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03.08.2007/Tour of Denmark: Breschel took second stage and yellow jersey, Contador:
"I would have liked to have won in another way", Three trainees for T-Mobile, Corti calls for respect in memory of Ryan Cox.
His funeral will be held on Tuesday, Milram for Rund Um die Hainleite, Milram for Sparkassen Giro Bochum, T-Mobile for Clasica
San Sebastian
Will Relax-GAM receive Pro-Tour license?
Special Coverage Tour de France 2007
Sinkewitz: "It was a big mistake"- fired by T-Mobile
Iban Mayo positive for epo
New: Will Astana call it a day?
New: Ryan Cox dies after emergency surgery
New: Sinkewitz: Police raid
New: Picture gallery, Tour de France , Stage 16 , Orthez to Col d'Aubisque (5 pages)
New: In memoriam Picture gallery Ryan Cox
New: Axel Merckx will retire on Monday
Tour of Denmark: Breschel took second stage and yellow jersey
The young Danish Team CSC rider Matti Breschel showed excellent form, when he won the 197-kilometer second stage of Tour
of Denmark from Aars to Aarhus.
Breschel was in a group, which escaped 11 kilometers before the finish and which was
joined by Nicki Sørensen, who took the lead and set a furious pace at the front of the group. This meant a very favorable
situation for Team CSC at the end with two riders in a group of six and when the others were busy watching out for Sørensen,
Breschel made his move and delivered a tremendous sprint right in front of the main peloton, which was hot on the heels of
the escapees.
"Kim [Andersen, CSC Sport Director] knows every rock in this area so he guided the riders into position
so we had all of them up front in the peloton, when there was about 40 kilometers left, which is when Matti and Nicki made
the break. Still all our guys kept on working hard in order for the break to maintain a lead, so it was really great," said
CSC Sports Director Dan Frost and concluded:
"It was a well earned victory, because the team did great out there and
Matti managed to put the finishing touch to a brilliant day."
Results
Stage 2
1 Matti Breschel (Den) Team CSC
4.50.13 (40.32 km/h)
2 Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Liquigas
3 Lorenzo Bernucci (Ita) T-Mobile
4 Nicki Sørensen (Den) Team CSC
5 Denys Kostyuk (Ukr) Team Intel Action
6 Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Predictor - Lotto
7 Mark Cavendish (GBr) T-Mobile
0.06
8 Jens-Erik Madsen (Den) Team Designa Køkken
9 Kenny Lisabeth (Bel) Cho.Jacques-T.Vlaanderen
10 Art Vierhouten (Ned) Skil-Shimano
General Classification after stage 2
1 Matti Breschel (Den) Team CSC
8.46.12
2 Enrico Gasparotto (Ita) Liquigas
0.04
3 Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Liquigas
0.06
4 Lorenzo Bernucci (Ita) T-Mobile
5 Preben Van Hecke (Bel) Predictor - Lotto
0.07
6 Denys Kostyuk (Ukr) Team Intel Action
0.10
7 Nicki Sørensen (Den) Team CSC
8 Juan José Haedo (Arg) Team CSC
9 Martin Mortensen (Den) Team Designa Køkken
10 David Derod (Fra) Skil-Shimano
0.11
Contador: "I would have liked to have won in another way"
Tour de France winner Alberto Contador told Spanish radio station Cadena Ser that he
wasn't happy with the exclusion of Michael Rasmussen. Contador said: "I don't know what is really behind it but I know that
what should not be possible is to be told in the middle of the race that you can't participate when there was no problem at
the beginning," Contador told Cadena Ser.
The winner of this years editions of Paris-Nice and the Tour de France added: "I would
have liked to have won in another way."
In the interview 24 year old Contador rejected accusations made earlier this week by
German professor Werner Franke that he was involved in the Fuentes affair by pointing out he never failed a doping test.
Contador said: "Now you have to prove that you are innocent without being a culprit but
what you need to do is devote yourself to doing things well."
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| Alberto Contador during this years Tour de France (picture: Cyclingheroes) |
Three trainees for T-Mobile
The T-Mobile Team is continuing to put a strong focus on youth - the team has completed its squad with three
"guest riders" or "stagiaires" - Ian Stannard, Andrey Klyuev and Marcel Beima. The young trio will be used in selected events
between now and the end of the season. It will be a chance to test them in and give them an experience of real professional
conditions.
"Of course, we've been carefully watching these young riders for a certain time," says T-Mobile Sport Director,
Rolf Aldag. "When we introduce them to races in the coming weeks, we'll get a very good picture of what their present performance
levels are and whether on a character level they are suited to the team."
20-year-old Briton, Ian Stannard, like his
compatriot Mark Cavendish, has come from the T-Mobile Development Program under trainer Heiko Salzwedel. In 2006, he rode
for the Dutch second division team, Van Vliet. The former junior British time trial champion was a member of the British squad
that took part in the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. Stannard is currently competing with the T-Mobile Team in the Tour
of Denmark.
Marcel Beima, 23, from the Netherlands has up to now been competing with the Dutch team, Time-Van Hemert
(2006: 'ProComm-Van Hemert'). Completing the T-Mobile trio is Russian, Andrey Klyuev, 20, who has spent the last two years
competing for the Russian teams, Moskau Stars (2007) and Omnibike Dynamo Moskau (2006). His first ride for the T-Mobile Team
will be in the "Rund um die Hainleite" on Saturday.
Corti calls for respect in memory of Ryan Cox. His funeral will be held on Tuesday
Team Barloworld manager Claudio Corti will leave Italy on Sunday to travel to South Africa to attend Ryan
Cox 's funeral service, scheduled for Tuesday. The 28 year-old rider from South Africa died tragically on Wednesday following
complications after surgery to resolve an artery problem.
Corti has sadly noted the unfortunate polemic created by
the manager of an Italian team following Cox's death and wishes to respond.
"To ask the UCI to carry out an investigation
into the reason's for Cox's tragic death so soon and to do so without knowing anything about his physical problems is wrong.
It is very sad that people who do not know the facts are speculating about Cox's death," Corti said.
"As the management
of his team, we obviously want to understand what caused this tragic death but creating stupid theories and castings aspersions
is yet another evidence of the terrible atmosphere that has surrounded cycling in recent years and especially in recent months."
"I think it is important to respect the death of a young rider who died tragically at the age of just 28. I won't
say anymore because this is not the right time to begin arguments with people who are only looking to attract attention and
grab the headlines."
Ryan Cox will be remembered in South Africa on Tuesday but also in Italy on Sunday, with a special
bike ride from Como to the summit of the Madonna di Ghisallo. The ride will start at 8:00am and end at the Madonna del Ghisallo
cyclists' chapel at 10:00am. A short service of remembrance will be held in the chapel.
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| Ryan Cox before the start of Liège Bastogne Liège 2006 (picture: Cyclingheroes) |
Milram for Rund Um die Hainleite
On Saturday August 4, Team Milram starts at the classic race Rund um die Hainleite in Erfurt,
Germany(1.1). The race in Thueringen, which celebrates its 100st anniversary this year, leads over 182.1 kilometers.
After a long turn over about 140 kilometers, the race is often decided on the final five laps over 7.44
kilometers each. The crucial point is the climb over one kilometer to the Arnstaedter Hohle.
Milram for Rund Um die Hainleite:
Enrico Poitschke, Alessandro Petacchi, Fabio Sabatini, Niki Terpstra, Dennis
Haueisen, Sebastian Schwager, Bjoern Schroeder
Milram for Sparkasse Giro Bochum
On Sunday August 5, Team Milram starts at the Sparkassen-Giro in Bochum, Germany (1.1) with a selection of seven
riders. Part of the formation are Erik Zabel and Marcel Sieberg, who already finished the race on the podium. Last year, Erik
Zabel was third, Marcel Sieberg finished second in 2005. Alessandro Petacchi will also be part of the Milram roster
for the race.
The race in Bochum leads over twelve laps with 14 kilometers each (172.5 km).
Milram for Sparkassen Giro Bochum:
Erik Zabel, Alessandro Petacchi, Ralf Grabsch, Fabio Sabatini, Martin Mueller, Marcel Sieberg, Niki Terpstra
T-Mobile for Clasica San Sebastian
Fresh from his solid seventh place in the Tour de France, Kim Kirchen will lead an experienced T-Mobile Team into the
27th Clasica San Sebastian on Saturday.
The 29-year-old will be joined at this "climb-fest" by a number of mountain
specialists such as 37-year-old Giuseppe Guerini from Italy as well as two Australians, Scott Davis and Adam Hansen. Gent-Wevelgem
winner, German, Marcus Burghardt, will also be there and the highly experienced seven-strong squad will be completed by Briton
Roger Hammond and Canadian Michael Barry.
"Because of some injured riders and parallel races at the weekend, we've
had to improvise a little," explains Sports Director, Allan Peiper, "but we believe that around Kirchen and Guerini, we'll
have a strong team at the start in Spain."
Demanding profile
The course is a classic layout, 225 km long, selective,
with six climbs to be tackled along the way. The heat in this part of Spain in August is expected to play a major role along
with the attacking style of the home teams. The twenty pro teams taking part will be joined by three wildcard teams from the
Spanish second division - Relax, Fuertoventura and Karpin.
The demanding course profile has traditionally set up many tense and fascinating finishes. The 8 km long climb up the
(Cat1) Jazibel, after 195 km at a gradient of up to 8% has been the defining moment of the race for the past few years. At
just 30 km before the finish, any podium candidates will need to show here.
"Riders who want to be in the mix at the
finish will have to hold off early in the race and make sure they're in the decisive break on the Jaizkibel," explains Peiper.
Giro winner, Danilo di Luca (Liquigas) will take part, as will the Schleck brothers Frank and Andy from CSC. Alejandro
Valverde (Caisse) will also be there along with classics specialist, Samuel Sanchez, from the local Euskaltel-Team. The German
road champion Fabien Wegmann will co-captain the Gerolsteiner Team along with Davide Rebellin. Damiano Cunego and World Champion
Paolo Bettini will count as two of the firm favourites. Since Bettini's win in 2003, a Spaniard has always won this "young
classic."
T-Mobile for Clasica San Sebastian:
Adam Hansen (26/Australia), Giuseppe Guerini (37/Italy), Kim Kirchen
(29/Luxembourg), Michael Barry (31/Canada), Marcus Burghardt (24), Scott Davis (28/Australia), Roger Hammond (33/Great Britain)
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| Kim Kirchen during this years Tour de France (picture: Cyclingheroes) |
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