General News Thread

[Libertine Seguros]

Anybody know where that finish in stage 3 is in relation to Prägraten town? Looks like a general uphill. Could put a useful uphill finish there.

Still, another year with no top race visiting the Rettenbachferner. The Österreichrundfahrt is always a bit disappointingly easy given the geography of the country. I know it sounds odd saying that any race including the Kitzbüheler Horn is a disappointingly easy one, but given the range of mountains they have they always seem to use the same ones, and the Glockner doesn't look like being used to best effect this year either. I wish they'd start in Vienna and finish in Innsbruck or Klagenfurt, could have a much better route that way.

 

[roundabout]

There's nothing on the official website yet, but I would guess that it's the same finish as usual given the way the route tends to repeat itself.

There's also an uphill finish on stage 4

 

[auscyclefan94]

What's the average grade and distance of the Kitzbueheler Horn climb?

 

[Mellow Velo]

What's the average grade and distance of the Kitzbueheler Horn climb?

Just under 10kms at just under 13% average. So, it's a toughie. Austria had good live coverage of the mountain stages last year. (The Ricco bloodbath edition)

 

[rxgqgxnyfz]

http://twitter.com/#!/ivanbasso/status/70497172898058241

Basso saying how helmet saved his life today on training accident.

 

[Tuarts]

Wasn't it his friend? Amici=friend in Italian I thought?

 

[roundabout]

Wasn't it his friend? Amici=friend in Italian I thought?

No, it's a message to his friends that safety comes first and that one should always wear a helmet.

 

[Tuarts]

Yep, read it around the wrong way. Italian fail. #longwaytogo

 

[Christian]

Teams for SkodaTour de Luxembourg (1-5 June) announced:

ProTeams:

LEOPARD TREK
Katusha Team
Liquigas-Cannondale
Sky Procycling
Team Radioshack
Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team

Pro Continental Teams:

Andalucia Caja Granada
Cofidis
FDJ
Geox-TMC
Landbouwkrediet
Saur-Sojasun
Skil-Shimano
Team Europcar
Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator
Veranda's Willems Accent

Continental Team:

Team Differdange Magic-sportfood.de

http://www.aotdl.com/skoda-tour-de-luxembourg-2011/equipes-2011/

 

[jobiwan]

Team Schleck in the Tour of Luxembourg, who'd have known that?
Andalucia however, what??

 

[Christian]

Team Schleck in the Tour of Luxembourg, who'd have known that?
Andalucia however, what??

Andalucia was there last year as well IIRC. I'm more surprised by Liquigas, I think they took Euskaltel's spot. I wonder who they'll bring - Sagan could certainly have a good shot at some stages, maybe even Basso to build up for TdF

 

[The Hitch]

Dont know if this has been mentioned elsewhere but havent seen it so here it goes.

Ivan Basso was apparently on Mount Etna (dont know why) and crashed, and well, he aint pretty no more.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sport...rance-training/2011/05/17/AFmizm5G_story.html

Oh and he was going uphill so i guess he did a Menchov. Popes arent Italian these days though and Basso isnt white on the outside so Denny keeps his name for now.

 

[roundabout]

http://yfrog.com/gyivphcj

 

[The Hitch]

http://twitter.com/#!/ivanbasso/status/70497172898058241

Basso saying how helmet saved his life today on training accident.

Required 15 stitches though. He aint pretty no more.

And he was going uphill so i guess he did a Menchov. Popes arent Italian these days though and Basso isnt white on the outside so Denny keeps his name for now.

 

[El Imbatido]

Don't know if anyone saw this yet or posted it here but it is a pretty funny news article from a New Zealand news outlet:

News outlet screw up

Mega LOLs at them

Edit: It seems they have now fixed it up. Basically it said Henderson wears yellow at the Giro d'Italia, with a picture of Flecha. It seems they thought the Tour of Cali and Giro were the same race

 

[janraaskalt]

Don't know if anyone saw this yet or posted it here but it is a pretty funny news article from a New Zealand news outlet:

News outlet screw up

Mega LOLs at them

The biggest Dutch newspaper already announced Cav winning the sprint today: http://www.telegraaf.nl/telesport/wielersport/9819352/__Cavendish_slaat_weer_toe__.html

 

[craig1985]

The teams for the new Berlin one day race on May 22:

The ProTeams at the start will be BMC Racing, Leopard Trek, Garmin-Cervelo, HTC-Highroad, Omega Pharma-Lotto and Vacansoleil. Three Pro Continental Teams will be represented with CCC Polsat Polkowice, Skil-Shimano and Netapp. Continental teams include Ac Sparta Praha, Bkcp - Powerplus, Adria Mobil, Lkt Team Brandenburg, Atlas Personal, Nutrixxion Sparkasse, Champion-System, Eddy Merckx-Indeland, Heizomat, Team NSP and Tt Raikon Argon 18. The filed will be rounded out by two national teams, Germany U23 and Russia.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/berlin-one-day-race-announces-high-class-field

Ok, Libertine, give us a low down on the terrain in Berlin? Do they have a nasty 18% climb in there?

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

Cav's going to win that one. Which is a shame.

 

[joy118118]

Cav's going to win that one. Which is a shame.

No way. the race is at this weekend!

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

No way. the race is at this weekend!

Cav's pulling out of the Giro tonite or tomorrow.
HTC has a vacant No. 1 spot on the starter list for Berlin.

Now join the dots...

 

[roundabout]

So number 1 on the list is reserved for him?

http://www.skoda-velothon-berlin.de/images/stories/elite/2011/prb11_startliste.pdf

Edit: didn't there use to be a rule that a rider pulling out of a race for no apparent reason (not injured, sick or whatever) couldn't start any races before the race he pulled out from finished?

 

[craig1985]

I thought it was against UCI rules for a guy to drop out of one race and do another whilst that race was still on?

 

[janraaskalt]

So number 1 on the list is reserved for him?

http://www.skoda-velothon-berlin.de/images/stories/elite/2011/prb11_startliste.pdf

Edit: didn't there use to be a rule that a rider pulling out of a race for no apparent reason (not injured, sick or whatever) couldn't start any races before the race he pulled out from finished?

Such a rule exists. However, race organisers can give permission to riders to participate in other races. In this case, the Giro organisation can give permission to Cavendish. Most of the times they do, because they are afraid that if they don't those riders will not participate next year. The UCI should change that rule, to make it 100% forbidden.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

McQuaid demands a posthume doping test on Wouter Weylandt, disgusting little man
http://de.rechtzetting.be/2011/05/19/uci-eist-postume-dopingtest-op-weylandt/#read

EDIT: This is untrue I fear... sorry

 

[TRDean]

McQuaid demands a posthume doping test on Wouter Weylandt, disgusting little man
http://de.rechtzetting.be/2011/05/19/uci-eist-postume-dopingtest-op-weylandt/#read

Wow that is pathetic to even suggest something like that! Disgusting!