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29.03.2007/ Vuelta a Castilla y Leon: Ventoso makes it two in a row!, Scarponi
won second stage Coppi e Bartali, Boonen ready for "De Ronde", Lampre for Criterium International, Klöden
and Vinokourov for Astana at Criterium International, Boogerd preparing for "De Ronde", Klier injured after
crash
Mailbox - win a nice surprise with Original Autograph of Jan Ullrich
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.
The editor choose every month "The letter of the month". The writer of the best letter in March 2007
will receive a nice surprise with original handwritten autograph of Jan Ullrich.
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Cyclingheroes Mailbox March 12
Saul Raisin: "Mom if I ever get back on a bike I want help people like me"
Vuelta a Castilla y Leon: Ventoso makes it two in a row!
Francisco Ventoso (Saunier Duval) was the fastest man
in stage 3 of the 22nd edition of Vuelta a Castilla y León, a 157km race from Salamanca to Valladolid. The Saunier Duval-Prodir
rider took his second straight victory in the Spanish event. Ventoso was the strongest in the final uphill stretch, in which
he outsprinted all his rivals.
Today, there was a small breakaway group that formed early
in the stage, including Adrian Palomares (Fuerteventura-Canarias), Luis Pérez (Andalucía-Cajasur) and Ivan Gilmartín (Vińa
Magna-Cropu). After more than 100 kilometres in the lead, they were caught by the chasing peloton, with Rubén Lobato working
for teammate Ventoso. The 24-year-old sprinter of Saunier Duval-Prodir, born in Reinosa, Cantabria, showed his skills in the
final kilometre, proving especially strong in the last 250 metres and grabbing his second victory this season and his sixth
in four years as a pro.
Today, the queen stage of the race will take the riders over 154
kilometres from Valladolid to first category Alto de Navacerrada, with the finish line on the mountain top.
Results stage 3 Vuelta a Castilla y Leon
1 Francisco Jose Ventoso (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir
3.26.04 (42.976 km/h)
2 Javier Benitez (Spa) Benfica
3 Jan Hruska (Cze) Relax-Gam
4 Patrick Calcagni (Swi) Liquigas
5 Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Caisse d'Epargne
6 Nikki Sörensen (Den) Team CSC
7 Mikel Artetxe (Spa) Fuerteventura-Canarias
8 Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team CSC
9 David Lopez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
10 Alberto Contador (Spa) Discovery Channel
11 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Relax-Gam
12 Marc De Maar (Ned) Rabobank
13 Egoi Martinez (Spa) Discovery Channel
14 José Azevedo (Por) Benfica
15 Manuel Beltran (Spa) Liquigas
16 Igor Anton (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
17 Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
18 Juan Jose Cobo (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir
19 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Discovery Channel
20 Joaquin Sobrino (Spa) Relax-Gam
21 Pablo De Pedro (Spa) Grupo Nicolás Mateos
22 Pieter Weening (Ned) Rabobank
23 William Walker (Aus) Rabobank
24 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Discovery Channel
25 Ivan Melero (Spa) Orbea
General Classification after stage 3
1 Vladimir Karpets (Rus) Caisse d'Epargne
7.12.06
2 Egoi Martinez (Spa) Discovery Channel
0.02
3 Florent Brard (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne
0.03
4 Francisco Jose Ventoso (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir
0.05
5 Alberto Contador (Spa) Discovery Channel
0.06
6 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Discovery Channel
0.10
7 Vladimir Miholjevic (Cro) Liquigas
0.18
8 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Discovery Channel
0.21
9 Thomas Danielson (USA) Discovery Channel
0.22
10 Ivan Basso (Ita) Discovery Channel 0.23
11 Juan Jose Cobo (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir
0.24
12 Santos Gonzalez (Spa) Karpin Galicia
13 Igor Anton (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
0.26
14 Nikki Sörensen (Den) Team CSC
15 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Relax-Gam
0.27
16 Pablo De Pedro (Spa) Grupo Nicolás Mateos
0.28
17 Manuel Lloret (Spa) Fuerteventura-Canarias
18 Sergio Paulinho (Por) Discovery Channel 0.32
19
Remmert Wielinga (Ned) Saunier Duval-Prodir
0.33
20 Jan Hruska (Cze) Relax-Gam
21 Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
0.34
22 David Lopez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
0.35
23 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank
0.37
24 Eloy Teruel (Spa) Grupo Nicolás Mateos
0.38
25 Gonzalo Rabunal (Spa) Karpin Galicia
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| Another ceremony for Ventoso (picture: Saunier Duval - Prodir) |
Scarponi won second stage Coppi e Bartali
Luca Pierfelici (Ita) of the Aurum Hotels team took over the lead in the general classification after Michele Scarponi
(Auqua & Sapone) won the second stage..
Results stage 2 Settimana Ciclista Internazionale
1 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Acqua & Sapone-Caffč Mokambo
4.28.00 (40.49 km/h)
2 Riccardo Riccň (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir
0.06
3 Michael Rogers (Aus) T-Mobile
4 Morris Possoni (Ita) Lampre-Fondital
5 Massimo Giunti (Ita) Miche
6 Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Barloworld
7 Mirco Lorenzetto (Ita) Milram
0.38
8 Luca Mazzanti (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare
9 Daniele Pietropolli (Ita) Tenax-Menikini
10 Raffaele Ferrara (Ita) Team LPR
11 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana
12 Sergey Lagutin (Uzb) Navigators Insurance
13 Josep Jufré (Spa) Predictor-Lotto
14 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Predictor-Lotto
15 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Lampre-Fondital
16 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Lampre-Fondital
17 Marco Marzano (Ita) Lampre-Fondital
18 Hubert Schwab (Swi) Quickstep-Innergetic
19 Luca Pierfelici (Ita) Aurum Hotels
20 Miculŕ De Matteis (Ita) Tenax-Menikini
21 Andrea Noč (Ita) Liquigas
22 Evgeni Petrov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems
23 Cadel Evans (Aus) Predictor-Lotto
24 Pedro Arreitunandia (Spa) Barloworld
25 Emanuele Sella (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare
General classification after stage 2
1 Luca Pierfelici (Ita) Aurum Hotels
6.39.26
2 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Acqua & Sapone-Caffč Mokambo
0.02
3 Michael Rogers (Aus) T-Mobile
0.09
4 Riccardo Riccň (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir
0.20
5 Morris Possoni (Ita) Lampre-Fondital
0.31
6 Josep Jufré (Spa) Predictor-Lotto
0.36
7 Johan Van Summeren (Bel) Predictor-Lotto
8 Cadel Evans (Aus) Predictor-Lotto
9 Massimo Giunti (Ita) Miche
0.39
10 Mirco Lorenzetto (Ita) Milram
0.42
11 Kanstantsin Siutsou (Blr) Barloworld
12 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana
0.48
13 Daniel Navarro (Spa) Astana
14 Pavel Brutt (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems
0.51
15 Evgeni Petrov (Rus) Tinkoff Credit Systems
0.56
16 Andrea Noč (Ita) Liquigas
0.57
17 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas
18 Gilberto Simoni (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir
0.58
19 Hubert Schwab (Swi) Quickstep-Innergetic
1.03
20 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Lampre-Fondital
21 Paolo Tiralongo (Ita) Lampre-Fondital
22 Marco Marzano (Ita) Lampre-Fondital
23 Valerio Agnoli (Ita) Aurum Hotels
1.06
24 Cristian Gasperoni (Ita) Ceramica Flaminia
1.10
25 Mauricio Soler (Col) Barloworld
1.14
Boonen ready for "De Ronde"
Tom Boonen wants to win the Tour of Flanders for the third time in a row and he is on schedule. Yesterday
Boonen won the Flemish semi-classic Dwars Door Vlaanderen. The Blue Quickstep train demonstrated its power and dominated the
race completly. Kevin Hulsmans told sportwereld.be: "This was a demonstration." Kevin van Impe told the same Belgian website:
"We are simply good and than you get this."
Team manager Patrick Lefevere said: "We had everything under control."
Peter Van Petegem told sportwerld.be: I am riding for Quickstep. We race to win. I did what I hat to
do."
Boonen won on a new bike. Together with team supplier Specialized they (Quickstep and Tom Boonen)
develloped a frame adapted to the physical demands of the QSI sprinting bomb. "Toms upperbody is unique" said Quick.Step Innergetic
sportsdirector Wilfried Peeters. "Together with the sponsor and bicycle-dealer Specialized, we have develloped a frame perfect
for Toms measurements." Boonen to sportwereld.be: "After I crossed the finishline I made a gesture to the new creation. A
good one." Boonen continued by saying: "I did not have problems with my back today. Last week I felt serious pain at every
hill."
Boonen said about the difference between this years- and last years edition: Now I win, last year I did not
had the best legs in the final part of the race. I am not in despair for the coming weeks. Furthermore our team
is ready. We have a very strong block. That gives a lot of good hope for the coming weeks. We planned to take the race in
our hands as late as possible, but at some point we had to take our responsibility. In the sprint Nico Eeckhout accelerated.
I followed and jumped over him. I won a spring race that I have never won before."
CSC did very well in yesterdays Dwars door Vlaanderen. Stuart O'Grady climbed the podium in third place, while
Lars Michaelsen took the ninth place. Matti Breschel also did really well as part of a break, just as both Fabian Cancellara
and Allan Johansen made a great effort in the final phase of the race, where they both worked really hard in the front group
counting about 40 riders.CSC sports director Scott Sunderland said: "We did well today and every one stuck to the plan without
problems. It was great to see them all up front doing their thing. Unfortunately Kasper Klostergaard crashed about halfway
through, but he got back on his bike and completed the race. I'm very pleased with the effort put in by the whole team today,
and I think this is a sign that we'll be able to make some results in the oncoming races in Belgium and Holland."
Jeremy Hunt (Unibet.com) crashed after 80 kilometres. The Briton of Unibet.com got both his knees scraped
and decided to abandon the race. "The injuries aren't severe. Jeremy even returned to the team's hotel by bike after he quit
the race", said Unibet.com sports director Hilaire Van Der Schueren.
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| Tom Boonen won Dwars Door Vlaanderen (picture: Cyclingheroes) |
Lampre for Criterium International
The Criterium International will be the first race of Damiano Cunego after the Spanish races. With Cunego
Bono (Winner of the Queen stage at this years Tirreno-Adriatico), Caruso, Corioni, Loosli, Stangelj and Valjavec will
start at the French race. Martinelli and Piovani will be the sport directors. Martinelli said: "With Criterium
International for Cunego the second part of races begin that will bring him till Ličge-Bastogne-Ličge. The time trial
is another test, that Damiano will face without worries but with the aim to improve his performance in this speciality.
I think we will see again good things from Valjavec, who was great in this first part of the season."
Klöden and Vinokourov for Astana
at Criterium International
The Critérium International will be decided over two days, three stages
and 285.8 km. After Saturday’s first flat stage, the field will accomplish two semi-stages on Sunday:
a hill stage and a final individual time-trial in Charleville-Mézičres.
Andreas Klöden (GER) and Alexandre Vinokourov (KAZ), who finished
first and third respectively at the recent Tirreno-Adriatico, will both be at the start of
the Critérium International. The two of them have already been able to perform there in the past, Klöden
in 2003 and Vinokourov in 2001. In addition, the youngsters Julien Mazet (FRA), Alexey Kolessov
(KAZ) and Yevgeny Sladkov (KAZ) will be nominated and take the occasion to learn from their experienced
team-mates.
Astana for "Critérium International":
Thomas Frei (SUI), Andreas Klöden (GER), Alexey Kolessov (KAZ), Julien Mazet
(FRA), Andrey Mizurov (KAZ), Yevgeny Sladkov (KAZ), Alexander Vinokourov (KAZ) and Sergey Yakovlev (KAZ).
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| Andreas Klöden will start at this years Criterium International (picture: Tim De Waele) |
Boogerd preparing for "De Ronde"
Michael Boogerd did not start at yesterdays Dwars Door Vlaanderen. The current Dutch national
champion will start at this years Tour Of Flanders and want a good result at "De Ronde". Boogie trained yesterday and
road the final 130 kilometers of this years edition of the Tour of Flanders.
Rabobank sports director Erik Dekker joined him by car and told sportwereld.be: "Usefull, because
the re-designed final part. The new hill, the Eikenmolen was pretty surprising." Dekker makes clear that Boogerd has ambitions
at "De Ronde". "I can assure you Michael was going fast!" Dekker said. The former winner of the 1999 edition of the Amstel
Gold Race will start at Saturdays E3 Prijs and Sundays Brabante Pijl.
Klier injured after crash
Woe for T-Mobile - classics leader Andreas Klier suffered a broken cheekbone and concussion in a training
accident in Belgium on Wednesday. The 31-year-old hit the ground after crashing into a stationary
trailer at the road-side.
Klier is now being examined by a facial surgeon at the
University Clinic in Freiburg to determine the full extent of his injuries. A decision will then
be made on whether the cobbled specialist can return to training.
Klier himself is
not giving up hope of starting the Tour of Flanders on Easter Sunday - the German was runner-up to Tom Boonen at the 2005
Tour of Flanders, and had planned to peak again for next week's 'Ronde'.
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| Andreas Klier during last years Tour of Flanders (picture: Cyclingheroes) |
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