General News Thread

[filipo]

Team Columbia-HTC’s line-up for 2010 Tour Down Under: André Greipel (Ger), Michael Rogers (Aus), Bernhard Eisel (Aut), Mark Renshaw (Aus), Matthew Goss (Aus), Marcel Sieberg (Ger) and Hayden Roulston (NZl).

That is going to be one awesome lead out train for Greipel.

Agreed -- but I wish they'd open up Eisel to some opportunities other than leadout trains. He's quite a strong rider, as I recall, and I imagine he'd do well in some of the shorter classic-style stuff.

 

[filipo]

If Shack finishes 1-2-3 in Cali that would make that race look like more of a joke.

fixed that for you...

 

[issoisso]

Agreed -- but I wish they'd open up Eisel to some opportunities other than leadout trains. He's quite a strong rider, as I recall, and I imagine he'd do well in some of the shorter classic-style stuff.

He'll do very well in the cobbles next year if he doesn't crash hard like he did this year. Dark Horse for sure.

 

[Frosty]

Could he be Columbia's man for next year in that event? I guess the focus has been on Hincapie but he's gone now

 

[issoisso]

It'll probably be a question of letting him and the youngsters get some more experience and see how they go. Guys like Ghyselinck have a ton of potential. And Hagen has to be considered an outside bet for Roubaix (the climbs at the Ronde rule him out, of course)

 

[usedtobefast]

But according to Stapleton the ToC is a Grand Tour, so they are not missing anything by not riding the Giro. I would believe that if my IQ was lower then the '11 tooth sprocket at the back of my bike.

agreed. and i am in california.

 

[craig1985]

He really said that?
What an idiot. Disrespectful to a lot of more important stage races that actually have a history.

I think most people with a working brain will tell you Giro d'Italia >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Tour of California every day of the week and twice on Sunday.

At least Vaughters didn't say such a thing either. But then JV has more of a history in the sport then Uncle Bob does.

 

[derailleur]

I read also of this uniballer chap, but im not sure who he is.. :/

Runs a coffee shop. Won't shut up about his kids.

Kinda endearing, really.

 

[Bala Verde]

O'Grady had an epileptic fit Source

 

[krebs303]

O'Grady had an epileptic fit Source

Former Paris-Roubaix winner Stuart O’Grady has been hospitalized after he endured possible epileptic seizures at the MotoGP in Valencia, Spain. O’Grady had just climbed off of Casey Stoner’s Ducati and was ready to be introduced to several business people before collapsing.
http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/2185/Australian-OGrady-collapses-and-admitted-to-hospital.aspx

 

[ak-zaaf]

Former Paris-Roubaix winner Stuart O’Grady has been hospitalized after he endured possible epileptic seizures at the MotoGP in Valencia, Spain. O’Grady had just climbed off of Casey Stoner’s Ducati and was ready to be introduced to several business people before collapsing.
http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/2185/Australian-OGrady-collapses-and-admitted-to-hospital.aspx

He got to ride a Ducati and escaped before the business meetings. Nice move, Stuey

 

[Publicus]

Former Paris-Roubaix winner Stuart O’Grady has been hospitalized after he endured possible epileptic seizures at the MotoGP in Valencia, Spain. O’Grady had just climbed off of Casey Stoner’s Ducati and was ready to be introduced to several business people before collapsing.
http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/2185/Australian-OGrady-collapses-and-admitted-to-hospital.aspx

I hope he's ok.

 

[issoisso]

Riders keep dropping like flies

Here's a quickly done translation from another article, apologies for any mistakes

Former professional cyclist Agustín Sagasti has been found dead in his home in Mungia today at 39 years of age.


Sagasti was a pro with the Euskadi team in 1994 and 1995 and made history by taking the basque squad's first win in 94, winning in his hometown of Mungia the stage 5a of the Tour of the Basque Country after an 80km breakaway.

He had received a small homage during the presentation of the Euskaltel-Euskadi squad in 2007.

A severe accident in 1995 while racing forced him to retire from professional cycling at the age of 23, after being hit by a car that got on the road in the opposite direction to that of the race during the Vuelta a Asturias.

The basque was in a coma and suffered serious injuries to his femur, and above all in his left arm. He spent one year in several hospitals and underwent several surgeries.

Nobody took responsability and the cyclist's family took the case to the courts, that did not emit a verdict until May 1998, almost four years after the event.

The court of Mieres convicted Unipublic, the organizers of the event, to pay the rider 70 million pesetas severance for not making sure someone was in charge of not allowing traffic to enter the route at the place where the Ford Fiesta entered it.

After recovering, he worked for a while for the Basque Cycling Federation.

 

[craig1985]

70m pesetas is what in euros?

RIP to Sagasti.

 

[Bala Verde]

70m pesetas is what in euros?

RIP to Sagasti.

The exchange rate in 1998 was 1US$ for 149.40 pesetas according to el Mundo. So 70.000.000/149.50= US$ 468.540,82... could that be correct?

 

[progressor]

Former Paris-Roubaix winner Stuart O’Grady has been hospitalized after he endured possible epileptic seizures at the MotoGP in Valencia, Spain. O’Grady had just climbed off of Casey Stoner’s Ducati and was ready to be introduced to several business people before collapsing.
http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/2185/Australian-OGrady-collapses-and-admitted-to-hospital.aspx

Not good Does he have any previous history of it?

 

[craig1985]

In 2002, he underwent successful surgery to remove a blockage in his iliac artery which had caused a power imbalance in his legs.

O'Grady admitted to Spanish hospital - cyclingnews.com

 

[craig1985]

Skil-Shimano sign the Bastion Hotel Group as a co-sponsor for 2010.

 

[blaxland]

bye bye gilberto simeoni memories last forever.............

 

[craig1985]

Ceramica Flaminia will ride Bianchi's new year. I would assume with Campagnolo Super Record.

 

[Anonymous]

bye bye gilberto simeoni memories last forever.............

I assume you mean simone, and why, where is he going/gone?

 

[issoisso]

I assume you mean simone, and why, where is he going/gone?

I assume you mean Simoni

 

[Bala Verde]

Wielerupdate reports that the TdF is contemplating to increase the number of participating teams from 20 to 22. Prudhomme is quoted as having said that in a publication of the French cycling association.

 

[al_pacino]

Not a surprise, there does seem to be a lot of teams assured of their place in the race

 

[Mellow Velo]

Already figured the Tour would have to increase it's fold. Otherwise somebody big was going to throw a wobbly.
At least it confirms their desire to give teams like Vacansoleil and Skil a berth and not allowing their places to be bought out from under them.

Gibo Simoni:
Multiple Grand Tour winner, climber par excellence and national (maybe international) hero, who will forever be confused by an element within this sport, as the second rate rider who upset his Lanceness.
Not only a large shadow, cast by the Texan, but an extremely opaque one.