General News Thread

[Christian]

RadioShack for Vuelta a Andalucia:

Levi Leipheimer, Haimar Zubeldia, Janez Brajkovic, Geoffroy Lequatre, Ivan Rovny, Dmitriy Muravyev.

http://www.cyclismactu.net/news-t_andalousie_un_beau_trio_pour_mener_radioshack-11323.html

 

[Reuell]

RadioShack for Vuelta a Andalucia:

Levi Leipheimer, Haimar Zubeldia, Janez Brajkovic, Geoffroy Lequatre, Ivan Rovny, Dmitriy Muravyev.

http://www.cyclismactu.net/news-t_andalousie_un_beau_trio_pour_mener_radioshack-11323.html

Going to ride with only 6 or gonna add two on a later date?

 

[craig1985]

Any other articles about Cantwell's future are always welcome. He is a super fast guy and has put on a speed display here in the US. He has proven all he needs to here I was really hoping to see him on the Euro circuit

He was at a local club race two weeks ago. And no, he didn't win.

 

[Christian]

Individual Time Trial in Paris-Nice

The race to the sun usually doesn´t include an ITT other than the prologue but this year there will be one in Aix-en-Provence (YAY!!!) on March 10 or 11!! Good news for me, bad news for Fränk Schleck I guess ...

http://www.cyclismactu.net/news-paris_nice_2011_un_chrono_a_aix_en_provence-11348.html

 

[theyoungest]

Individual Time Trial in Paris-Nice

The race to the sun usually doesn´t include an ITT other than the prologue but this year there will be one in Aix-en-Provence (YAY!!!) on March 10 or 11!! Good news for me, bad news for Fränk Schleck I guess ...

http://www.cyclismactu.net/news-paris_nice_2011_un_chrono_a_aix_en_provence-11348.html

Fränk Schleck won the Tour de Suisse in the time trial

BTW, what's up with this line from the Cyclingnews article on the subject:

it may be the attempt of the organiser to balance out the course and attract more high-profile stage race riders.

?? They could hardly get more high profile stage racers than they had this year.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Not sure having another tt in Paris nice is a grea idea especially when trying to attract riders to race.

 

[ak-zaaf]

Not sure having another tt in Paris nice is a grea idea especially when trying to attract riders to race.

Why not? TT guys prefer Tirreno nowadays because of the longer ITT.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Irony: the 2010 Tirreno-Adriatico featured no TT whatsoever.

 

[ak-zaaf]

Irony: the 2010 Tirreno-Adriatico featured no TT whatsoever.

Didn't they put an annual ±30km ITT in it a few years ago?!
Remembering the Scarpo - Garzelli duel now, my memory was clearly failing me.
Thanks for the correction anyway :$


In other news: Het bakkertje van Berg didn't make it to 2011.
Raymond Impanis, winner of the Vlaanderen - Roubaix double and the longest ITT in TDF history past away today.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Why not? TT guys prefer Tirreno nowadays because of the longer ITT.

Do guys like Stefano Garzelli, DilLuca, Gesink, Scarponi who have raced T-A in at least the past two editions like the TT in it? They may have performed alright in those tt's but you would think that Paris Nice is better suited to them. I remember in a Paris nice thread last year that I was asking why don't they put in a tt in which I got a reply along the lines of 'why does PN have to have a tt in it" & "that one week stage races shouldn't have tt's in them?"

 

[simo1733]

Do guys like Stefano Garzelli, DilLuca, Gesink, Scarponi who have raced T-A in at least the past two editions like the TT in it? They may have performed alright in those tt's but you would think that Paris Nice is better suited to them. I remember in a Paris nice thread last year that I was asking why don't they put in a tt in which I got a reply along the lines of 'why does PN have to have a tt in it" & "that one week stage races shouldn't have tt's in them?"

Paris Nice used to regularly feature a Mont Faron tt. I thought it was one of the highlights of the race.

 

[ak-zaaf]

Do guys like Stefano Garzelli, DilLuca, Gesink, Scarponi who have raced T-A in at least the past two editions like the TT in it? They may have performed alright in those tt's but you would think that Paris Nice is better suited to them. I remember in a Paris nice thread last year that I was asking why don't they put in a tt in which I got a reply along the lines of 'why does PN have to have a tt in it" & "that one week stage races shouldn't have tt's in them?"

For riders with a punch like Garzelli, Di Luca, Ricco, Rodriguez and Scarponi TA is better because of all the short uphill finishes.
For Gesink because there are less descents

PN is the better all-round race, but I can see why lots of people prefer TA (better weather, less demanding parcours, better chance of stage victory)
Even with an eventual ITT in TA and not in PN.

Happy new year btw ACF :x

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Italian hotels are better, thats why

 

[theyoungest]

For riders with a punch like Garzelli, Di Luca, Ricco, Rodriguez and Scarponi TA is better because of all the short uphill finishes.
For Gesink because there are less descents

PN is the better all-round race, but I can see why lots of people prefer TA (better weather, less demanding parcours, better chance of stage victory)
Even with an eventual ITT in TA and not in PN.

Happy new year btw ACF :x

If by "less demanding parcours" you mean that the odds of echelon riding are lower, you're right, but the climbing in Tirreno has been at least as hard, if not harder, in the past few years.

 

[ultimobici]

For riders with a punch like Garzelli, Di Luca, Ricco, Rodriguez and Scarponi TA is better because of all the short uphill finishes.
For Gesink because there are less descents

PN is the better all-round race, but I can see why lots of people prefer TA (better weather, less demanding parcours, better chance of stage victory)
Even with an eventual ITT in TA and not in PN.

Happy new year btw ACF :x

Have you actually looked at the profile of the race?

Hardly undemanding is it?

 

[ak-zaaf]

Have you actually looked at the profile of the race?

Hardly undemanding is it?

I never said it was undemanding, don't take things out of context.
TA is a demanding race for sure. The usual PN course just seems harder to me. Add in the horrible weather and the mentioned echelons in the first days and I'd say PN is a little more demanding.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Greg van Avermaet's 2011 program (up till June)

tour of qatar
Tour of Oman
Omloop Het nieuwsblad
Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne
Monte Paschi Eroica
Tirreno Adriatico
Milan San Remo
Dwars Door vlaanderen
Gent Wevelgem
3 days of De panne
Ronde van Vlaanderen
Brabantse Pijl
Amstel Gold
Fleche wallonne
Liege Bastogne Liege
Skoda Velothon Berlin

34 days

 

[Christian]

Andy Schleck voted Luxembourger of the year in front of Roger Dahm, popular protagonist of the documentary film "Roger", and Jean-Claude Juncker, prime minister and head of the Euro Group.

Fränk Schleck came in 4th place, Kim Kirchen in 5th and junior ITT world champion Bob Jungels in 7th. Other people from the world of sports were Gérard Lopez, owner of the Renault F1 team in 9th place and swimmer Raphaël Stacchiotti in 14th.

http://news.rtl.lu/news/national//90553.html

 

[theyoungest]

Greg van Avermaet's 2011 program (up till June)

tour of qatar
Tour of Oman
Omloop Het nieuwsblad
Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne
Monte Paschi Eroica
Tirreno Adriatico
Milan San Remo
Dwars Door vlaanderen
Gent Wevelgem
3 days of De panne
Ronde van Vlaanderen
Brabantse Pijl
Amstel Gold
Fleche wallonne
Liege Bastogne Liege
Skoda Velothon Berlin

34 days

He doesn't want to choose, so he'll ride every classic under the sun?

 

[roundabout]

BMC must think he is Gilbert

 

[auscyclefan94]

He doesn't want to choose, so he'll ride every classic under the sun?

He's not riding Paris Roubaix

BMC must think he is Gilbert

Well I think he could do well in races such as Amstel Gold Race & Ronde van Vlaanderen but I am not so sure about Liege & Fleche for a guy like him. Supposedly Evans is focusing less on the classics this year. Maybe that's why Greg is riding all the ardennes classics. Cadel may say he is not focusing on the Classics as much but i think he will still try to succeed in them & will be up there.

 

[ingsve]

He's not riding Paris Roubaix


Well I think he could do well in races such as Amstel Gold Race & Ronde van Vlaanderen but I am not so sure about Liege & Fleche for a guy like him. Supposedly Evans is focusing less on the classics this year. Maybe that's why Greg is riding all the ardennes classics. Cadel may say he is not focusing on the Classics as much but i think he will still try to succeed in them & will be up there.

Well, since BMC is weaker in the ardennes where they don't have that much more than Evans it does make a lot of sense for someone like Van Avermaet to ride them even if would only be as support in for example LBL. He doesn't like Roubaix so as an alternative to the RVV+Roubaix raceplan this seems like a better use of him than to simply send him on vacation after RVV or something.

 

[theyoungest]

Well, since BMC is weaker in the ardennes where they don't have that much more than Evans it does make a lot of sense for someone like Van Avermaet to ride them even if would only be as support in for example LBL. He doesn't like Roubaix so as an alternative to the RVV+Roubaix raceplan this seems like a better use of him than to simply send him on vacation after RVV or something.

I thought the plan was to focus on the Ardennes classics? Which, frankly, I think would be a good idea as his strength seems to be in the hills.

 

[ingsve]

I thought the plan was to focus on the Ardennes classics? Which, frankly, I think would be a good idea as his strength seems to be in the hills.

Well, RVV is probably still a goal for him but he might have ambitions in the Ardennes as well, sure. All we know other than that is that he won't be doing Roubaix and he is a little untested in the Ardennes but I'm sure he won't just be a roster filler there.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

Well Van Avermaet himself said to Sporza last year he'd start focussing on the ardennes. He claims he's suited better for those hills than for the cobbles.