. Wynants. Poels has been making that unique name for himself ever since he surprised the world by climbing the torturous slopes of the Angliru in the 2011 Vuelta a España, coming second to overall winner Juan Jose Cobo on the stage ahead of Denis Menchov, Chris Froome and Bradley Wiggins.

Since then, he has similarly impressed in this year's Tour of Luxmebourg, where he out-gunned RadioShack-Nissan's Jakob Fuglsang and Fränk Schleck to win the queen stage and came home with second overall. Poels may have the distinct advantage in the Tour de France of not having to work for a recognized podium contender, although Lieuwe Westra could very well finish high up. The 24-year-old Poels is aggressive and great on the climbs, but lacks the time trial prowess of someone like Van Garderen.

Name: Rein Taaramäe (EST)
Age: 25
Team: Cofidis
Career Highlights: Stage 2011 Vuelta a España, three-time Estonian TT champion, Best Young Rider 2011 Paris-Nice, Critérium International, 11th 2011 Tour de France, 4th 2011 Paris-Nice
Tour debut: 2011
Best Tour finish: 11th in 2011
Summary: Rein Taaramäe is a supremely talented climber and time trialist whose only downfall in Grand Tours is luck. As the only rider in our five with a Grand Tour individual stage win to his name, the Estonian will have the advantage over his young competitors of having his whole team behind him in the race.

As witnessed by his fourth place in the 2011 Paris-Nice and mountains classification win at the 2009 Basque Country Tour, Taaramäe has potential to not only climb with the best but he's also well equipped to tackle the 100+ kilometers against the clock as three-time national champion in the discipline. Taaramäe is an opportunist who is not afraid to ride in long breakaways and should not be underestimated by his rivals.

Name: Steven Kruijswijk (NED)
Age: 25
Team: Rabobank
Career Highlights: 8th in 2011 Giro d'Italia, 8th 2012 Tour de Suisse, 3rd 2011 Tour de Suisse
Tour debut: 2012
Best Tour finish: N/A
Summary: Rabobank's Steven Kruijswijk makes his Tour de France debut this year, but he will do so as one of the most successful young riders in the Grand Tours. He's finished two Giri d'Italia and one Vuelta a España, and placed top 10 in the Giro last year, coming second in the best young rider classification to Roman Kreuziger.

Ever since his third place in the 2011 Tour de Suisse, Kruijswijk's name has been uttered in hushed tones of reverence when it comes to this year's Tour. Although the team's main contenders for the overall are Robert Gesink and Bauke Mollema, Kruijswijk will be supported by the Dutch squad, perhaps even getting in on the hunt for the yellow jersey himself.

Name: Thibaut Pinot
Age: 22
Team: FDJ-BigMat
Career Highlights: Winner 2011 Settimana Lombarda, 3rd 2011 Presidential Tour of Turkey, 2010 Tour de Romandie mountains classification
Tour debut: 2012
Best Tour finish: N/A
Summary: Thibaut Pinot is not well-known amongst the cycling pundits, but he has been quietly racking up promising performances and could well be the revelation of the 2012 Tour de France. 11th in the Tour de Romandie this year, he was sitting 10th in the Tour de Suisse until he suffered from heat stroke and had to withdraw.

Pinot earned his spot on this list with his performance in last year's Settimana Lombarda, where he left behind riders like Domenico Pozzovivo to win the mountainous first stage, and held off all the challengers to claim the overall victory three days later. This will be the 22-year-old's first Tour so he has plenty to learn - perhaps the lessons will include podium protocols.

Honorable Mentions

Peter Sagan, 22 (Liquigas-Cannondale) is the main rider tipped for the green jersey classification, but he lacks the abilities in the high mountains and prowess in time trials to contend for the overall best young rider jersey.

Edvald Boasson Hagen, 25 (Sky) has overall wins in the Tour of Norway, Eneco Tour and Tour of Britain in addition to numerous Norwegian titles. However, he will be focusing on the very important task of helping his teammate Bradley Wiggins win the overall Tour and driving Mark Cavendish to the line for stage wins. It is more likely that Boasson Hagen will win a stage than contend for the white jersey.

Marcel Kittel, 24 (Argos-Shimano) is one of the fastest sprinters in the world and will be fighting for stage wins, but he is a terrible climber and will be battling hard just to make the time cut on the high mountain stages and will in no way contend for the young rider classification.

The young riders of the 2012 Tour de France:

Anthony Delaplace (Saur - Sojasun) 1989-08-11
Anthony Roux (FDJ - Bigmat) 1987-04-18
Arthur Vichot (FDJ - Bigmat) 1988-11-26
Cyril Gautier (Europcar) 1987-09-26
Daniel Oss (Liquigas - Cannondale) 1987-01-13
Domenique Nerz (Liquigas-Cannondale) 1989-08-25
Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky Procycling) 1987-05-17
Gorka Izagirre Insausti (Euskaltel - Euskadi) 1987-10-07
Kris Boeckmans (Vacansoleil - Dcm Pro Cycling Team 1987-02-13
Marcel Kittel (Argos-Shimano) 1988-05-11
Nicolas Edet (Cofidis - Le Credit En Ligne) 1987-12-02
Patrick Gretsch (Argos-Shimano) 1987-04-07
Peter Sagan (Liquigas - Cannondale) 1990-01-26
Rafael Valls Ferri (Vacansoleil - Dcm Pro Cycling Team 1987-06-27
Rein Taaramäe (Cofidis - Le Credit En Ligne) 1987-04-24
Romain Zingle (Cofidis - Le Credit En Ligne) 1987-01-29
Steven Kruijswijk (Rabobank Cycling Team) 1987-06-07
Tejay Van Garderen (BMC Racing Team) 1988-08-12
Thibaut Pinot (FDJ - Bigmat) 1990-05-29
Tony Gallopin (Radioshack - Nissan) 1988-05-24
Wout Poels (Vacansoleil - Dcm Pro Cycling Team) 1987-10-01

And here is my daily RadioShack Nissan article:

This article has me torn. My gut is to want to take Jakob Fuglsang's side; anyone ever hear of free speech? But at the same time, the company I work for, has policies against speaking to the media, and social media. However, I don't feel that "punishing" Fuglsang for his remarks makes RSNT any better. Now, not only is Fuglsang losing out on WorldTour points, but so is the team. How can they let one of their best riders lose out on getting as many points as he can. This to me feels like the childish 'if I can't have him, no one else can' mentality from RadioShack and Johan Bruyneel:

RadioShack-Nissan rules out WorldTour races for Fuglsang

(http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/radioshack-nissan-rules-out-worldtour-races-for-fuglsang)

RadioShack-Nissan has decided to stop Jakob Fuglsang from racing in any further WorldTour races this year. This will prevent him from winning any UCI points, which could help his team in 2013 – a team which will not be RadioShack-Nissan.

Fuglsang announced that he was “disappointed” not to be named to the team's Tour de France squad, saying that it “doesn't make RadioShack my first choice for next season.” He is already said to be negotiating with Bjarne Riis to return to Saxo Bank, soon to be known as Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank.

He received word on Monday evening from team manager Johan Bruyneel that he would not be nominated for any further WorldTour races this season. Riders earn points for good results in WorldTour races, and these points transfer with a rider if he goes to a new team. So if Fuglsang were win points this year, they would count for RadioShack this season but also for whatever team he is with next year.

The action is seen as punishment for his critical remarks concerning the team. It will also likely decrease his value for the coming year. It is also a clear indication that RadioShack will not offer him a contract for 2013.

“Bruyneel simply will not give me the chance to score points the rest of the year,” Fuglsang told ekstrabladet.dk. “I asked him directly if it also means I don't ride the Vuelta a Espana, and he confirmed it.”

“It is sad that RadioShack thinking more on points than on results. Good results in WorldTour races are important for the team, and WorldTour points are highly important for me because they help to keep my market value,” he said. “I am disappointed that I will be punished in this way.”

Fuglsang, who has been nominated to ride the Osterreich Rundfahrt, starting Sunday, will still try to do his best. “I will ride my contract out and that will be it. Now I will just do as well as I can in the races I am allowed to ride.”

In retrospect, he said, “it was perhaps not smart to have commented on my situation, but where are we then? One should be allowed to speak his mind without having sporting consequences.”

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.

Cycling Avengers

I'vebeen playing with this in my head for a while, and I want to publish it now, so I can get feedback. Now that The Avengers has become a huge summer blockbuster, and an amazing movie too, I want to re-cast the superheroes with cyclists. Here's what I came up with, let me know what you would change:

Thor, God of Thunder

Thor's abilities include: "Superhuman strength, speed, agility, and endurance, healing factor, and longevity (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor_(Marvel_Comics)).

There is only one man known as The God of Thunder in the peloton:

Thor Hushovd:

This one was the easiest for me. As much as I don't think any explanation is needed, I will give you one anyway. Hushovd "...is known for sprinting and time trialing and is the 2010 Norwegian and world road champion. He is the first Norwegian to lead the Tour de France, and first Scandinavian to win the road race in cycling world road championship. He is also the Scandinavian with the most stage wins in Grand Tours." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor_Hushovd)

The Incredible Hulk

The Hulk's abilities include: "Superhuman strength, speed, stamina, durability, immunity to diseases & viruses, involuntary transformation, regenerative healing factor, resistance to mind control, underwater breathing, and vast leaping" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hulk_(comics))

I was looking for a current rider to cast as The Hulk, but I couldn't think of anyone. So, thinking back a few years, I thought of the perfect cyclist:

Jan Ullrich:



Okay, so I had to go back quite a few years to find the perfect cyclist to be cast as The Hulk, but Ullrich really fits the role. Ullrich "...was the first German to win the Tour de France. He went on to take five second places and a fourth in 2004...He is considered the best time-trialist in the history of the sport...Ullrich won a gold and a silver in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. He also won the 1999 Vuelta a España." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Ullrich)

Captain America

Captain America's abilities include: "peak physical & mental conditioning, expert acrobat, tactician, marksman, master martial artist, excellent field commander, wields his vibranium-steel alloy shield with hyperkinectic-senses." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_America)

Captain America has to be cast as an American (duh!), and although I don't pay too much attention to American cyclists, one man stands out in my head:

David Zabriskie:

Zabriskie's "...main strength is individual time trials and his career highlights include stage wins in all three Grand Tour stage races and winning the US National Time Trial Championship seven times" including this year! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Zabriskie) Heck, he even had a Captain America bike:

Ironman



Ironman's abilities include: "genius-level intellect, cyberpathic link with a prior version of his powered armored suit, superhuman strength, supersonic flight at Mach 3, energy repulsors, missiles, durability and regenerative life support" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Man)

I was trying to stay with the current peloton in choosing the Avengers, so I picked the overall best rider I could think of:

Fabian Cancellara:

Cancellara is "a time trial specialist...a four-time World Time Trial Champion and is the current Olympic gold medalist. He is also a winner of Tour of Flanders, Paris–Roubaix (twice), Milan – San Remo, Tirreno–Adriatico, Tour de Suisse, Strade Bianche (twice), and four prologues of the Tour de France." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabian_Cancellara)

However, since I went back a few years with Jan Ullrich as The Incredible Hulk, if I were to do that again, then there is another man who I would cast as Ironman - hands down!

Lance Armstrong:

With SEVEN Tour de France titles, Armstrong is the true Ironman, especially after winning a fight with testicular cancer! I may not be a big American cyclist fan, but Armstrong wins the overall Ironman title in my opinion. (I don't need Wikipedia for those facts!)

Hawkeye

Hawkeye's abilities include: "Master archer, uses a variety of trick arrows, superb athlete, martial artist, and acrobat." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawkeye_(comics))

There is are quite a few cyclists that always hit their target when ever they aim, but there is only one I think of right away:

Mark Cavendish:

Cavendish was "originally a track cyclist specialising in the madison, points race, and scratch race disciplines...competed on the road since 2006, rising to prominence as a sprinter. He is the 2011 Road World Champion and winner of the 2011 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award. On the track Cavendish won gold in the madison at the 2005 and 2008 World Championshps, with Rob Hayles and Bradley Wiggins respectively and in the scratch race at the 2006 Commonwealth Games riding for Isle of Man. As a road cyclist he achieved eleven wins in his first professional season, equalling the record held by Alessandro Petacchi. Cavendish has won a total 20 Tour de France stages putting him joint 6th on the all-time list with Nicolas Frantz and 10th on the all-time list of Grand Tour stage winners with 33 victories. Other notable wins include the 2009 Milan – San Remo classic and the points classification in both the 2010 Vuelta a España and the 2011 Tour de France." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Cavendish)

I'm going to skip Black Widow since I don't follow Female Cycling.

Loki

Loki's abilities include: "superhuman strength & durability, genius-level intelligence, mystical powers, telepathy, flight, shapeshifting, teleportation, longevity" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loki_(comics))

I know Loki isn't in fact one of the Avengers, but every good guy (or guys in this case) needs an arch nemesis, so I choose to include Loki. Villians never win, they always come in second, no matter how hard they try. So, who is the best choice for Loki?

Andy Schleck:

Schleck has "been the runner-up at the Tour de France three times - in 2009, 2010 and 2011." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andy_Schleck) Need I say more?