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12.04.2007/ Tour of Basque country: Vicioso won third stage,
Henk Vogels: "Nice to get back in the winners circle", Circuit de la Sarthe: Klöden wins ITT and is wearing
yellow, Gent-Wevelgem: Burghardt & Hammond with one-two for T-Mobile,
Efimkin, Hunter and Guidi in Belgium and Holland for a test before the northern classics, Rabobank for Paris
- Roubaix
Mailbox - win a picture in poster format with Original Autograph of Michael Boogerd
Letterbox: You can send your letters with ideas, comments and other things you would like to let us and
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and country.
Please note: your letter should not be longer than 350 words. The editor choose every month "The letter of the month".
The writer of the best letter in April 2007 will receive a picture in 20 X 30 CM format with original handwritten
autograph of Michael Boogerd.
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Dave Shields about Saul Raisin: "The story of his fight to return to pro cycling is mind boggling"
Picture gallery: Tour of Flanders, April 8, 2007
Picture gallery Cologn Classic - Rund um Köln, April 9, 2007
New: Henk Vogels: "Nice to get back in the winners circle"
Tour of Basque country: Vicioso won third stage
Saunier Duval did not succeed in defending their number one and two spots in the general
classification in Vuelta Ciclista a Pais Vasco, when a group was allowed to escape and Angel Vicioso (Relax-GAM) took both
the stage and the leader's jersey as a result of the 174-kilometer third stage from Karrantza to Vitoria-Gasteiz.
The
break consisted of 12 riders and among them was Quick Step's Bram Tankink, who took the second place, but with more than to
minutes to Vicioso. Jens Voigt was also in the break, but was dropped on the last climb and finished in ninth place - just
under a minute after Vicioso.
"The pace was ferocious the whole day and Vicioso really deserved to win, because he
was extremely strong out there," said Team CSC's sports director Kim Andersen after the stage.
"On our part it was
a good day. We took part in all the action at the beginning of the stage, so that was very positive. Of course it was less
positive that Jens was dropped at the end, but there was nothing he could do, because they were just too fast and he wasn't
feeling all that strong today," concluded Andersen.
Results
stage 3 Tour of Basque Country
1 Ángel Vicioso (Spa) Relax-GAM
4.04.06 (42.65 km/h)
2 Patxi Vila (Spa) Lampre-Fondital
3 Iker Camaño (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir
4 Hubert Dupont (Fra) Ag2r Prévoyance
5 Bram Tankink (Ned) Quickstep-Innergetic
6 Isidro Nozal (Spa) Karpin-Galicia
7 José Lui Rubiera (Spa) Discovery Channel
0.03
8 Morris Possoni (Ita) Lampre-Fondital
0.05
9 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC
0.58
10 Iker Flores (Spa) Fuerteventura-Canarias
11 Jurgen Van de Walle (Bel) Quickstep-Innergetic 1.49
12 Dario
Cioni (Ita) Predictor-Lotto
13 Alessandro Spezialetti (Ita) Liquigas
2.40
14 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Crédit Agricole
15 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Relax-GAM
16 Grischa Niermann (Ger) Rabobank
17 Bobby Julich (USA) Team CSC
18 Vladimir Miholjevic (Cro) Liquigas
19 Nicki Sørensen (Den) Team CSC
20 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Unibet.com
21 Michael Barry (Can) T-Mobile
22 Constantino Zaballa (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
23 Assan Bazayev (Kaz) Astana
24 Benoît Poilvet (Fra) Crédit Agricole
25 Alexandr Kolobnev (Rus) Team CSC
General classification after stage 3 Tour of Basque Country
1 Ángel Vicioso (Spa) Relax-GAM
12.39.58
2 Bram Tankink (Ned) Quickstep-Innergetic
2.00
3 Juan José Cobo (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir
2.14
4 José Angel Gomez Marchante (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir 2.20
5 Manuel Beltrán (Spa) Liquigas
6 Tadej Valjavec (Slo) Lampre-Fondital
2.29
7 Koldo Gil (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir
8 Joaquím Rodríguez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
2.31
9 Samuel Sánchez (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
10 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner
11 Fränk Schleck (Lux) Team CSC
2.33
12 José Antonio Redondo (Spa) Astana
2.35
13 Damiano Cunego (Ita) Lampre-Fondital
2.37
14 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
2.41
15 Oscar Sevilla (Spa) Relax-GAM
2.43
16 Giampaolo Caruso (Ita) Lampre-Fondital
2.54
17 Antonio Colom (Spa) Astana
3.04
18 Bernhard Kohl (Aut) Gerolsteiner
3.11
19 Danilo Di Luca (Ita) Liquigas
3.15
20 Mikel Astarloza (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
3.20
21 Cadel Evans (Aus) Predictor-Lotto
22 Iker Camaño (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir
3.23
23 Stefan Schumacher (Ger) Gerolsteiner
3.30
24 Alexandre Botcharov (Rus) Crédit Agricole
3.46
25 Michael Rogers (Aus) T-Mobile
Henk Vogels: "Nice to get back in the winners circle"
Henk Vogels left the Belgian Davitamon-Lotto team to join Toyota-United this season. Cyclingheroes spoke
with Robbie McEwen's former lieutnant about racing in the USA and his first victory for Toyota-United. During the
Tour de Georgia Cyclingheroes will publish a riders diary of Henk Vogels.
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| Henk Vogels interview with Cyclingheroes (picture: Toyota-United) |
Circuit de la Sarthe: Klöden wins ITT and is wearing yellow
Andreas Klöden won the individual time trial at the Circuit de la Sarthe. Klöden needed 10'12" for
the 8.8 kilometer long ITT in the city of Angers. Klöden was 2" faster than Bradley Wiggins. Klöden also took over the
lead of the general classification and could win his second stage race this year after winnint Tireno-Adriatico last month. Klöden
told reporters after the race: "The lead is not big but we have a strong team here and I hope to be able to keep the lead
untill the end of the race."
In the early hours Paride Grillo (Ceramica Panaria-Navigare) won the morning stage (2A).
Results stage 2A Circuit de la Sarthe
1 Paride Grillo (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare
2.30.58 (39.66 km/h)
2 Robert Förster (Ger) Gerolsteiner
3 Jean-Patrick Nazon (Fra) AG2r Prévoyance
4 Anthony Ravard (Fra) Agritubel
5 Ariel Maximimiliano Richeze (Arg) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare
6 Christopher Sutton (Aus) Cofidis-Le Crédit par Téléphone
7 Adam
Wadecki (Pol) Ceramica Flaminia
8 Antonio Bucciero (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare
9 Fabien Bacquet (Fra) Skil-Shimano
10 Gianluca Geremia (Ita) Ceramica Flaminia
11 Angelo Furlan (Ita) Crédit Agricole
12 Steven Tronet (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole
13 Andrus Aug (Est) Ceramica Flaminia
14 Magnus Backstedt (Swe) Liquigas
15 Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Française des Jeux
16 Stefano Boggia (Ita) Ceramica Flaminia
17 Jérémy Galland (Fra) Auber
18 Laurent Brochard (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
19 Mickael Delage (Fra) Française des Jeux
20 Freddy Bichot (Fra) Agritubel
21 Steven Cozza (USA) Team Slipstream
22 José Alberto Martinez (Spa) Agritubel
23 Giovanni Bernaudeau (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
24 Steve Chainel (Fra) Auber
25 David Derepas (Fra) Roubaix Lille Metropole
Results stage 2B Circuit de la Sarthe
1 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana
10.12 (51.73 km/h)
2 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Cofidis-Le Crédit par Téléphone
0.02
3 Magnus Backstedt (Swe) Liquigas
0.12
4 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas
0.16
5 Kilian Patour (Fra) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 0.18
6
Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Astana
0.20
7 Mattei Priamo (Ita) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare
8 Torsten Hiekmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner
9 Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) Française des Jeux
10 Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Française des Jeux
11 Markus Fothen (Ger) Gerolsteiner
0.22
12 Christophe Edaleine (Fra) Crédit Agricole
13 Sergiy Matveyev (Ukr) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare
14 Christophe Kern (Fra) Crédit Agricole
0.24
15 Piet Rooijakkers (Ned) Skil-Shimano
16 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) Agritubel
0.25
17 Maryan Hary (Fra) Cofidis-Le Crédit par Téléphone
0.26
18 Laurent Brochard (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
19 José Alber. Martinez (Spa) Agritubel
20 Matej Murgeli (Slo) Liquigas
0.28
21 Damien Monier (Fra) Cofidis-Le Crédit par Téléphone
22 Dimitri Champion (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
0.29
23 Simon Gerrans (Aus) AG2r Prévoyance
24 Markus Zberg (Swi) Gerolsteiner
25 Thomas Frei (Swi) Astana
0.30
General Classification after stage 2B
1 Andreas Klöden (Ger) Astana
7.11.52
2 Bradley Wiggins (GBr) Cofidis-Le Crédit par Téléphone
0.02
3 Kilian Patour (Fra) Team Slipstream powered by Chipotle 0.11
4
Magnus Backstedt (Swe) Liquigas
0.12
5 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas
0.16
6 Matthieu Ladagnous (Fra) Française des Jeux
7 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Astana
0.20
8 Torsten Hiekmann (Ger) Gerolsteiner
9 Benoît Vaugrenard (Fra) Française des Jeux
10 Markus Fothen (Ger) Gerolsteiner
0.22
11 Christophe Edaleine (Fra) Crédit Agricole
12 Sergiy Matveyev (Ukr) Ceramica Panaria-Navigare
13 Christophe Kern (Fra) Crédit Agricole
0.24
14 Piet Rooijakkers (Ned) Skil-Shimano
15 Nicolas Vogondy (Fra) Agritubel
0.25
16 Laurent Brochard (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
0.26
17 Maryan Hary (Fra) Cofidis-Le Crédit par Téléphone
18 José Alber. Martinez (Spa) Agritubel
19 Matej Murgeli (Slo) Liquigas
0.28
20 Damien Monier (Fra) Cofidis-Le Crédit par Téléphone
21 Dimitri Champion (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
0.29
22 Simon Gerrans (Aus) AG2r Prévoyance
23 Markus Zberg (Swi) Gerolsteiner
24 Thomas Frei (Swi) Astana
0.30
25 Paul Martens (Ger) Skil-Shimano
0.31
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| Andreas Klöden with another great win (Picture: Tim de Waele ) |
Gent-Wevelgem:
Burghardt & Hammond with one-two for T-Mobile
After knocking at the door for the entire spring campaign, Marcus Burghardt
(T-Mobile) smashed it down Wednesday with a thumping victory at the Gent-Wevelgem classic, soloing over the line a few
metres ahead of team mate Roger Hammond to record a perfect T-Mobile one-two in Belgium.
An overjoyed Marcus Burghardt said after the race: "It’s my biggest ever win, and my first pro win.
And for that to happen at a ProTour race makes it all the sweeter. It is the best possible outcome for me."
The 23-year-old Burghardt attacked from a five-man group that included recent Milan-Sanremo winner Oscar Freire
(Rabobank) and fellow top Spanish sprinter Francisco José Ventoso (Saunier Duval) just one kilometre from the finish line.
The
win owed much to the experience of Hammond, who contained the two dangerous Spaniards, allowing Burghardt to launch a devastating
attack 1300 metres from the line and open a decisive gap to win with ease.
"Before the final kilometre, Roger
pulled at the front of the group, leaving me the chance to pick my moment and launch my attack from the back of the group"
said Burghardt. “Faced with Freire you can only try to attack and avoid a pure sprint.”
Only
Freire had the legs to react, but with Hammond sitting on his wheel, marking him all the way, the Spaniard eventually accepted
the race was run and gave up the ghost, allowing runner-up Hammond the time and space to cross the line punching the air in
celebration of a perfect team performance.
On why the T-Mobile riders had made their advantage count in the five-man
group and the two Spaniards had not, Hammond quipped: "Because I gave it 100% for Marcus, and Ventoso didn't give it 100%
for his compatriot Freire."
How it unfolded
In perfect weather conditions Hammond, Florent Brard (Caisse
d'Epargne) and Christophe Mengin (Française Des Jeux) attacked in the first hour of racing, building up a lead that reaching
a maximum at 10'50" with 100 kilometres to go.
As the race approached the main difficulties, the Vidaigneberg, the
Rode Berg, Monteberg and finally the cobbled Kemmelberg climbs, the gap was brought down to five minutes.
However, a catastropic crash on the cobbled Kemmeberg descent threw the whole race up in the air, splitting
the peloton to pieces and blowing the wind right out of the chase.
French sprinter Jimmy Casper (Unibet.com) went
down hardest on the treacherous cobbles, and had to hospitalised. But he was just one of up to twenty riders to come a cropper.
When
the race settled down again, a six-man lead formed with Burghardt, Freire and Ventoso joining the Hammond trio. The sextet
worked hard well together to build a gap on the peloton led by Quickstep and CSC.
Hammond and Burghardt kept the pace
high, as did Freire, who was anxious to see a sprint. The tired Brard eventually had to let go and in the final five kilometres,
the break were down to five.
As the group approached the one kilometre to go banner, Ventoso tried to ride Burghardt
off the back of the break. But the powerful young German bided his time, waiting to launch his winning attack. When Freire
reacted it was too late; Burghardt had catapulted clear, and Hammond was sitting comfortably on the Spaniard's wheel. Burghardt
would stay clear to record his first pro win and a fantastic T-Mobile one-two.
Burghardt ready for Paris-Roubaix
Looking ahead to Sunday’s Paris-Roubaix, the lanky Burghardt quipped: “It’s a very different
race, 60 kilometres longer, and it has very different characteristics. It is also much harder, but I feel very strong and
will try to stay with the best riders for as long as possible.”
Results Gent-Wevelgem 2007
1 Marcus Burghardt (Ger) T-Mobile Team
4.52.14 (42.50 km/h)
2 Roger Hammond (GBr) T-Mobile Team
0.04
3 Oscar Freire Gomez (Spa) Rabobank
0.05
4 Francisco Ventoso (Spa) Saunier Duval-Prodir
0.06
5 Christophe Mengin (Fra) Française des Jeux
6 Robbie McEwen (Aus) Predictor-Lotto
0.15
7 Max van Heeswsijk (Ned) Rabobank
8 Baden Cooke (Aus) Unibet.com
9 Jose Joaquin Rojas (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
10 Alexandre Usov (Blr) AG2r Prévoyance
11 Thor Hushovd (Nor) Crédit Agricole
12 Olaf Pollack (Ger) Team Wiesenhof Felt
13 David Kopp (Ger) Gerolsteiner
14 Koen De Kort (Ned) Astana
15 Aaron Kemps (Aus) Astana
16 Juan Antonio Flecha Giannoni (Spa) Rabobank
17 Martin Elmiger (Swi) AG2r Prévoyance
18 Imanol Erviti (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
19 Luca Paolini (Ita) Liquigas
20 Franck Renier (Fra) Bouygues Telecom
21 Peter Wrolich (Aut) Gerolsteiner
22 Arnaud Coyot (Fra) Unibet.com
23 Nick Nuyens (Bel) Cofidis-Le Crédit par Téléphone
24 Stuart O’Grady (Aus) Team CSC
25 Fabio Baldato (Ita) Lampre-Fondital
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| Marcus Burghardt during last years Omloop Het Volk (picture: Cyclingheroes) |
Efimkin, Hunter and Guidi in Belgium and Holland for a test before the northern classics
Team Barloworld have had an excellent start to the season and hope their run of results
can continue in the prestigious Ardennes classics in the second half of April.
The recent victory in the Settimana
Lombarda in Italy by Alex Efimkin again showed the quality of the team and confirmed that the team is destined for a ever
more important position in professional cycling and deserve an invitation to this year's Tour de France. Team Barloworld is
determined they deserve a place in the sport's biggest race and especially pleased to be given a place in the Liege-Bastogne-Liege
and Fleche-Wallonne classics in Belgium.
This week the team will try and be at their best for the two classics by riding
two other races in northern Europe: the GP Cerami in Belgium on Thursday April 12 and then the Profronde van Drenthe in Holland
on Saturday April 14.
Directuer sportif Valerio Tebaldi will have a strong team for the two races, starting with Alex
Efimkin , who clearly showed he is on form with his Settimana Lombarda win. Also riding with the young Russian rider are Robert
Hunter, Giosuè Bonomi, Fabrizio Guidi, Diego Caccia, Paolo Longo Borghini and James Perry.
Another Team Barloworld
squad is also in action in Portugal this week, they started the Vuelta ao Alentejo yesterday. The team line-up
has changed slightly since originally being announced and will now include new world team pursuit champion Geraint Thomas,
Pedro Arreitunandia, John-Lee Augustyn, Ryan Cox, Enrico Degano, Hugo Sabido, Felix Cardenas and Kastantsin Siutsou.
The first raining stage of the Volta ao Alentejo (Santiago do Cacèm-Odemira - km. 151),
was won by Perez Rodriguez (Andalucia- Paul Versat), Felix Cardenas (Barloworld) came in third.
Rabobank for
Paris - Roubaix
Teamleaders
Frans Maassen and Adri van Houwelingen have selected eight riders for Paris – Roubaix, a ProTour classic which is scheduled
for coming Sunday. Maassen and Van Houwelingen will lineup Juan Antonio Flecha, Max van Heeswijk, Léon van Bon, Pedro Horrillo, Jan Boven,
Bram de Groot, Rick Flens and Dmitriy Kozontchuk.
The
Rabobank Cycling Team will have to do without Mathew Hayman. Yesterday, the Australian rider broke his elbow in Ghent –
Wevelgem.
Léon
van Bon is the most experienced rider in Sundays Rabobank Cycling Team. Van Bon will start in his twelfth Paris – Roubaix.
Four times, he was a top ten finisher. Jan Boven, Pedro Horrillo and Max van Heeswijk all will start for their seventh time
in the cobblestone classic.
Juan
Antonio Flecha carries the experience of three earlier editions of Paris – Roubaix. Last year, Flecha finished third
in Roubaix.
Dmitriy
Kozontchuk, Bram de Groot and Rick Flens will get their first start in Paris – Roubaix. Still, Kozontchuk is familiar
with the final of the race. In 2005, he won the under 23 edition of Paris – Roubaix after a solo of 80 kilometers.
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| Former Dutch champion Leon van Bon will start at Paris-Roubaix (picture: Cyclingheroes) |
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