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15.06.2007/ Dauphiné Libéré: Moreau with second stage win, Basso verdict: two years
suspension, Toyota- Untited for Austin Criterium, Lampre for Tour de Suisse, T-Mobile for Tour de Suisse, World premiere at
Tour de Suisse: Limar builds the world's lightest helmet, Volksbank at Tour de Suisse
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
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.
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 June 2007 will receive a picture in 20 X 30 CM format with original handwritten
autograph of Michael Boogerd.
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Picture gallery: Giro d'Italia stage 13, Biella - Santuario Di Oropa, 13 km ITT (3 pages)
Picture gallery: Giro d'Italia stage 15, Trento - Tre Cime di Lavaredo/Auronzo (3 pages)
Picture gallery Giro d'Italia stage 17, Lienz - Monte Zoncolan (3 pages)
Picture gallery: Giro d'Italia stage 21, Vestone - Milano (3 pages)
New: Eisel with second win at Triple Crown
New: Vandenbroucke : back to Belgium?
Dauphiné
Libéré: Dauphiné
Libéré: Moreau with second stage win
Christophe Moreau (AG2R) is enjoying this years Dauphiné Libéré - two days after winning stage 2, the 36-year-old
French rider conquered the legendary Mont Ventoux to win Thursday's crucial fourth stage of the Criterium du Dauphiné Libere.
On the race's first mountain stage Moreau latched onto an attack by Sylvester Szmyd (Lampre) midway up the Ventoux,
before dropping Polish rider Szmyd and take a solo victory at the end of the relentless steep 21 km-long climb.
Andrey Kashechkin (Astana) finished toward the back of a select group of 15 riders just over a minute back, and now
moves to the top of the GC, after overnight leader Vinokourov announced that he would take a day off and rolled
in a full 7'21" off the pace.
Moreau's team mate at AG2 R, Sylvain Calzati was the main actor in the 197 km stage, the French rider attacked soon
after the start of the stage in Hauterives, and was quickly joined by Stephane Auge (Cofidis), Cedric Vasseur (Quickstep)
and Frederik Willems (Liquigas).
The breakaway group built up a lead that grew to over 11 minutes over the
middle section of the stage, though that came down to just over seven minutes before the climb to the top of the
Ventoux started.
Calzati dropped the rest of his breakaway companions as they tackled the first section of the Ventoux,
and Auge was the first to be caught by Szmyd and Moreau with 10 kilometres to go.
Meanwhile Kashechkin was
the sole Astana rider in the select group of 20 riders chasing down Calzati.
Szmyd and Moreau attacked out of the chasing
group, as they rapidly cut the gap to Calzati, before eventually overhauling the Frenchman with 3 kilometres remaining. That
was the cue for Moreau to attack again, and he surged clear of Szmyd to open up a lead that saw him through to the finish.
Euskaltel's
Igor Anton had jumped clear of the chasing group to roll in third, followed by Cadel Evans and Denis Menchov at the front
of the lead group.
Moreau is now second overall in the standings behind Kashechkin. Rabobank's Denis Menchov came in fifth
and is now third in the overall.
"Denis first played
a waiting game. It was not a matter of incapability, but more a matter of rest and deliberation. He did that well," Rabobank
Sports Director Erik Breukink said. There was a strong wind at the Mont Ventoux: "That wind was the primary reason for
us not to let Denis force anything in the finale. There are still some great days coming up in the Dauphiné and he is now
in a very good position," Breukink concluded.
David Zabriskie
was in fifth place overall after an 11th place in the stage, Chris Anker Sĝrensen and Volodymir Gustov also placed themselves
among the top-20 to give Team CSC the team classification lead.
"We managed
to create an ideal set-up for ourselves, because both Dave, Chris and Volodymir turned out to have great legs today. It was
a tremendous effort by all three and it opens up some exciting possibilities. In tomorrow's stage we might see a break lasting
all the way home, so we'll have to keep our guys together ahead of the two final stages," said CSC Sports Director Alain Gallopin.
Friday's 195km fifth stage is a rolling mid-mountain affair that takes
the riders from Nyons to Digne-les-Bains.
Results
Stage 4
1 Christophe
Moreau (Fra) Ag2r Prévoyance 5.51.52 (33.592 km/h)
2
Sylvester Szmyd (Pol) Lampre-Fondital
1.08
3 Igor Antón (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
1.21
4 Cadel Evans (Aus) Predictor-Lotto
1.51
5 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank
6 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
1.56
7 Manuel Beltrán (Spa) Liquigas
8 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Discovery Channel
9 Leonardo Piepoli (Ita) Saunier Duval-Prodir
10 Alberto Contador (Spa) Discovery Channel
2.00
General
Classification after stage 4
1 Andrey
Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana
16.17.21
2 Christophe Moreau (Fra) Ag2r Prévoyance
0.14
3 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank
0.25
4 Cadel Evans (Aus) Predictor-Lotto
0.26
5 David Zabriskie (USA) Team CSC
6 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Discovery Channel
0.53
7 Sylvain Chavanel (Fra) Cofidis
1.50
8 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
3.15
9 Alberto Contador (Spa) Discovery Channel
10 Manuel Beltrán (Spa) Liquigas
3.34
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| Christophe Moreau took the 4th stage (picture: Cyclingheroes) |
Basso verdict: two years suspension
The Italian Cycling Federation (FCI) sentenced Ivan Basso with a ban of two years. The federation punished Basso harder
than the advice that was given by the Italian anti-doping authorities (CONI). CONI earlier gave an advice to sentence the
winner of the 2006 Giro d'Italia with a ban of 21 months.
Earlier today Basso said: "I know I made mistakes and I deserve a penalty. The former rider of CSC and Discovery
Channel continued by saying: "But i want to be punished for what I did and not for what has been published [by the media]
about me. I want a fair penalty."
Basso's lawyer told the disciplinary commission of the FCI that his client was never caught and confessed but it seems
that the words of Basso's lawyer did not impress the members of the commission.
Ivan Basso wants to continue his career after his ban: "You always need a goal in life," Basso said after the hearing.
"I love the sport and started riding with six years old."
Earlier today cyclingnews.com reported that the UCI wrote a letter to the Italian federation in which the World Cycling
Federation wrote that a ban of 21 months is not possible and announced they would go to the international Sports court (TAS/CAS)
to appeal in case the FCI would not give Basso the maximum sentence of a two year ban.
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| Ivan basso during last years Giro d'Italia (picture: Cyclingheroes) |
Toyota- Untited for Austin Criterium
The Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team will field one of the strongest squads for Saturday’s 2007 AT&T
Austin Downtown Criterium, the fourth race of the USA Crits Series.
Toyota-United’s lineup for the 70-minute
race consists of Serbian national champion Ivan Stevic, Australian Tour de France veteran Henk Vogels, former Mexican national
champion Jose Manuel “Chepe” Garcia and former Australian Under 19 national champion Sean Sullivan.
The
four are responsible for five of Toyota-United’s 21 victories this season. Stevic scored one of the team’s most
impressive wins on Stage 2 of the Tour de Georgia when he soloed over the top of Clocktower Hill in Rome, Ga., to notch the
only victory by a domestic team at the ProTour race.
Toyota-United has been ranked either first or second all season
in the National Race Calendar team standings. In addition to its 21 wins, the team has more than 60 podium finishes (first,
second or third placings) to its credit and is rapidly closing in on the 100-win mark in just its second season as a professional
cycling team.
Vogels was Toyota-United’s best finisher in Philadelphia, placing 13th. He was one of a number
of racers that were delayed by a crash a couple hundred meters from the finish line.
“It’s frustrating
when you ride six hours and everything comes unglued in the last kilometer,” Sullivan said about the end to the 156-mile
(251 km) race that was won by former Toyota-United rider Juan Jose Haedo.
At the last USA Crit Series race in Arlington,
Va., June 2, Stevic narrowly lost the sprint to Rashaan Bahati (Rock & Republic Cycling Team). Toyota-United did not field
any riders for the first two races of the series.
Lampre for Tour de Suisse
Damiano Cunego will be Lampre-Fondital’s captain for Tour de Suisse
(16-24 of June). The Blue-fucsia cyclist comes back to races after the 5th place obtained in Giro d’Italia: he will
be assisted by the following team mates: Alessandro Ballan, Daniele Bennati, Marzio Bruseghin, David Loosli, Marco
Marzano, Daniele Righi and Paolo Tiralongo. Sports Directors will be Piovani and Vicino.
"I finished Giro d’Italia with an increasing fit and, since I
confirmed my intention of not take part in Tour de France, I thought it could be interesting try to use my condition in a
race with a tough parcour," Cunego explained. "After the Giro d’Italia, I took part in three Criteriums and then I trained
in a quite intense way: I think my condition will permit me to realize good performances in Suisse. After this race I will
take part in National Championship and then I will rest for some weeks," Cunego concluded.
"For sure Damiano can do good things in Suisse," Saronni commented.
"Because of his participation we had to change something in the team, adding some cyclists that could help him in the climbs."
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| Damiano Cunego during this years Giro d'Italia (picture: Heinz Zwicky, www.radsport.ch) |
T-Mobile for Tour de Suisse
From the Pyrenees to the Swiss Alps – T-Mobile’s core Tour squad step up their preparations
for the summer showcase at the 71st edition of the Tour de Suisse from Saturday (16 - 24.06). Five of the eight starters in
Switzerland spent last week at a training camp in the Pyrenees to test their climbing legs and preview what lies ahead in
July – now they can ramp up their preparations in the white heat of racing.
Spearheading the T-Mobile roster
at the Swiss climb-festival is team captain Michael Rogers - two years ago Rogers came very close to the overall win in Switzerland,
only losing yellow to Aitor Gonzalez on a dramatic final stage. On the back of his fine second overall at the Tour of Catalonia,
the Australian is in relaxed mood ahead of the next big step in his build-up to ‘Le Tour’.
"I want to keep
on building my Tour form by getting the hard race kilometres into the legs that I will need in France," says Rogers, who won’t
focus on the GC in Switzerland. "I will certainly go out to try and win a stage or two in Switzerland. I will be paying less
attention to the GC."
Team mate Linus Gerdemann has shown his best form at the Tour de Suisse in past years, placing seventh overall
last year and taking a solo stage win there as a neo-pro in 2005. Runner-up that day was Lorenzo Bernucci, then in the colours
of Fassa Bortolo but now lining up on Saturday alongside Gerdemann.
Sporting director Valerio Piva and Brian Holm will
also be looking to Patrik Sinkewitz to show his form in Switzerland. The ‚Henninger-Turm’ winner has the climbing
qualities to figure at the business-end of stages in what will be a super-tough week of racing. „I will have to see
his it goes, maybe I can make a podium place,“ says Sinkewitz.
Rounding out the magenta roster are the Italian
veteran Giuseppe Guerini, Luxemburg champion Kim Kirchen and the classics specialists Marcus Burghardt, Roger Hammond and
Andreas Klier.
With four summit finishes in nine days, plus two time trials, the organisers have designed a super-tough
race geared towards climbing specialists and all-rounders. Even the three stages that don’t finish at the top of hills
– stages two, five and six – both have tough climbs to contend with en route.
The world’s fourth
biggest stage-race kicks off with a 3.8 Kilometre prologue in Olten, and if the final GC picture is not conclusively decided
on the climbs along the way, then all will be settled by a grandstand 34.2 km TT finale in Berne.
For any sprinters
brave enough to start this climb-fest, stage two from Olten to Luzern will be their only chance to shine. All 20 ProTour teams
will be at the start line, with the only wildcard going to Austrian Continental team Volksbank.
T-Mobile for Tour de Suisse: Markus Burghardt (23), Linus Gerdemann (24), Giuseppe Guerini (37/Italy), Roger
Hammond (33/Great Britain), Kim Kirchen (28/Luxembourg), Andreas Klier (31), Michael Rogers (27/Australia), Patrik Sinkewitz
(26).
Sports Directors: Valerio Piva (48/Italy) and Brian Holm (44/Denmark)
World premiere at Tour de Suisse: Limar builds the world's lightest helmet
When the 71st edition of the Tour de Suisse starts in Olten on June 16, the eight riders of the Team Volksbank
will be part of a world premiere. Right in time before the start of the ProTour-event, the Italian helmet manufacturer Limar
delivers its newest development: the world's lightest helmet. Only 180 grams is the weight of the state of the art. For this
reason, the Limar PRO104, that's the name of Glomser & Co's new head protection, is the first helmet to be lighter than
200 grams. "The helmet will be in stores from the middle of July", team captain and material scout Harald Morscher knows.
"The first 20 pieces have been exclusively and solely manufactured for the Team Volksbank."
Thanks to the extremely
solid InMould-construction, the flyweight meets the highest safety standards. 22 big air vents assure an optimal ventilation,
micrometric size regulation excellent comfort.
It's no surprise that the world's lightest helmet is a Limar helmet.
The Italians have been in business for 30 years now and class among the pioneers concerning cycle helmets. What started in
the 80ies MTB-boom soon became a vision for road racing. Not least because of the UCI's recommendation in 1992, the way was
paved for cycle helmets in professional cycling. The Italian legend Gianni Bugno made the helmet popular among the professional
riders, who relied on helmets in 1993 - and who for sure was wearing Limar. Together with Gianni Bugno, the prototype of the
modern helmet was developed at Limar. It had a weight of 230 grams and beared Bugno's name, the "Limar GBWinner". Despite
the progressive development of this helmet, it didn't meet the high requirements of Bugno and Co. At the Tour of Flanders
1994, the Italian was wearing an improved, 210 grams light and better ventilated helmet, the Limar F104. In a thrilling photo-finish,
Bugno beat classics legend Johan Museeuw. The rest is history.
Most of the knowledge of those days become useless since
the standards for helmets got higher and higher. Because of new processes, that were introduced in order to meet all requirements,
the weight of helmets rised to 290 grams again.
Finally the company Limar became one of the pioneers of the new InMould-technique,
where the shell and the polystyrene are just one single piece. So the helmets not only became more shapely, they also had
a better structure and a weight of 250 grams. After this leap, Limar started to perform new test for InMould-processing. Standards
met with InMould could have never been met with any of the old techniques. So the new, ultra leightweight Limar PRO104, the
world's lightest helmet.
The PRO104 now has its debut at the Tour de Suisse, naturally in a neat, blue-white teamline
design. Exclusively built for the Team Volksbank - and from the middle of July available for everybody for an also minimalist
price of 99 Euros.
Volksbank for Tour de Suisse
For the first time an Austrian team will take part at one of the big 4 tours. Team Volksbank will start at
this years Tour de France with 4 Austrian, 1 German, 1 Polish and 2 Swiss riders. Gerrit Glomser and Florian Stalder will
lead the Austrian team at the Tour de Suisse. "We are well prepared, the riders are ready and know what they will have to
face," Sports Director Patrick Vesch said. Vesch continued by saying: "We have respect but we are not affraid and we won't
hide."
Glomser, who was 16th in the overall of the 2001 edition of the Swiss Tour said: "I will not commit myself
on a rang but I have enough selfconfidence to put my goals high. It's better to keep a low profile and
surprise later," the two time winner of the Tour of Austria said. "I have a good form and I want to continue the upward trend.
Swiss rider Florian Stalder said: When I can trigger my training results I don't have to worry. Lastly I rode
on a high level," the former Phonak pro said. "But my home tour is very special for me. I will give all I got to represent
the team with dignity and decncy in Switzerland. I think we have the potential to take care of one or more surprises," Stalder
said.
Volksbank for Tour de Suisse: Josef Benetseder (Aut), Gerrit Glomser (Aut), Pascal Hungerbühler (Sui), Andreas
Matzbacher (Aut), Harald Morscher (Aut), Florian Stalder (Sui), René Weissinger (Ger), Mariusz Witecki (Pol)
Sports Directors: Patrick Vetsch (Sui) Assistent Sports Directors: Mario Beccia (Ita), Thomas Kofler (Aut)
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