|
26.12.2006/ Schmitz crashed, Tom Danielson: "I know I have
the engine", Jacques Rogge: "We can't hold a with hunt without proof", Velonews.com: Floyd Landis rider of
the year
Mailbox
Letterbox: You can send your letters with ideas, comments and other things you would like to let us and our readers to
know to: letters@cyclingheroes.de . Some of the letters will be published on our website. We can only publish letters with your full name, hometown and country.
|
Milram: "we can be satisfied with the first season"
Swiss cyling: No case against Ullrich?
New: Hall of fame: Henk Lubberding about June 5, 1988
Schmitz crashed
As reported Dutch rider Bram Schmitz will race for Van Vliet-EBH Advocaten in the upcoming season. Schmitz broke two
ribs after he crashed during a training ride on saturday with his new teammates. Former T-Mobile rider Schmitz does not need
surgery and will be able to continue with his preparations for the 2007 season in a few weeks time.
Tom Danielson: "I know I have the engine"
Tom Danielson spoke with US daily newspaper Durango Herald about the 2007 season. After winning stage 17 of the 2006
Vuelta Espana, Danielson knows he has the engine. Danielson said: "I think 2007 is going to be really important for me and
where I am in my career." Durango's most accomplished cyclist continued by saying: "Now is the time to develop myself as a
figure in American cycling."
Danielson was often critized during the last season and changed a few things this winter. He started
to work with Durango-based coach and physical therapist David Farmer and wants to attend with a high fitness level at
the Discovery Channel training camp in January. Danielson said: "My goal this year is to pick up where I left off in the Vuelta.
I started the last week [of the Vuelta] as one of the best three guys in the race. I want to apply that experience this year,
and apply it as early as the Tour of California."
The 28 years old US rider wants to start the season with the Tour of California: "The Tour of California is not a good place to showcase that I can win the big race," Danielson said, "but a good
place to showcase what 2007 means to me as a cyclist."
Danielson welcomed the new signed Discovery Channel riders Levi Leipheimer and Ivan Basso: "Signing Levi
and Ivan, two big-time riders, changes things from a media standpoint, I guess, but it really doesn't change the basic dynamics
of cycling," he said. Danielson continued by saying: "If I'm the strongest rider on a tour, then they will support
me. If I'm not, then I support the strongest rider in the race. But I plan on being the strongest rider in the race. That's
how I plan to be the whole year." Danielson added: "I welcome the addition of Ivan and Levi to the team because I'm striving
for international excellence, not intrasquad excellence."
Danielson is planning to get into the best possible condition as early in the season as he can: "They
say the big races aren't won in June and July, they're won in December and January," Danielson said. The 28 yeard old rider
continued by saying: "My training is already harder this year. I went to the Tour of California last year in the best February
shape I've ever been in, and I found out I wasn't even close. The other guys were just at another level." Danielson
found out that other riders were at a higher fitness level during the 2006 Tour of California: "At
my level of fitness, I assumed I was going to ride Levi and Floyd [Landis] off my wheel. But when I looked back, Levi still
had his mouth closed, and Floyd wasn't even stressed. Those guys just rode right around me."
Danielson believes things will be different this year: "Last year I wanted to believe . This year I do believe," he
said. "Just three years ago I was looking up to many of these riders and wondering how great it would be if one of these days
I might be able to ride with them. Now I know I belong out there. I know I have the engine; I know I have the horsepower.
I know it here," Danielson said, pointing at his chest. "And I know it here," Danieslon said, pointing at
his head. "This is who I am right now. I'm not the next Lance Armstrong. I'm the first Tom Danielson," he said.
Danielson concluded by saying: "And I want to put it all together this year, because I know I can beat these
guys."
|
| Tom Danielson: 2007 will be an important year (picture: Cyclingheroes) |
Jacques
Rogge: "We can't hold a with hunt without proof"
Jacques Rogge, president of the international Olympic
Committee (IOC) is supporting the idea of creating a DNA database of top level athletes, including cyclists. Seaking with
Belgian daily newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, Rogge said: "Today, the riders have to give urine and blood samples. Tomorrow,
this has to include DNA also." Rogge continued by saying: "It's not very painful: a pin prick inside the cheek,
a bit of hair... that's less painful than blood extraction. The data would be well-stored and protected. Tell me, what's the
problem?"
The IOC president does not like the way the Pro-Tour
teams are handling the Fuentes affair and is a strong supporter of the presumption of innocence: "The question of whether
or not they are guilty has not yet been answered," Rogge said. "Basso, Ullrich and the others are therefore free to race wherever
they want to. Now, does this annoy me as a sports fan? Yes. But should we be allowed to exclude them? No. I don't find it
particularly pleasant to tolerate them in the peloton, but it is necessary. The presumption of innocence is a sacred principle
to me." Rogge concluded by saying: "We can't hold a with hunt without proof. The ProTour teams have to understand that. It's
not enough to be convinced of somebody's guilt."
Velonews.com:
Floyd Landis rider of the year
Floyd Landis won the 2006 Velonews award for the best male rider of the year. The
editors of the US cycling magazine wrote on their website velonews.com: "It's not about whether we believe Landis is guilty
or innocent. Whatever the outcome of the yet-to-be-resolved charges that Landis used testosterone on stage 17 of the Tour,
he outperformed his fellow Americans, including George Hincapie and Levi Leipheimer, throughout the rest of the season." Landis
won the overall of the Tour of California, Paris-Nice, Tour de Georgia and the Tour de France this year.
The readers of Velonews poll
Floyd Landis - 61.59%
George Hincapie - 27.91%
Levi Leipheimer - 10.49%
|
| Floyd Landis - Rider of the year (picture: Cyclingheroes) |
|
