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29.12.2006/ 5 Pro-Tour teams at Tour de Langkawi, No
Leadville for Lance, Breschel okay despite heavy Crash, Bernhard Eisel Austrian rider of the year, Rudie Kemna talks about
the 2007 Skil-Shimano team riders
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5 Pro-Tour
teams at Tour de Langkawi
Pro-Tour teams Francaise de Jeux, Credit Agricole, Bouygues
Telecom, AG2R and Unibet.com will start at the Tour de Langkawi. The startlist will be completed with Skil-Shimano, Tinkoff,
Panaria, Selle Italia, Slipstream and several continental teams. The Tour de Langkawi will start at February 2.
No Leadville for Lance
Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong announced today that he will not be racing
the Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race scheduled for August 11, 2007.
Mark Higgins, Armstrong’s manager, said, “Lance had a scheduling conflict come up and he regrettably cannot
participate in the event.” As reported Floyd Landis will start at the Leadville Trail.
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| No duel between Landis and Armstrong (picture: Cyclingheroes) |
Breschel
okay despite heavy Crash
Matti Breschel was unfortunate enough to crash
Thursday at the Ouverture to the six days race in Copenhagen, but the young Danish rider was examined at a hospital directly
afterwards, and fortunately things are looking up.
"Nothing is broken and eventhough my back is hurting and I'm beaten
up pretty good, it does not stop me from training at full effect, so that's good," Breschel said Friday.
Breschel opened
last season with a serious injury to the back and a long break to follow.
"I have a bit of experience with injuries
to the back now, but the pain comes from a different place this time, so that is comforting," said Breschel who also points
out, that he won't be riding on the track again.
"I have tried that now, and it really didn't go too well," he laughs.
He actually crashed twice but didn't really get hurt the first time.
The 22-year old Dane has been training for the
new season for quite a while as he will begin racing in Tour Down Under in January. He hopes to ride fast directly off the
bat.
"I am always searching for victories, but we have three Australian riders on the team, so of course we would like
to get them some victories," Breshel says and hints at Stuart O'Grady, Matthew Goss and Luke Roberts.
Bernhard Eisel Austrian rider of the year
Bernhard Eisel of FdJeux has been voted Austria's
"Cyclist of the Year" for 2006. The 25 year-old, who rides for T-Mobile in the coming season, won the poll of Austrian sports
journalists.
Outgoing T-Mobile rider Bernhard Kohl, and his future Gerolsteiner team
mate René Haselbacher polled second and third place respectively.
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| Bernhard Eisel - Rider of the year (picture: Cyclingheroes) |
Rudie Kemna talks about the 2007 Skil-Shimano team riders
The Skil-Shimano team of riders for next season is 25 strong, with thirteen Europeans, nine Japanese and
three Chinese. That’s four more than last season. Team leader Rudie Kemna is happy with the extra riders. ‘It’s
good because we have a fairly full programme. With more riders you can find a better balance between resting, working and
moral. Because that’s often what makes the difference in elite sport.’ Kemna runs down the European riders in
the second issue of WielerMagazine (www.wielermagazine.nl).
Maarten den Bakker
‘I have a very high opinion of Maarten. I’ve asked him
to come and ride for us a couple of times. Now he will and I’m delighted about that. I think he’s far from being
over the hill and that he can be of enormous value, especially on climbs. It’s good for young riders to have someone
with Maarten’s experience in the closing stages of a race.’
Floris Goesinnen
‘Floris
has an outstanding attitude and a great deal of talent, but he still has to mature. He can handle the classics and the stage
races in the hills. I think he can finish high in the classification, although he’s not a time rider. He works hard
and he can go through the pain barrier.’
Piet Rooijakkers
‘Piet
is a model rider. He is very serious about his job and I think it’s great to work with him. He’s grown strongly
after a difficult start and an injury. I recommended him to the national coach for the World Championships, but he didn’t
rate him. I predict that Piet will become a regular in Dutch cycling over the next few years.’
Albert
Timmer
‘He was still an inconspicuous rider at Löwik two years ago, but Albert has developed well. He has
the same serious attitude as Piet Rooijakkers. Albert is good in the hills and in the tough races, but he is a bit more vulnerable
in the intervals. He has talent, but he still has to develop body.’
Maarten Tjallingii
‘I
met him five years ago in a criterium in Germany. I was with him in the leading group and spoke to him in English because
he had a Marco Polo shirt on. He impressed me and I’ve been following him ever since. Maarten has a lot of promise.
He can do everything except sprinting. His record says it all. He has the advantage of still being fresh and enthusiastic.’
Kenny
van Hummel
‘A real fighter. Kenny wants to prove himself, but he doesn’t always manage to. Sometimes
you just need time to develop. Kenny is an out-and-out sprinter; he’s a bit like me in that. He is very willing and
able. An elite sportsman will often not give himself much time, but don’t forget that he’s only just finished
his first year as a pro.’
Aart Vierhouten
‘The Skil lynchpin.
Aart’s input is invaluable. He is the team leadership’s representative. He combines experience, talent and power.
And he works closely with the other riders. Aart is able to convey the tactics to the others in a very convincing way at decisive
moments, which is important.’
Paul Martens
‘Paul himself doesn’t
even realise how talented he is. He’s powerful. He’s from eastern Germany so he’s used to long endurance
training sessions. He’s good in time trials, provided there are no bends. When he wins he does it on his own at the
end of a tough race. I want him to do more interval training. And there’s a lot more to come when he starts riding tactically
and learns to save himself.’
Christoph Meschenmoser
‘Christoph relies on his work ethic.
He gets the most out of what he has. He isn’t a specialist, but he is in a position to get more out of the other riders.
That’s why I like to have him in the big races. He’s a genuine team-player; someone who’s relaxed and who
takes the time to look around.’
Christian Müller
‘Good in time trials. And if you are
good at that then you can do a lot more, because it means you have substance. He has dedicated himself to time trials, but
there’s potential in other areas too. If you want to do well in a stage race you have to ride attentively and aggressively,
and you have to be able to sprint a little.’
Fabien Bacquet
‘A pedigree sprinter.
A short, stocky little guy who’s a complete fanatic. A la Hans Dekkers. That fanaticism comes out in the way he speaks.
We were looking for another good speedy guy in addition to Kenny and in him we have one, even though he’s only 20.’
David Deroo
‘David has made a name for himself as a hungry rider. He had a trial with us
and it was striking how eager he was to learn. And he wants to adapt and belong to the team. He’s a young lad who is
best suited to the hills. We are going to work on improving his time riding.’
Clément Lhotellerie
‘A
Sebastian Langeveld type. Self-aware. Someone who knows very well what he wants and where he wants to do it. Langeveld was
easy to work with because he did what he said he would. Hopefully Clément can do that too. He’s good in the hills and
he can ride time trials. He has talent in spades, but he will have to develop.’
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| Paul Martens won this years Sparkassen Münsterland Giro (picture: Cyclingheroes) |
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