General News Thread

[Peter von]

Why did Porte pull out of Paris Nice? Does he have a better chance to win in TA?

Yes, the route in TA is more standard stage race route with uphil finishes and timetrialing, this plays well into Portes qualities as a bike rider. Paris-Nice has changed it's route completely from last year, and this means that it's less predictable, it's harder to identify where the race will be won and lost.

Also it could benefit Porte to do some extra racing in Italian races in his build up to the Giro, to get a feeling for how the smaller Italian teams behave, how the officials act in different situations and small thing like that, that could make his life just a little bit easier in the Giro. Likewise we see Nibali race Paris-Nice partly because it's a french race organized by ASO(Tour de France and many other races).

 

[GP Blanco]

Amstel Gold Race announced the last two wildcards, Wanty-Groupe Gobert and Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox.

The complete list:
Wanty-Groupe Gobert
Bardiani Valvole-CSF Inox
Androni-Giocatolli
IAM Cycling
CCC Polsat
Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise

 

[Netserk]

http://www.biciciclismo.com/cas/site/noticias-ficha.asp?id=69962

GP Indurain will be held after all

 

[CycloAndy]

Why is OGE trying to compete with Sky? Lots of people say that Porte is a big favourite to win the tour. OGE has Simon Gerrans which is good but not as good as Porte.

Could be the for the team time trial at Tirreno-Adriatico, both have good TTT squads for it. Reckon OGE could take it though with Durbridge, Meyer, Hepburn and Tuft on the team!

 

[RedheadDane]

Could be the for the team time trial at Tirreno-Adriatico, both have good TTT squads for it. Reckon OGE could take it though with Durbridge, Meyer, Hepburn and Tuft on the team!

Actually... the Sky vs. OGE thing is just some random (and rather hillarious) off the bike stuff.
Had first round yesterday: Rock-Paper-Scissors because... why not?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4ABtC_Sx88

 

[GP Blanco]

A little more about Lars Boom. It is indeed a minor fracture. He has to it take it easy for about a week. The team is hopeful that he will participate in de Ronde and Roubaix.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...05476170.33604.145388992276538&type=1&theater

 

[achenk]

yes i agree this thread is awesome

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Ignazio Moser was hit by a scooter yesterday.

 

[senaji212]

Yes, the route in TA is more standard stage race route with uphil finishes and timetrialing, this plays well into Portes qualities as a bike rider. Paris-Nice has changed it's route completely from last year, and this means that it's less predictable, it's harder to identify where the race will be won and lost.

Also it could benefit Porte to do some extra racing in Italian races in his build up to the Giro, to get a feeling for how the smaller Italian teams behave, how the officials act in different situations and small thing like that, that could make his life just a little bit easier in the Giro. Likewise we see Nibali race Paris-Nice partly because it's a french race organized by ASO(Tour de France and many other races).

Yeahhh..! Right..! I like your answer broo..

 

[jaylew]

Barry Bonds is investing in women's cycling. Good.

http://velonews.competitor.com/2014/03/news/news-bonds-invests-womens-cycling_320025

 

[pastronef]

Team Sky looking for a new media officer

http://m.sportsrecruitment.com/jobs/details/1298/media-officer

 

[markene2]

Yerlan Pernebekov had a stroke and is in a coma, he is only 18

Press statment from Continental Team Astana

"With a heavy heart we should say the yesterday our rider Yerlan Pernebekov had a stroke and was emergency hospitalized to the central hospital of Quito city in Ecuador. The leading specialists of the clinic had to put him into an induced coma due to critical condition. At the moment Vladimir Remyga the team coach stays with him. Now we are deciding on the urgent departure of his family and the team managers to Ecuador."

 

[LaFlorecita]

Yerlan Pernebekov had a stroke and is in a coma, he is only 18

Press statment from Continental Team Astana

"With a heavy heart we should say the yesterday our rider Yerlan Pernebekov had a stroke and was emergency hospitalized to the central hospital of Quito city in Ecuador. The leading specialists of the clinic had to put him into an induced coma due to critical condition. At the moment Vladimir Remyga the team coach stays with him. Now we are deciding on the urgent departure of his family and the team managers to Ecuador."

Oh no that's horrible I hope he recovers well.

 

[RedheadDane]

Yerlan Pernebekov had a stroke and is in a coma, he is only 18

Press statment from Continental Team Astana

"With a heavy heart we should say the yesterday our rider Yerlan Pernebekov had a stroke and was emergency hospitalized to the central hospital of Quito city in Ecuador. The leading specialists of the clinic had to put him into an induced coma due to critical condition. At the moment Vladimir Remyga the team coach stays with him. Now we are deciding on the urgent departure of his family and the team managers to Ecuador."

That's horrible.
My thoughts go out to him and his family.

 

[markene2]

Now Astana has written that Yerlan Pernebekov has passed away

http://proteam-astana.com/2014/03/17/yerlan-pernebekov/

 

[RedheadDane]

May he rest in Peace.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Now Astana has written that Yerlan Pernebekov has passed away

http://proteam-astana.com/2014/03/17/yerlan-pernebekov/

Oh no rip

 

[thirteen]

Now Astana has written that Yerlan Pernebekov has passed away

http://proteam-astana.com/2014/03/17/yerlan-pernebekov/

way way too young!!!
RIP

 

[Afrank]

Horrible news, RIP.

 

[trevim]

Volta ao Alentejo (2.2)

Stages
1ª Etapa - 26.03.2014 - Salida: 11h20 - Castelo de Vide / Marvão - 167km
2ª Etapa - 27.03.2014 - Salida: 10h30 - Sousel / Montemor-o-Novo - 192,7km
3ª Etapa - 28.03.2014 - Salida: 10h35 - Redondo / Mértola - 205km
4ª Etapa - 29.03.2014 - Salida: 11h35 - Odemira / Santiago do Cacém - 159,2km
5ª Etapa - 30.03.2014 - Salida: 11h15 - Alcácer do Sal / Évora - 172,9km

I haven't seen the profiles yet but Marvão is a tough 2nd category climb if they finish in the castle, with cobbles. Santiago is a somehow easier uphill sprint. Mertola is difficult to say, it depends where is the stage finish; it might be a tricky finish. Evora will be cobbled too I believe.

Teams
OFM – Quinta da Lixa (BCC) - Portugal
Rádio Popular (BOA) - Portugal
LA Alumínios – Antarte – (LAA) - Portugal
Efapel – Glassdrive – (EFG) - Portugal
Louletano – Dunas Douradas (LDD) - Portugal
Banco BIC – Carmim (BBC) - Portugal
Anicolor (ANI) - Portugal
Liberty Seguros – S.M. Feira – Ktm (LBS) - Portugal
Maia – Bicicletas Andrade (MAI) - Portugal
Cartaxo - C.C. JM Nicolau (CCV) - Portugal
Etixx (ETI) – República Checa
Team Optum (OPM) – Estados Unidos América
USA Cycling (USA) - Estados Unidos América
Team Ecuador – (ECU) - Equador
Euskadi (EUK) - Espanha
Team Oster Hus – Ridley (OHR) - Noruega
BDC Marcpol – (BDC) - Polónia
Team Fixit.No (FIX) – Noruega

Last winners:
2013 - Jasper Stuyven (Bontrager Cycling Team)
2012 - Alexey Kunshin (Lokosphinx)
2011 - Evaldas Siskevicius (Pomme Marseille)
2010 - David Blanco (Palmeiras Resort-Prio-Tavira)
2009 - Maxime Bouet (Agritubel)
2008 - Hector Guerra (Liberty Seguros)
2007 - Manuel Vázquez (Andalucia Cajasur)
2006 – Sérgio Ribeiro (Barbot-Halcon)

 

[metaCYCLE]

Tour of Romania 2014 cancelled

The Romanian Cycling Federation announced today that, due to lack of funding, there will be no 2014 edition of the Petite Boucle...

 

[BigMac]

Vladislav Gorbunov, winner of last year's Volta a Portugal best young rider classification, tested positive for methylhexaneamine and got a 18 months ban.
Apparentely he abused on the Jack3d.

Source is CarroVassoura's twitter, don't know if it's the original one.

 

[adriano01]

This thred is incredible

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Lars Boom is probably not going to make it to the Tour of Flanders (and probably roubaix as well). His first test on the bike on the road after the PN fall was not going to plan. He can't steer well with his fracture still...

 

[ILovecycling]

Lars Boom is probably not going to make it to the Tour of Flanders (and probably roubaix as well). His first test on the bike on the road after the PN fall was not going to plan. He can't steer well with his fracture still...

Bad news for Vanmarcke,esp for Roubaix.