General News Thread

[Zam_Olyas]

Third stage of ECOWAS Cycling dominated by Burkina cyclists
http://www.businessghana.com/portal/sports/news.php?op=getNews&id=28370&news_cat_id=2

9 disqualified, as ECOWAS cycling tour ends in Abidjan
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/02/9-disqualified-as-ecowas-cycling-tour-ends-in-abidjan/

 

[hatcher]

Probably already mentioned, but:

Giro d'Italia @giroditalia
In case you missed it: this year @StradeBianche (Saturday March 3rd) will be live streamed on the official website and gazzetta.it

 

[User Guide]

Pay to spectate at Flanders??
http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/1...Flanders-route-organiser-explains-change.aspx

 

[minessa]

First win for Astana Continental Team

Vuelta Independencia Nacional 2012 Stage 2a

1º TLEUBAYEV Ruslan ASTANA CONTINENTAL 02:32:51
2º OYOLA Robigzon EPM-UNE (COL)
3º ORTEGA Efren SOACHA-PTO.RICO
http://astanafans.com/vuelta-independencia-nacional-2012-etap-2.html#more-70150

 

[The Hitch]

Eurosport 2 are showing Strade Bianchi live.

There will be some film about Il Pirata in some film festival London.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-24036674-italian-football-film-and-food-in-london.do

 

[jens_attacks]

Eurosport 2 are showing Strade Bianchi live.

are you sure?eurosport 2 international has bundesliga that time and it will broadcast 1 hour of strade bianche at 21;30.we'll have gazzetta's site anyway

i'm curious if eurosport will broadcast harelbeke now that is world tour.because they will do it with volta catalunya

also eurosport will broadcast tour of taiwan

 

[Zam_Olyas]

There will be some film about Il Pirata in some film festival London.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-24036674-italian-football-film-and-food-in-london.do

I supposed it would be the one made in 2007 shown by RAI

 

[jens_attacks]

this year's italian national championship route.a massacre but pretty much no one will be there again,just visconti alone
260 km and a 3 km climb with 7% done 15 times.
http://www.****iociclismo.it/?action=read&idnotizia=17358
write s p a z i o ciclismo

 

[The Hitch]

I supposed it would be the one made in 2007 shown by RAI

You seen it? Whats it like? Footage of him or some actor playing him?

 

[jens_attacks]

You seen it? Whats it like? Footage of him or some actor playing him?

i don't know about what zam is speaking but if you hadn't seen it yet i truly reccomend it:Tutto Pantani:Una vita in salita.it's a 7-8 hours documentary about marco's life and one of the most heartbreaking films i've ever seen.the music is at sometimes devastating

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXIG9VjrFpc

you can see it on youtube but the quality is not so good.put the hands on the dvd's if you can.it's awesome,terrible,tragic.all the emotions that exist you find them there.

 

[Havetts]

Niki Terpstra not starting Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.

http://twitter.com/#!/NikiTerpstra/status/172271631178285056

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Boasson Hagen might miss Het Nieuwsblad due to illness.

 

[El Pistolero]

Niki Terpstra not starting Omloop Het Nieuwsblad.

http://twitter.com/#!/NikiTerpstra/status/172271631178285056

Lol, they only bought him for the cobbled classics, hope he doesn't miss them again this year....

 

[Zam_Olyas]

OPQS team for omloop and KBK http://www.omegapharma-quickstep.co...ced-for-omloop-and-kuurne-brussels-kuurne/212

 

[El Pistolero]

OPQS team for omloop and KBK http://www.omegapharma-quickstep.co...ced-for-omloop-and-kuurne-brussels-kuurne/212

http://www.omegapharma-quickstep.com/en/competitions/race/196

 

[Kvinto]

Offredo is suspended for a year by French Cycling Federation:

http://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme-sur-route/Actualites/Offredo-suspendu-un-an/265471

It has finally happened

 

[will10]

A year's ban is probably the right decision given the circumstances. Shame though. Suspect Madiot will have him back for 2013.

 

[El Pistolero]

Offredo is suspended for a year by French Cycling Federation:

http://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme-sur-route/Actualites/Offredo-suspendu-un-an/265471

It has finally happened

Shouldn't it be a 2 year ban

Those Frenchies will do anything to protect their cyclists

Ps: I was hoping for no ban at all.

 

[Kvinto]

Shouldn't it be a 2 year ban

Those Frenchies will do anything to protect their cyclists

Ps: I was hoping for no ban at all.

I have never read WADA rules, but got to read an article about Offredo's suspension on the Inner Ring and they quote from these rules:

10.3.3 For violations of Article 2.4 (Whereabouts Filing Failures and/or Missed Tests), the period of Ineligibility shall be at a minimum one (1) year and at a maximum two (2) years based on the Athlete’s degree of fault.

It seems the French gave him a minimum suspension so i hope UCI/WADA won't appeal and he will participate in the Het Volk 2013. One year for brainlessness is quite enough

EDIT: tbh, i would like him to avoid suspension too but it seems he should be happy that it's only one year

 

[Michele]

Seems Orgullo Paisa continues for one more year thanks to support from local government but then must find a private sponsor for keep going beyond 2013.

 

[Ruudz0r]

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/1...roni-teams-chance-of-winning-in-Langkawi.aspx

Savio is a boss!

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

Massive troubles for Vuelta al Pais Vasco and Clasica San Sebastian. Seems like they can't afford WT status anymore.

http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=48039

 

[Leonardus]

I have never read WADA rules, but got to read an article about Offredo's suspension on the Inner Ring and they quote from these rules:

10.3.3 For violations of Article 2.4 (Whereabouts Filing Failures and/or Missed Tests), the period of Ineligibility shall be at a minimum one (1) year and at a maximum two (2) years based on the Athlete’s degree of fault.

It seems the French gave him a minimum suspension so i hope UCI/WADA won't appeal and he will participate in the Het Volk 2013. One year for brainlessness is quite enough

EDIT: tbh, i would like him to avoid suspension too but it seems he should be happy that it's only one year

It's a shame Offredo is one year out just because of a ridiculous whereabouts system and some sloppyness from his side. I can understand there should be some kind of penalty when you miss a certain amount of tests but wouldn't a 2 or 3 month ban be more reasonable? Why such a severe minimum ban?

Well, looking forward to Offredo's return in next years Omloop.

 

[Kvinto]

Massive troubles for Vuelta al Pais Vasco and Clasica San Sebastian. Seems like they can't afford WT status anymore.

http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=48039

I have three favourite Spanish races - Clasica San Sebastian, Volta a Catalunya and Vuelta al Pais Vasco and so far one of these races had problems but today it turns out all of them are endangered

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Yup, strange that the World Tour doesn't seem to include any kind of keeping the races alive. Hard to argue that the WT is about prestige when it fills its pockets on new races with no history or tradition and doesn't try to protect races that have that.

If the Vuelta al País Vasco goes belly up, the sport is doomed not just in Spain but everywhere. If a race with such passionate support as that can't survive but white elephant events with no fans and parcours that offer no challenge can, what's the f***ing point?