Franco-Belge: Van Impe won first stage

Kevin Van Impe won today the 1st stage of the Circuit Franco-Belge from Maubeuge to Quiévrain of 175.8 km beating to the sprint the german rider Danilo Hondo (Team Lamonta) and the Belgian Olivier Kaisen (Davitamon-Lotto) .

Züri Metzgete:  Last home race for Phonak

At the last home race in Switzerland, the Phonak Cycling Team will go into the race on October 1 at the Zuri-Metzgete with the six Swiss Aurélien Clerc, Martin Elmiger, Steve Morabito, Gregory Rast, Florian Stalder and Johann Tschopp. The team will be completed by Uros Murn and Victor Hugo Peña.

On Sunday, the Phonak Cycling Team will be competing on its home turf at the Züri-Metzgete race. At the head of the field of riders will be newly crowned street world champion and last year's winner Paolo Bettini, Swiss time-trial world champion Fabian Cancellara and Vuelta champion Alexandre Vinokourov. Phonak rider Gregory Rast, Phonak's best-finishing rider last year, in 11th place, intends to make a good showing again. "But it's going to be difficult for me to repeat that good result because the very demanding race in terms of its topography – with a climb up Pfannenstiel as the main hurdle – isn't well-suited for me." Last year, Rast benefited from the adverse weather conditions. Of course he is still looking forward to the home race and the support of his family and fans who will be there. He is trying to approach the race like any other. So far, melancholy hasn't set in. "At the last race of the season, the Tour de Lombardie, things will be different because it hurts that the time with Phonak Cycling is coming to an end."
But the Phonak Cycling Team still wants to provide some highlights – Sunday on Pfannenstiel as well. The Züri-Metzgete will start at 11 am and is expected to finish around 5 pm on Zurich's Utoquai.

Sparkassen Münsterland Giro 2006: U 23 world champion Ciolek will start in Germany

Fresh U 23 world champion Gerald Ciolek (Wiesenhof-Akud) will start at the Sparkassen Münsterland Giro on Tuesday October 3. The UCI 1.1 category race is not a U 23 race, so Ciolek won't be allowed to wear his rainbow jersey. Other prominent starters are German national road race champion Dirk Müller (Team Sparkasse), German national ITT champion Sebastian Langer (Gerolsteiner), Fabian Wegmann (Gerolsteiner), Linus Gerdemann (T-Mobile), Marc Cavendish (T-Mobile) and Andreas Klier (T-Mobile).

Bruyneel angry at Lefevere

Johan Bruyneel (DS Discovery Channel) reacted angry on comments made by Patrick Lefevere (DS Quickstep) made yesterday in a radio interview with Belgian radio station "Radio Brussels". As we reported yesterday Lefevere answered the question: "Who was the last clean Tour de France winner," by saying: "Jan Ullrich." Later Lefevere stated that he was joking. Bruyneel told Belgian sports daily "Sportwereld" today: "I don't see what's so funny about that," and continued:  " i can interpret his words only as a direct accusation to the adress of Lance Armstrong. From the president of the International Professional Cycling Teams (IPCT) i expect more professionalism and respect for past and current champions."

No suspension for Paolini

Liquigas announced that Luca Paolini won't  be suspend by the Italian team as long as they don't get information by the Italian police who searched Paolini's house last week. The team will open theor own inquiry about the case. Bergamos state prosecution, who ordered the raid announced nothing was found during the house search, however some media reports quoted an Italian investigator who stated that Italian police tappe Paolini's phone and that it doesn't look good for the Italian rider. On the same day the house of Elisa Basso was searched as well, the state prosecution of Bergamo insisted that Giro winner Ivan basso is not involved in the case.

The Pro-Tour teams decided last year that a rider has to be suspended immediatly by his team if there is suspicion of doping.

Jan Ullrich loses sponsors

Jan Ullrich, who might race in 2007 again (we reported yesterday), will lose his sponsor deal with Swiss company IWC. The company produces watches. Besides IWC Ullrich the contract with SportFive will also be ended.

Ivan Basso: second hearing in Rom

At noon today, Ivan Basso will have to attend for the second time at a hearing  in Rom. Its expected that CONI (Comitato Olympico Nazionale Italiano) does not have enough evidence to defer Basso to the disciplenary commission of the Italian cycling federation (FCI), and its likely that the case will be archived.