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03.05.2007/ Basso hearing adjourned, Fothen wins first stage
Tour de Romandie, Chris Baldwin third in Tour of the Gila's opening Time Trial, Sinkewitz won Henninger Turm, Rabobank with William Walker in Giro d’Italia
Mailbox - win a picture in poster format with Original Autograph of Michael Boogerd
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Henk Vogels Tour de Georgia riders diary: stage 7
Mancebo, Sevilla & Perez: "We are cyclists with heart and soul"
Jörg Jaksche is back!
New: Picture gallery Liège-Bastogne-Liège, April 29, 2007 (4 pages)
New: Danilo Di Luca wins "The most beautiful race in the world"
The CONI hearing involving Giro d'Italia champion Ivan Basso has been adjourned to a date still to
be decided. Last years winner of the Giro d'Italia has been accused of violating article 2.2 of the World Anti-Doping Agency
Code concerning "use or attempted use of a prohibited substance or a prohibited method."
CONI spokesman Fabio Filocamo told reporters: "I am sorry but we can't give away any more information
because the investigation is still ongoing." Filocamo coninued by saying: "Nothing special has happened but there is still
work to be done. It wouldn't be fair to reveal details of the investigation while we are still working on the case."
About Basso's behaviour: "He's got his line of defence but we can't complain about his behaviour and we
hope he's willing to collaborate in the future," Filocamo added.
Filicamo said there is no decision about DNA samples of Basso: "We still haven't faced the question of the
DNA testing. It's still to be decided by both parties but we've talked about it."
Earlier Aqua e Sapone rider Michele Scarponi was heard by CONI. Scarponi agreed to give a DNA sample. Scarponi
hopes to start at this years Giro d'Italia. Ivan Basso already announced that he won't defend his title at this years Giro
d'Italia
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| Ivan Basso is without a team now (Picture: Cyclingheroes) |
Fothen wins first stage Tour de Romandie
Markus Fothen (Gerolsteiner) won the first stage of the Tour de Romandie. On the day before Paolo Savoldelli
won the prologue of the Swiss Pro-Tour race.
After escaping from the peloton in the final kilometres with Francisco Perez (CEI), Fothen then edged out
the Spaniard over the final 200 metres, with the peloton breathing down their necks.
"It was very close," said Foethen after the race. "I knew the stage from last year's Tour de Suisse, so
I knew exactly where I had to attack." Fothen continued by saying: "Now I will see how the form is and
if its good, maybe I’ve a chance of a top place on GC."
The Tour de Romandie is a traditional warm-up for the Giro d'Itlia and yesterday's up-and-down course featured
two Cat. 1 and two Cat. 2 climbs and a total of 2320 meters of vertical climbing.
Laurent Brochard led an early four-man
break over all the category climbs, before Savoldelli's Astana team mates shut down the escape with 14 kilometres to go.
Astana worked hard to defend Paolo Savoldelli's overall lead: "Our tactics today were to control the race
and that's what we did. I'm happy to have kept the jersey because it was very cold today," Savoldelli said.
No sooner had the peloton regrouped than the next phase of attacks started. Perez attacked with Wim van Huffel (PRL)
with 11km to go, before dropping the big Dutchman and opening up a 18 second gap as he pressed on solo.
However, the
talented Fothen was able to bridge across to the Spaniard, and they worked well together to stay clear of the peloton in the
run-in. The duo still had a ten seconds gap when they went under the one kilometre-to-go banner, and after keeping the tactical
manoeuvrings to a minimum, Fothen had more in the tank to outsprint Perez, while also holding off the peloton.
More
climbing today
The climbing continues in the second stage on Thursday, with a rugged course that features one climb
each of category one and two. It is 166.9 km, from La Chaux-de Fonds to Lucens.
Results Tour de Romandie
Prologue
1 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Astana
4.35 (45.82 km/h)
2 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas
0.05
3 Chris Horner (USA) Predictor - Lotto
0.07
4 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana
0.09
5 Sandy Casar (Fra) Française des Jeux
0.10
6 Andrey Mizourov (Kaz) Astana
7 Brett Lancaster (Aus) Team Milram
0.11
8 Hubert Schwab (Swi) Quickstep - Innergetic
9 Rigoberto Uran (Col) Unibet.com
10 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Predictor - Lotto
11 Beat Zberg (Swi) Gerolsteiner
0.12
12 Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) Française des Jeux
13 David Zabriskie (USA) Team CSC
14 Alexander Khatuntsev (Rus) Unibet.com
15 Martin Elmiger (Swi) AG2r Prévoyance
0.13
16 Cadel Evans (Aus) Predictor - Lotto
0.14
17 Laszlo Bodrogi (Hun) Crédit Agricole
18 Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Liquigas
0.15
19 David Millar (GBr) Saunier Duval - Prodir
20 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Unibet.com
21 Danilo Napolitano (Ita) Lampre - Fondital
22 Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team CSC
23 Vladimir Miholjevic (Cro) Liquigas
0.16
24 Thomas Dekker (Ned) Rabobank
25 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Lampre - Fondital
Stage 1
1 Markus Fothen (Ger) Gerolsteiner
4.08.58
2 Francisco Perez Sanchez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
3 Joaquim Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
4 Mirco Lorenzetto (Ita) Team Milram
5 Cadel Evans (Aus) Predictor - Lotto
6 Leonardo Duque (Col) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone
7 Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team CSC
8 Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Liquigas
9 Andreas Dietziker (Swi) Team L.P.R.
10 Theo Eltink (Ned) Rabobank
11 Roger Beuchat (Swi) Team L.P.R.
12 Andrea Tonti (Ita) Quickstep - Innergetic
13 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Predictor - Lotto
14 Cristian Moreni (Ita) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone
15 Mikel Astarloza Chaurreau (Spa) Euskaltel - Euskadi
16 Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team
17 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Astana
18 Anthony Charteau (Fra) Crédit Agricole
19 Chris Horner (USA) Predictor - Lotto
20 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Unibet.com
21 Josep Jufre Pou (Spa) Predictor - Lotto
22 Steve Zampieri (Swi) Cofidis - Le Crédit par Téléphone
23 David Lopez Garcia (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
24 Florent Brard (Fra) Caisse d'Epargne
25 Ivan Santaromita (Ita) Quickstep - Innergetic
General Classification
after stage 1
1 Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) Astana
4.13.33
2 Roman Kreuziger (Cze) Liquigas
0.05
3 Markus Fothen (Ger) Gerolsteiner
0.06
4 Sandy Casar (Fra) Française des Jeux
0.07
5 Chris Horner (USA) Predictor - Lotto
6 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana
0.09
7 Francisco Perez Sanchez (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
0.10
8 Hubert Schwab (Swi) Quickstep - Innergetic
0.11
9 Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel) Predictor - Lotto
10 Beat Zberg (Swi) Gerolsteiner
0.12
11 Jussi Veikkanen (Fin) Française des Jeux
12 David Zabriskie (USA) Team CSC
13 Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
0.13
14 Cadel Evans (Aus) Predictor - Lotto
0.14
15 Patrick Calcagni (Swi) Liquigas
16 Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Liquigas
0.15
17 Laurens Ten Dam (Ned) Unibet.com
18 Karsten Kroon (Ned) Team CSC
19 Vladimir Miholjevic (Cro) Liquigas
0.16
20 Thomas Dekker (Ned) Rabobank
21 Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Lampre - Fondital
22 Oscar Pereiro Sio (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne
23 Mirco Lorenzetto (Ita) Team Milram
24 Andrea Tonti (Ita) Quickstep - Innergetic
25 Michael Barry (Can) T-Mobile Team
Chris Baldwin Third in Tour of the Gila’s Opening Time Trial
Led by Chris Baldwin’s third-place finish in Wednesday’s Dan Potts Memorial Tyrone Time Trial, five Toyota-United
Pro Cycling Team riders placed in the top 25 on the opening stage of the 21st annual Ben D. Altamirano Tour of the Gila.
Baldwin
finished one minute and 29 seconds behind Nathan O’Neil (Health Net presented by Maxxis), who won the 16.15-mile (26
km) race against the clock in 33 minutes and 13 seconds. Ben Jacques-Maynes (Priority Health Cycling Team) finished second,
1:15 behind O’Neil. Baldwin is the race’s defending champion.
The revelation of the opening day of the
five-day, five-stage, 339.1-mile (545.7 km) race was Toyota-United’s Stefano Barberi. Starting his second National Race
Calendar stage race of the season, the 5-foot-9 Brazilian finished 10th, 2:14 behind.
The third-year pro, who makes
his home in Boulder, Colo., already has one win to his credit this season. He captured the Stazio Criterium in Boulder on
March 25 and rode to a pair of runner-up finishes in challenging mountain road races in Colorado in mid-April.
"It’s
good to see him come out and have a good ride like that," Toyota-United Team Director Kirk Willett said.
Toyota-United’s
other placers Wednesday were: Burke Swindlehurst, 13th, 2:29 behind; Ivan Stevic, 17th, 2:48 behind; Justin England, 23rd,
3:03 behind; and Jose Manuel-Garcia, 38th, 3:49 behind. In the team standings, Toyota-United is second behind Health Net.
Willett said the cancellation of the Tour of Utah – originally scheduled for a late June start – has bolstered
the quality of competition in the 121-rider field.
"This is probably one of the deepest fields that have ever come
here," Willett said. "O’Neil will be very well-supported by his team and he’s been on form since the Tour de Georgia.
But this race has so much climbing and wind that anything can happen. We’re optimistic that our guys can climb well
and go after stage wins, which would move them up the general classification."
"Two Toyota-United riders who were penciled
in on the team’s original eight-man roster for the race did not start Wednesday. New Zealander Heath Blackgrove continues
to recover from a leg injury sustained in the Amgen Tour of California while American Chris Wherry was bothered by stomach
problems earlier this week," Willett said.
Thursday’s stage is the 94.1-mile (152.3 km) Silver City to Mogollon
Road Race, a race that finishes with a grueling 2,100-foot climb.
"The last five kilometers are really steep all the
way to the line," Willett said. "The course itself pretty much goes one direction (northwest). What we don’t know is
which way the wind will be blowing. The forecast is for it to be rather windy, so the race could be really wide open early."
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| Chris Baldwin grabbed a third place for Toyota-United (picture: Toyota-United) |
Sinkewitz
won Henninger Turm
T-Mobile's
Patrik Sinkewitz won the "Rund um den Henninger Turm" - Frankfurt GP semi-classic in Germany on Tuesday.
After
a 193-km route through the hilly Taunus region, the 26-year-old 'Sinki' moved clear of fellow breakaways Kurt Asle-Arvesen
(CSC) and Dario Cataldo (Liquigas) in the final kilometer to take an impressive solo win in front of his home public.
Sinkewitz
initially attacked a nine-man lead group with 8km to go and although he was caught by Norway’s Arvesen and Italy’s
Cataldo, he still had enough in the tank to surge clear on the Därmstadter Strasse finishing straight.
It was
just the tonic for Sinkewitz after a disappointing Ardennes Classics campaign where he failed to find his groove and repeat
his top placings of last season.
"It's a fantastic feeling. I absolutely wanted to win my home race at least
once in my career. Now I have done that," said Sinki.
“I didn’t enjoy the success I wanted in the
classics season this year - But now I have finished the spring season on a high. That makes me twice as happy.”
“At
the team-talk before the race, we reckoned that there would be no chance of a break staying away if Milram and Gerolsteiner
weren’t represented,” said 'Sinki' of the tactics. “But it didn’t work out that way, and then in the
finale I knew my only chance would be to attack!”
It was the 26-year-old Sinkewitz's first win of
the season and his biggest race win since he celebrated the overall at the Deutschland-Tour in 2004.
In an attacked-filled
race in sun-baked conditions, a 10-rider breakaway formed after 20km with no T-Mobile rider represented.
Keen
to change this situation and take the pressure of the chase off his magenta team mates, 'Sinki' was one of three riders who
successfully bridged across to the break with 80 km remaining.
As the going got tougher the lead group pared
down to nine riders on the second loop of the circuit through the hilly Taunus - and they enjoyed a 3’20 minute lead
as they crested the Mammolshain, with a severe 26% gradient, for the second time.
Behind them Milram (for three-time
winner Erik Zabel), Gerolsteiner, Wiesenhof-Felt and Unibet led a furious chase to bring the race to a bunch sprint - but
the breakaways held off the pack on the 40km run-in to the finish.
Sinkewitz launched his attack, on the second
of three final laps in downtown Frankfurt with 8km to go, but he was caught by Dario Cataldo and Kurt Asle-Arvesen. Undeterred
‘Sinki’ had another dig on the 900 metres long final stright, and this time he was able to shake off his rivals
and celebrate the race win on his home patch.
Rabobank
with William Walker in Giro d’Italia
Frans Maassen and Adri van Houwelingen, teamleaders of the Rabobank Cycling Team, have added
William Walker to the lineup of the Rabobank Cycling Team for the Giro d’Italia. Walker will replace Gerben Löwik, who
is hindered too much by an injury on his buttocks.
The
Rabobank Cycling Team for the Giro d’Italia will now be composed of: Mauricio Ardila, Graeme
Brown, Koos Moerenhout, Michael Rasmussen, Max van Heeswijk, Dmitriy Kozontchuk, Léon van Bon, Pedro Horrillo and William
Walker.
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| William Walker during lats weeks Fleche Wallonne (picture: Cyclingheroes) |
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