General News Thread

[craig1985]

Isso, that is Valverde in your avatar right?

 

[peloton]

Isso, that is Valverde in your avatar right?

yes, he and Piti are having a moment together....

 

[issoisso]

Isso, that is Valverde in your avatar right?

More importantly, that's Piti on the left. The whole reason I have this avatar

 

[lucybears]

Are you sure? They never got invited to any of the ASO races in 2009 and had to go through the courts to get a ride in the Giro and the Vuelta.

The 16 teams covered by the September 2008 agreement and guaranteed Tour de France places in 2010 include Footon Servetto.
Even our hosts managed to get this right, but as the new site is so user friendly, I can't find it again on CN so here is a link to a simple explanation
http://www.cyclingfans.com/node/554

 

[Mellow Velo]

Other than La Punt, the TDS looks more like The Tour of Qatar.
Sad little course.
Anybody got the profile stats for La Punt?

Romandie will be won in the ITT again. Saturday, a mountain, the rest, much green expanse, but little else, I suspect.

Yep, The Dauphine wins, hands down.

 

[B.Rasmussen]

In other news, Chris Anker Sørensen will ride with a Luxembourg licence in 2010. Luxembourg licence for Sørensen - cyclingnews.com. But he won't be able to race the national team though, right?

He is still a Danish citizen. It's just a license change. The UCI wants the riders to have their license where they live and he moved to Luxembourg.

 

[ak-zaaf]

Theo Eltink will not be a professional cyclist anymore.
Skil didn't prolong his contract and he hasn't found a new team.
Eltink had no wins as a pro.

I was kinda hoping he'd find a continental team or something, he did a few good GTs in the past and was always a useful domestique at Rabobank. Skil expected more of him and he really did not show anything there.

 

[ak-zaaf]

Patrick Lefevere said in an interview Allan Davis can't leave until his contract is bought off.
Astana should be able to pay that, since Lefevere also said Davis was whining about a better contract since the Tour Down Under. Lefevre obviously got Davis on the cheap when his name was still 'tainted'.

He also said his team is going to skip one of the following races in May: Ronde van Belgie, Giro d'Italia or Tour of California.
They will ride on home ground for sure. Quick Step is American owned I think, but the Giro is live on TV every day (as is the Ronde van Belgie) and they probably want to ride with Seeldraeyers in Italy.

So I'm guessing the first big team that unofficially canceled for the ToC is Quick Step.

 

[filipo]

Patrick Lefevere said in an interview Allan Davis can't leave until his contract is bought off.
Astana should be able to pay that, since Lefevere also said Davis was whining about a better contract since the Tour Down Under. Lefevre obviously got Davis on the cheap when his name was still 'tainted'.

He also said his team is going to skip one of the following races in May: Ronde van Belgie, Giro d'Italia or Tour of California.
They will ride on home ground for sure. Quick Step is American owned I think, but the Giro is live on TV every day (as is the Ronde van Belgie) and they probably want to ride with Seeldraeyers in Italy.

So I'm guessing the first big team that unofficially canceled for the ToC is Quick Step.

I always thought they were just riding the ToC because of Specialized, their bike sponsor, which is based in California. Now that they're with Eddy Merckx, I can see why they'd skip.

 

[Race Radio]

Patrick Lefevere said in an interview Allan Davis can't leave until his contract is bought off.
Astana should be able to pay that, since Lefevere also said Davis was whining about a better contract since the Tour Down Under. Lefevre obviously got Davis on the cheap when his name was still 'tainted'.

He also said his team is going to skip one of the following races in May: Ronde van Belgie, Giro d'Italia or Tour of California.
They will ride on home ground for sure. Quick Step is American owned I think, but the Giro is live on TV every day (as is the Ronde van Belgie) and they probably want to ride with Seeldraeyers in Italy.

So I'm guessing the first big team that unofficially canceled for the ToC is Quick Step.

Interesting info

FYI. Quick Step is a Belgium company. Now that they do not have a US bike sponsor don't look for them to do the big trip to Cali

 

[issoisso]

Interesting info

FYI. Quick Step is a Belgium company. Now that they do not have a US bike sponsor don't look for them to do the big trip to Cali

Exactly. That's one team pulling out soon.

 

[craig1985]

The only reason why Bettini and Boonen rode the ToC, because of Specialized.

 

[Publicus]

The only reason why Bettini and Boonen rode the ToC, because of Specialized.

So does that mean I'll get to see Alberto riding through Cali in May???

 

[craig1985]

Depends if Astana are going to California now, since they have any American riders on the team.

 

[Publicus]

Depends if Astana are going to California now, since they have any American riders on the team.

He and Astana are riding Specialized bikes, so there is a chance. Plus, I would love to the see look on Lance and Levi's face if he shows up. It would be positively unnerving for at least Lance.

 

[craig1985]

He and Astana are riding Specialized bikes, so there is a chance. Plus, I would love to the see look on Lance and Levi's face if he shows up. It would be positively unnerving for at least Lance.

Seeing Levi's reaction if Alberto then went onto win Levi's 'home tour' would be priceless. That wuld make my year TBH.

 

[issoisso]

Berto's said on the record that the races he will ride are a certain set and the only question is whether or not he'll ride one of the Ardennes triplet, most likely the Flèche.

Tour of California is not an option.

 

[ak-zaaf]

If I'm not mistaken Quick-Step is owned by Mohawk Greenworks, which is an American company.
Probably won't make any difference, but there is a tie (if I'm correct , that is).

 

[Anonymous]

two of the trek/livestrong riders have joined bikepure.. Alex Dowsett and Ben King

wonder how JB feels about that..

 

[craig1985]

two of the trek/livestrong riders have joined bikepure.. Alex Dowsett and Ben King

wonder how JB feels about that..

Daryl Impey is also a member of Bike Pure, and he will ride for Radio Shack.

 

[Hugh Januss]

two of the trek/livestrong riders have joined bikepure.. Alex Dowsett and Ben King

wonder how JB feels about that..

Makes a good cover.

 

[craig1985]

Basso re-signs with Liquigas until 2012 and has an option of a 3rd year.

In other news:

Fly V Australia Roster for 2010: Alessandro Bazzana (Ita), Hayden Brooks (Aus), Jonathon Cantwell (Aus), Jai Crawford (Aus), Benjamin Day (Aus), Charles Dionne (Can), Aaron Kemps (Aus), David Kemp (Aus), Benjamin Kersten (Aus), Darren Lill (RSA), Darren Rolfe (Aus), Bernard Sulzberger (Aus), David Tanner (Aus), Jay Thomson (RSA), Phillip Zajicek (USA).

 

[Anonymous]

Baby Schleck says Wiggins was unprofessional over his transfer to sky [the telegraph]
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/cycling/6906529/Andy-Schleck-surprised-by-Bradley-Wiggins-move-to-Team-Sky.html

personally, i think Andy acted unprofessionally at the Tour route launch with that cheap suit and jeans..

 

[auscyclefan94]

Evans' first half of season program has been posted...
- Tour Down Under
- GP Insurbria
- GP Lugano
-Monti Pachi Eroica
-Tirrenno Adraiatico
-Giro Ditalia

I have a feeling that he will be doing fleche and liege as it doesn't look complete.

Ambitions for 2010 Cadel Evans

 

[craig1985]

I hope he can win the Giro. He won't beat Contador or Andy Schleck in the mountains, rather he doesn't have the power to attack and drop the two of them, so he should put all his efforts into trying to win the Giro. Like Menchov did.