General News Thread

[Alcibiades]

Sharp to co sponsor Garmin at the Tour

"Garmin - Sharp"

Apologies if already posted.

Good news, I hope they have a bigger budget now. I love this team and its ethics.

 

[Normandy]

Good news, I hope they have a bigger budget now. I love this team and its ethics.

Good coincidence for you that this news for Garmin is announced just a couple of days after you join and you have the opportunity post your appreciation.

 

[The Joker]

Tour Down Under

I didnt know where else to post this...

Gerry Ryan (owner of Greenedge), was asked in an interview on Australian radio earlier this month when Greenedge would be able to compete to win a big tour, and he replied:

Well the fifth biggest tour in the world is the Tour Down Under

He did also say Greenedge would help Cadel Evans at the Tour if it could:

Well Cadel's probably got two more years left and I hope that we can take over, from an Australian point of view that, a rider that can compete. I don't think that we will be competing. I'm sure that if Cadel is out there and needs a little bit of support as teams do, that GreenEDGE would give him that.

Link:
http://www.abc.net.au/sundayprofile/stories/3521441.htm

 

[Ferminal]

"Well the fifth biggest tour in the world is the Tour Down Under "

Hmm...

Tour de France
Tour of California
Giro d'Italia
Vuelta a Espana (or USPCCC?)
Tour Down Under

A pity the last one isn't a "Tour"

 

[greenedge]

That is funny by Ryan. Cadel can finally get help like Samu gave Contador last year.
I feel sorry for Charteau and i think AG2R should have made a spot availiable for Nocentini.

 

[The Joker]

The really funny thing is (for me anyway) that when he was interviewed, GreenEDGE had also won the Volta a Catalunya, which is the 3rd oldest stage race in the world.

Now if Gerry Ryan had said Catalunya was the 5th biggest tour in the world, then fair enough, but the Tour Down Under - he must be kidding (although if you listen to the actual interview, he seemed deadly serious...)

 

[Arnout]

That is funny by Ryan. Cadel can finally get help like Samu gave Contador last year.
I feel sorry for Charteau and i think AG2R should have made a spot availiable for Nocentini.

Samu didn't gave Contador help. Check where Samu ended up in GC and what else he did win

 

[El Pistolero]

The really funny thing is (for me anyway) that when he was interviewed, GreenEDGE had also won the Volta a Catalunya, which is the 3rd oldest stage race in the world.

Now if Gerry Ryan had said Catalunya was the 5th biggest tour in the world, then fair enough, but the Tour Down Under - he must be kidding (although if you listen to the actual interview, he seemed deadly serious...)

Tour de France
Tour of Belgium
Giro d'Italia

 

[theyoungest]

Dutch team for the Olympics: Terpstra, Westra, Boom, Gesink, Langeveld.

Westra and Terpstra (!) for the time trial.

 

[El Pistolero]

Dutch team for the Olympics: Terpstra, Westra, Boom, Gesink, Langeveld.

Westra and Terpstra (!) for the time trial.

That's a good team actually. Although I don't have much faith in Westra concerning one day races.

 

[theyoungest]

That's a good team actually. Although I don't have much faith in Westra concerning one day races.

Yeah, but obviously he's mostly there for the TT.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

But Terpstra for TT? Not Boom?

 

[Gloin22]

That's a good team actually. Although I don't have much faith in Westra concerning one day races.

Terpstra might be the dark horse for Olympics though. Him and Langeveld should cause some havoc with their attacks.

 

[Maaaaaaaarten]

Terpstra might be the dark horse for Olympics though. Him and Langeveld should cause some havoc with their attacks.

Yeah I guess that's the tactic; Terpstra and Langeveld attacking, Boom for a reduced sprint, Westra and Gesink helpers?

 

[Gloin22]

Yeah I guess that's the tactic; Terpstra and Langeveld attacking, Boom for a reduced sprint, Westra and Gesink helpers?

Yea, that would be my view too. Although both Westra and Gesink can attack when time is right, so overall I see 4 really good riders that can chalenge and respond to dangerous moves through the race.

And then if all comes in smaller sprint - Boom is good bet as any to finish in good place.

 

[theyoungest]

But Terpstra for TT? Not Boom?

Boom just did his first good long TT in 3 years, I can understand Van Vliet didn't go for him... but I was thinking more about TT specialist Robert Gesink.

 

[Gloin22]

"Tour de France: Martin Velits to replace injured Vandenbergh"

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Boom just did his first good long TT in 3 years, I can understand Van Vliet didn't go for him... but I was thinking more about TT specialist Robert Gesink.

It's Van Vliet. Nobody knows what goes on in his mind.
Although....

 

[norwegian]

It's Van Vliet. Nobody knows what goes on in his mind.
Although....

Ahh....nice one!

 

[canyonball]

Sorry if already posted.

Volta a Portugal 2012

Prologue; Stage 1; Stage 2; Stage 3; Stage 4; Stage 5; Stage 6; Stage 7; Stage 8; Stage 9; Stage 10

As key moments of the race will have the stage into Senhora da Graça(Stage 4, kind of a disappointing approach to the climb), Torre (Stage 8) and the ITT (Stage 9, same as last year).The "relevant" change... Monte Córdova-Nossa Senhora da Assunção is out. And a small uphill finish in Sabugal to premiere at A Volta...no information as to details. Hard to say what relevance it may have on GC.

Teams
Continental Profissional:
Colombia-Coldeportes
Andalucia
Caja Rural
Saur-Sojasun
Unitedhealthcare

Continental:
Carmim-Prio
Efapel-Glassdrive
LA-Antarte
Onda-Boavista
Funvic-Pindamonhangaba
Orbea Continental
Burgos BH.Castilla y Leon
Itera-Katusha
Lokosphinx
Team Bonitas
MTN QHUBEKA

I'm very curious to see who the foreign teams will bring. Could be some interesting names in there

 

[Waterloo Sunrise]

Sorry if already posted.

Volta a Portugal 2012

Prologue; Stage 1; Stage 2; Stage 3; Stage 4; Stage 5; Stage 6; Stage 7; Stage 8; Stage 9; Stage 10

As key moments of the race will have the stage into Senhora da Graça(Stage 4, kind of a disappointing approach to the climb), Torre (Stage 8) and the ITT (Stage 9, same as last year).The "relevant" change... Monte Córdova-Nossa Senhora da Assunção is out. And a small uphill finish in Sabugal to premiere at A Volta...no information as to details. Hard to say what relevance it may have on GC.

Teams
Continental Profissional:
Colombia-Coldeportes
Andalucia
Caja Rural
Saur-Sojasun
Unitedhealthcare

Continental:
Carmim-Prio
Efapel-Glassdrive
LA-Antarte
Onda-Boavista
Funvic-Pindamonhangaba
Orbea Continental
Burgos BH.Castilla y Leon
Itera-Katusha
Lokosphinx
Team Bonitas
MTN QHUBEKA

I'm very curious to see who the foreign teams will bring. Could be some interesting names in there

No Endura?

Bull**** Portuguese, running scared of JTL.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

First: the positives.

The team list. I figured no longer clashing with the Vuelta a Burgos may mean we get the Spanish Continental teams. Surprised at no Gios-Deyser though. Nice to see Funvic - I've been wondering about getting Brazilian teams over since Scott-Marcondes César went ProConti a couple of years ago. Lokosphinx will be interesting for sure with Shilov, Sveshnikov and Shalunov. Colombia should make the mountains fun too.

Now the negative:
What mountains? It's like they've looked at cycling in 2012 and decided that this is a good idea... kick out the mountains, but not replace them with anything. No more time trial mileage, just more unending, tedious flat. Out of 11 stages I'm seeing 4 definite sprints and 2 probable sprints. That's just too many. The stage 1 finish looks like it could be decent though, depending on how steep that final ramp is. The Sabugal finish could be interesting, and nice that it's relatively late in the race; Monte Assunção was far more interesting in 2009 when used once the GC gaps were already created and so the big guns had to attack than in 2010 and 2011 when it was little more than an uphill sprint for Ribeiro and Gavazzi to duke out since everyone was still fresh.

I'm just thinking, where's the 'other' first weekend stage-setter? The climb to Gouveia, the intermediate stage to Felgueiras or Fafe? And, worse, what the f*** is that Mondim de Basto stage? One of the worst stages in the history of the Volta, that. Seriously, there's a whole bunch of tough climbs there to use, Alvão and Campanhõ may be decided to be too tough to attract an international startlist given the length of the race, but they could have put SOMETHING in that stage. Surely they should have learnt from last year that they need more than just Senhora da Graça on its own. It isn't long enough to make big gaps on its own. Torre could be a one-climb stage if it wanted (though I miss the Alto do Carrazedo); Senhora da Graça can't.

I know that the Volta doesn't have much money, but there are just way more interesting ways to get from A to B.

 

[Reverend_T_Preedy]

No Endura?

Bull**** Portuguese, running scared of JTL.

Endura have this on their race schedule so I'm a bit surprised their name's not on the list.

 

[canyonball]

No Endura?

Bull**** Portuguese, running scared of JTL.

This particular portuguese would welcome them, open arms .

Meanwhile, interview with Reinhardt Janse Van Rensburg, form MTN Qhubeka. LINK

"¿Cuándo regresarás a Europa? ¿Cuáles serán tus objetivos entonces y de final de temporadas?
Volveremos a Europa a mitad de agosto, sólo para unas cuantas semanas. Y me gustaría seguir en la misma línea. La idea es correr la Vuelta a Portugal. Luego disputaremos un programa de pruebas de un día en Bélgica y los países limítrofes y finalmente iremos al Mundial. Y evidentemente me gustaría ganar más carreras."

So the plan is to do Volta a Portugal. Even though it would be his first race after a well deserved break, I'm very expectant as to what this guy can do at A Volta. It may be a rare chance to see him race on home soil. He won't stay in MTN much longer after this season I guess.

 

[Gloin22]

French investigators launch doping investigation into Europcar team

http://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme-sur-route/Actualites/Une-enquete-sur-europcar/294533