2013 Cycling Thread

[Smallville22]

Brailsford welcomes Purnell into fold

Sir Dave Brailsford believes the pieces are very much coming together for British Cycling's assault on the Rio Olympics after welcoming Professor Tony Purnell into his team.
Purnell, a former team principal of the Jaguar Formula One team and ex-technical advisor to world motorsport's governing body the FIA, will arrive as head of technical development of the Great Britain team.
British Cycling is famed for its attention to detail and Purnell will work across all aspects of technology – from improving data analysis to assisting the coaches with the development of organisational software and tools to optimise rider performance – alongside Chris Boardman who will continue to act as a consultant.
Olympic champion Boardman and Matt Parker, the head of marginal gains, were key to Britain's success at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics, when seven gold medals were won on the track in each Games.
And Purnell's appointment shows Britain's desire to continue to look for marginal gains ahead of Rio 2016 despite Boardman stepping back from his role and Parker's move to the Rugby Football Union, where he is now working with the England team.
"We are very fortunate to have someone of Tony's experience and ability to work with the riders and coaching staff," Brailsford said.
"We know that sustaining success is among sport's greatest challenges and the recruitment of Tony is a significant step on the road to Rio."

 

[Smallville22]

Wiggins loses time as team-mate Uran wins

It was a bittersweet day for Team Sky in the Friulian mountains as Bradley Wiggins lost more time to his rivals after Colombian team-mate Rigoberto Uran soloed to a stage 10 victory in the first summit finish of the Giro d'Italia.
Uran attacked on the final climb of the day, the Cat.1 Altopiano del Montasio, to take a maiden Grand Tour victory ahead of Colombian compatriot Carlos Betancur (Ag2R-La Mondiale).
But what may have been a tactical ploy by Team Sky backfired when Wiggins was distanced by his rivals on the steep 20% ramps of the climb. The 2012 Tour de France winner finished the stage in 10th place and drops to 2:05 behind Vincenzo Nibali (Astana) on GC.
Italian maglia rosa Nibali outsprinted BMC's Cadel Evans to take third place on the stage and some vital bonus seconds that extend his lead to 41 seconds over the Australian veteran.
Uran's victory saw the 26-year-old Olympic road race silver medallist rise to third place on GC, one second ahead of team-mate Wiggins, whose form continues to flounder.
"I'm really happy to have won today," Uran told Eurosport. "It's a moment of great prestige for me to take such an important stage. Everything went perfectly for me and the team."
Uran's words will fan the flames of speculation that Sky have changed their tactics in favour of the Colombian as designated team leader Wiggins continues to struggle to rediscover the all-winning finesse of last season.
With the sun out and very little rain falling during Tuesday's stage, the 33-year-old could not even cite the adverse weather conditions as a factor - although there were still heaps of snow lining the roads of both decisive climbs.
Wiggins was not the only rider to suffer during the demanding 167km stage in north-east Italy, with defending champion Ryder Hesjedal cracking on the first of two Cat.1 climbs to see his chances of defending his Giro crown annihilated with a massive 21-minute loss.
Robert Gesink (Blanco) also suffered on the ****** slopes of the final climb, the Dutchman pedalling squares on his way to an exercise of damage limitation. Gesink recovered admirably to finish 1:16 down on the irrepressible Uran, but drops to fifth place on GC, 2:12 down on Nibali, who looked composed and strong over both climbs.
Betancur's second consecutive second place underlined Colombia's ascendancy in the world of cycling, the 23-year-old following in the wheel of Ag2R team-mate Domenico Pozzovivo to put in a late surge that saw him cross the line 20 seconds down on Uran.
Italian Mauro Santambrogio (Vini Fantini) took fourth place nestled between Nibali and Evans to rise to seventh on GC behind compatriot Michele Scarponi (Lampre-Merida), who lost touch with the race favourites on the final climb to finish a further two seconds behind Wiggins.
Polish youngster Rafal Majka (Saxo-Tinkoff) impressed in the final climb to take sixth place ahead of Pozzovivo in the Nibali chasing group. The 23-year-old joins compatriot Przemyslaw Niemiec (Lampre-Merida) to give Poland two riders in the top ten.
A duo from an initial break of 13 reached the foot of the final climb of the day with a small advantage over the peloton. But with Team Sky setting an fast pace in the main group, Venezuelan Jackson Rodriguez (Androni Giocattoli) and Dutchman Serge Pauwels (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) were caught inside the final 10km.
The main pack was already deprived of Canada's Hesjedal, who needed to be paced up the previous ascent - the Cat.1 Passo Cason di Lanza - by American team-mate Tom Danielson after imploding on the steep and winding climb.
Having suffered a jour sans on Sunday's stage to Florence, the Garmin-Sharp leader showed that he has not got the legs this year to make an impact. Hesjedal now lies in 33rd place on GC, a whopping 23:45 down on Nibali.
Sky started the final climb of Altopiano with Kanstantin Siutsou and Dario Cataldo pulling hard on the front ahead of Uran, while Wiggins dropped further back amid the main pack.
When Siutsou and Cataldo both peeled off with 8km remaining, Uran did not so much ****** as simply increase his tempo as he rode off the front with apparent nonchalence.
Soon the gap was as large as 50 seconds with a select chasing group forming. But it became apparent that Uran's move was no platform for a counter-****** by Wiggins when the Briton failed to respond to Astana's determined chase.
One by one riders started to slip back, with Gesink, Wiggins, Scarponi and Spaniard Benat Intxausti (Movistar) feeling the heat on the hardest climb of the 96th edition of the Giro so far.
The diminutive Pozzivivo rode off in pursuit of Uran inside the final 3km and when the Italian was caught as the climb flattened out, he handed the baton over to his team-mate Betancur.
But Uran had done enough to secure the biggest win of his career - and in doing so give the Team Sky management a serious tactical headache ahead of the vital mountain stages to come. With just one second separating him and Wiggins on GC - and with Uran showing much more composure and bite in the hills - Wiggins may find his role in La Corsa Rosa reduced to supporting cameo.
Sky will not have to fit three pegs into one hole, however, after their second Colombian rider, Sergio Henao, struggled with the steep slopes to finish 3:14 behind his compatriot and drop out of the top 10, more than five minutes down on GC.
Nibali picked up vital bonus seconds in the second intermediate sprint 5km from the finish as well as over the finish line in third. Those 11 seconds saw the Sicilian increase his lead on Evans to 41 seconds on GC.
Evans's strong finish saw the 36 year old strengthen his hold on the red jersey points classification to 73 points to Elia Viviani's 60. Cannondale's Viviani was part of the day's main break and picked up maximum points at the first intermediate sprint in Paularo to rise above Britain's Mark Cavendish (OPQS) in the standings.
The Giro d'Italia continues on Wednesday with the 183km stage 11 from Tarvisio to Vajont - a mountainous but less demanding affair which should favour a breakaway.

 

[Smallville22]

Sagan sprints to stage three win in Tour of California

Peter Sagan won stage three of the Tour of California in a sprint finish, with Janier Acevedo retaining overall control.
Sagan won in the 177.5km stage from Palmdale to Santa Clarita by about half a bike length from Michael Matthews (Orica-Greenedge) and Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Sharp), the Cannondale man living up to the tag of favourite for the day.
The Slovakian had appeared to be in the wrong position for the race to the line, but a dart to the right of the field changed his fortunes.
"With about 700 metres, I was in about 10th position," said Sagan, who collected his ninth Tour of California stage in four years.
"It was a bit crazy, there was confusion because all the teams were trying to get up there. I got to the right to the front with about 100 metres left."
Acevedo (Jamis), who had triumphed in a gruelling summit finish in high temperatures the previous day, managed to retain his 12-second lead in the general classification from Tejay van Garderen (BMC), with Ireland's Philip Deignan (United Healthcare) a further 15 seconds back.
"I was very tired after yesterday," said Acevedo. "I never felt very good the whole day today, so I just tried to stay in there. Fortunately, the teams were all working to together for a sprint finish, so the day wasn't difficult."
There had been an early attempt at a breakaway, with Andy Schleck (RadioShack Leopard) and Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil-DCM) among four riders with a five-minute lead midway through the stage, but they were reeled in with 13km remaining.
Stage four is expected to produce another sprint finish, despite a couple of small climbs on the road between Santa Clarita and Santa Barbara.

 

[Smallville22]

Georges leaves Giro after positive test

Frenchman Sylvain Georges of Ag2R-La Mondiale has withdrawn from the Giro d'Italia after testing positive for the stimulant Heptaminol.
Georges, 28, returned the positive test for an "adverse analytical finding" for Heptaminol in a ***** sample collected after stage seven of the race, on 10th May 2013.
Heptaminol is a vasodilator which helps relax the ***** vessels and is sometimes used in the treatment of low ***** pressure.
It is the same substance for which Kazakhstan's Dmitry Fofonov tested positive during the 18th stage of the Tour de France. Fofonov had completed the race in 19th place but was fired by his team Credit Agricole and ****** for three months after the positive test. He was later cleared.
Heptaminol was wiped off the list of ****** substances in 2004 but was reinstated in 2006. It is currently a specified substance which means the UCI does not impose a provisional suspension for a positive test.
Georges has nevertheless been pulled from the race by his Ag2R-La Mondiale team. He has the right to request and attend the analysis of his B sample.
Georges was part of a five-man break that formed 18km from the finish of stage four of the Giro, won by Enrico Battaglin. At one point, Georges held a one-minute advantage over the main pack but was swept up by the peloton after Italian veteran Danilo Di Luca attacked on the final climb of the stage.
Georges was 81st in the Giro general classification, trailing race leader Vincenzo Nibali by one hour, three minutes and 54 seconds.
Last year Georges won stage six of the Tour of California. He finished second in this year's Paris-Camembert.
In a busy day for the UCI, it was also made known that Venezuelan Miguel Ubeto Aponte of Lampre-Merida had been provisionally suspended after testing positive for the dangerous metabolic modulator GW1516.
Ubeto is not currently riding in the Giro and returned the positive sample in an out-of-competition test on 16th April 2013.

 

[Smallville22]

Navardauskas wins stage 11 as Nibali retains lead

Lithuania's Ramunas Navardauskas restored some pride to the Garmin-Sharp squad of faltering defending champion Ryder Hesjedal with a strong solo win in stage 11 of the Giro d'Italia.
Navardauskas dropped fellow escapee Daniel Oss (BMC) on the second of two climbs with 5km remaining of the 182km stage from Tarvisio to Vajont to set up the biggest win of his career.
The 25-year-old all-rounder - who became the first Lithuanian to don the fabled maglia rosa after Garmin's victory in the team time trial in his debut Giro last year - finished 1min 08secs ahead of Oss after a largely uneventful day in the 96th edition of La Corsa Rosa.
There was no change in the overall standings after all the race favourites came home in the main pack more than five minutes down on Navardauskas, the third Lithuanian to win a stage on the Giro.
Victory for Navardauskas comes as a tonic to his Garmin team, whose leader Hesjedal cracked in the mountains on Tuesday's stage 10 to lose almost 21 minutes and end any lingering chances of retaining his Giro crown.
"Since yesterday our plans changed because Ryder had a bad day. From today we had different tactics and the plan was to get in the breakaway," an ecstatic Navardauskas told Eurosport.
"But the stage started with a downhill and tailwind and it was very hard to get into the break."
Indeed, with a blistering average speed of 53.5km/h set over the first hour and a half of racing, it took until the 82nd kilometre before a group formed off the front of a fast-pedalling peloton.
Once established, the 20-man group - which contained riders from every team except Lampre-Merida, Lotto Belisol and the Astana outfit of race leader Nibali - quickly built up a maximum lead of six minutes over the peloton.
Stefano Pirazzi (Bardiani Valvole) attacked from the break near to the summit of the Cat.2 Sella Ciampigotta climb in a bid to consolidate his lead at the top of the mountains competition.
The Italian was denied maximum points by Venezuela's Jackson Rodriguez, who was riding off the front of the race for a second day running. The pint-sized Androni Giocattoli rider moved into second place in the blue jersey competition with his haul.
German powerhouse Patrick Gretsch attacked his fellow escapees on the long, sinuous descent. The Argos Shimano rider managed to build up a lead of 1:45 over the chasing group but was finally reeled in with 18km remaining after Navardauskas and Oss had taken matters into their own hands and attacked the other fugitives.
Gretsch soon cracked as the road started to head back uphill - and once the final 7km ascent to the finish line was reached by the leading duo, Navardauskas shed sprinter Oss with apparent ease to solo up the slope to glory.
The stage finished nearby the old Vajont Dam where tragedy struck fifty years ago when a landslide ****** more than 2,000 people in the Pieve Valley.
With Navardauskas sure of the stage victory, Pirazzi attacked from the chasing group to take third place, just under three minutes behind the winner. The Italian added more KOM points to his tally to open up a 20-point lead over Rodriguez in the battle for blue.
Former race leader Salvatore Puccio of Team Sky crossed the line for fourth place, 3:07 down on Navardauskas as the remnants of the initial break arrived in dribs and drabs at the summit.
Spain's Benat Intxausti - another rider who donned the pink jersey for just one day earlier in the race - attacked the main pack on the final descent to take 20th place. The Movistar rider moves back into the top ten, 4:05 behind Nibali on GC.
Sicilian Nibali leads Australia's Cadel Evans, the red jersey from BMC, by 41 seconds with Colombian Rigoberto Uran in third place, 2:04 down and one second ahead of British Sky team-mate Bradley Wiggins, in fourth.
Frenchman Sylvain Georges of Ag2R-La Mondiale did not start stage 11 after voluntarily withdrawing from the race following a positive test for the stimulant Heptaminol.
Georges, 28, returned the positive test in a ***** sample collected after stage seven of the race, on 10th May 2013.
The race continues on Thursday with the short 134km stage 12 from Longarone to Treviso, which looks destined to give the sprinters a rare chance to shine.

 

[Smallville22]

Venezuelan Ubeto tests positive for high-risk ****

Venezuelan Miguel Ubeto Aponte has been provisionally suspended after a positive test for a **** the World Anti-Doping Agency has warned poses serious health risks.
Ubeto, who joined Lampre this year, returned a sample that showed traces of GW1516, also known as GW501516, following an out-of-competition test taken on April 16, the UCI said in a statement.
"The provisional suspension of Mr. Miguel Ubeto Aponte remains in ***** until a hearing panel convened by the Venezuelan Cycling Federation determines whether he has committed an anti-doping rule *********," the UCI said.
Ubeto can ask to have the B sample tested.
WADA issued a warning about the once developmental **** in March, saying it had been withdrawn from research but was available on the black market and contained "serious toxicities".
A Lampre team statement said: "Ubeto Aponte had not yet made his debut with the team jersey, due to an injury.
"While waiting to receive information and any clarification from Ubeto Aponte and evaluate additional measures, the team reiterates its support for all efforts to make cycling more clean and credible, severely condemning any behaviour ********* anti-doping rules."
European track champion Valery Kaikov of Russia last month became become the first rider to test positive for GW1516 .

 

[Smallville22]

Kristoff claims opening stage in Norway

Katusha's Alexander Kristoff won the opening stage of the Glava Tour of Norway in a sprint from Norwegian compatriot Edvald Boasson Hagen.
Team Sky rider Boasson Hagen finished ahead of IAM rider Sebastien Hinault in a frantic end to the 190km stage from Fredrikstad to Sarpsborg.
"The sprint with Boasson Hagen was head to head until the very last metres, where I was able to pass him," said Kristoff.
"I'm very happy with this victory: it is the first time I have taken part in the Tour of Norway and it's a pleasure to wear the leader's jersey at my first attempt thanks to this brilliant performance. I want to keep it as long as possible.
"Tomorrow I think there will be another sprinters' stage, suited to my characteristics. I'm in good shape so I'll try for another win, for sure."
Thursday's second stage is a 179km run from Kongsberg to Skien. The five-stage race finishes on Sunday.

Results

1 KRISTOFF Alexander Katusha Team
2 BOASSON HAGEN Edvald Sky Procycling
3 HINAULT Sébastien IAM Cycling
4 BOS Theo Blanco Pro Cycling Team
5 SBARAGLI Kristian Team MTN Qhubeka
6 VAN ASBROECK Tom Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
7 DRUCKER Jean-Pierre Accent.jobs – Wanty
8 VANDOUSSELAERE Sven Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise
9 LASCA Francesco Caja Rural-Seguros RGA
10 SISKEVICIUS Evaldas Sojasun

 

[Smallville22]

Wiggins suffering from chest infection in Italy

A chest infection was the latest setback to hit Britain's pre-race favourite Bradley Wiggins on the Giro d'Italia on Wednesday.
Tour de France champion Wiggins, finished the 11th stage in the main pack behind winner Ramunas Navardauskas to stay fourth overall, two minutes five seconds behind leader Vincenzo Nibali.
"I'm not feeling very good at the moment, I've had a pretty rough 24 hours," Wiggins said.
"I've got a chest infection and a bog-standard head cold. Fortunately in these days, these kinds of stages, there's just a bit of fighting and you can get through them and hide a little bit.
"But I just want to try and fight through it and hope that in a few days' time I'll be all right.
"Most of the team have been sick," the Sky rider added. "It seems to last for three or four days and then you get better."
Wiggins went into the three-week race as one of the favourites but has suffered a series of mishaps including a bad downhill crash, being blocked behind another pile-up and suffering a puncture during the time trial.
On Tuesday's first full mountain stage, Wiggins lost 37 seconds to Italian Nibali and struggled on a steep section of the final climb.
Asked if the Giro d'ltalia was a tougher race than the Tour, Olympic time trial champion Wiggins retorted: "The Tour of Picardie is a ****** hard race if you get sick. There's only so much you can do."
Astana rider Nibali, who leads by 41 seconds from Australian Cadel Evans, with Sky's Rigoberto Uran third at 2:04, still considered Wiggins to be one of his big rivals for overall victory.
"Wiggins, Evans, Uran and (2011 Giro winner Michele) Scarponi are all my most serious rivals. And there's still a long way to go," he told Italian television.
The Giro d'Italia finishes in Brescia on May 26.

 

[Smallville22]

Farrar claims overdue stage win in Tour of California

Tyler Farrar broke a long barren streak to win stage four of the Tour of California in Santa Barbara.
The American from Garmin-Sharp beat Ken Hanson (Optum/Kelly Benefit) and Gianni Meersman (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) to the line in a bunch sprint at the end of the 134.5 km stage from Santa Clarita
It was Farrar’s first stage victory since the USA Pro Challenge in Colorado in August.
''The team did a good job keeping me out of trouble,'' Farrar said.
''I'm psyched. I didn't have the spring (season) I wanted. I was second, third, fourth. But in sprinting wins are what counts, and I'm happy to get the monkey off my back.
''When your adrenaline is going and the line looks like it's right there, it's hard to be patient. But that's what it took today. I could feel it was a cross-headwind and I just waited as long as I could to come around.''
Colombia’s stage two winner Janier Acevedo (Jamis-Hagens Berman) finished safely in the pack to retain his 12-second lead on GC over American Tejay van Garderen (BMC).
Frank Pipp (Bissell), Chad Beyer (Champion System), Nathan Brown (Bontrager), James Stemper (5 Hour Energy), Chris Baldwin (Bissell) and Marsh Cooper (Optum) were involved in an early break that opened up a 3:30 lead but the sprinters’ teams kept the escape in check and they were caught inside the final 20km
The eight-day event continues on Thursday with a 166km stage from Santa Barbara to Avila Beach.

 

[Smallville22]

Cavendish takes 100th win, Uran replaces Wiggins as Sky's leader

Britain's Mark Cavendish secured his 100th professional win in a sodden stage 12 as Bradley Wiggins lost more than three minutes to end any lingering hopes of winning the Giro d'Italia.
In heavy rain in northern Italy, Wiggins was distanced on a descent 40km from the finish of the short 134km stage to Treviso. The 2012 Tour de France winner was paced by his Sky team-mates but finished 3mins and 17secs down on stage winner Cavendish to drop outside the top 10 on GC.
Wiggins now lies in 13th place more than five minutes down on Italian race leader Vincenzo Nibali of Astana, and was replaced as Sky's team leader by Colombian Rigoberto Uran.
Cavendish's landmark victory may not have been his prettiest but it was certainly one of his easiest.
After some expert work by his Omega Pharma-Quick Step team-mates, the 27-year-old took a fairly straightforward sprint win over French national champion Nacer Bouhanni (FDJ) to complete a century of professional scalps as the world's best sprinter.
It was Cavendish's third win in the race after victories in stage one and six - and saw the Manxman back into the red points jersey.
Despite the ease with which Cavendish eased past his rivals in the closing straight, it was not all plain sailing for his team - not least because of the relentless rain that poured throughout the stage.
The day's break of five riders were not swept up until the final 300 metres of racing - and Omega Pharma-Quick Step were the only team consistently leading the chase from within the peloton.
Cavendish was quick to praise his team-mates as he ****** a significant personal landmark of 100 wins.
"It was my 100th win and what a beautiful way to do it with the guys. I'm so proud," said Cavendish.
"They were unbelievable today - from kilometre zero riding on the front. We left it right to the end. It was a minute gap with 10km to go. Cannondale came to help but it was mainly us.
"Julien Vermote was unbelievably strong. Then Matteo Trentin took over before Gert Steegmans kept me in the right position and lead me out at just the right moment."
Cavendish took the spoils while Bouhanni powered past Slovenian Luka Mezgec of Argos-Shimano to take second place.
Bouhanni was involved in an incident inside the closing 200m when he caused Italian sprinter Sacha Modole (Bardiani Valvole) to veer off line and concede his place in the sprint. Although there was no apparent intention of foul play, such incidents are beginning to crop up with alarming regularity in the close proximity of the French former boxer during bunch sprints.
Maglia rosa Nibali finished safely in the peloton to retain his 41-second lead over Australian veteran Cadel Evans (BMC).
With the ill and out-of-sorts Wiggins now 5:22 down on Nibali, the Italian's main threat in the high mountains could well be Wiggins's Sky team-mate, Uran. The Colombian has since been promoted to team leader.
Along with compatriot Sergio Henao, stage 10 winner Uran was exempt from supporting Wiggins during the dramas of stage 12 and he stays 2:04 down on Nibali in third place on GC.
Dutchman Robert Gesink (Blanco) is fifth at 2:12, one second faster than fifth place Michale Scarponi (Lampre-Merida).
Thursday's stage 12 may have been the shortest so far of the 96th edition of La Corsa Rosa but it was certainly one of the hardest.
In conditions that resembled a monsoon more than a bicycle race, a break of five riders formed off the front on the undulating opening section of the stage.
Fabio Felline (Androni-Giocattoli), Maxim Belkov (Katusha), Bert De Backer (Argos Shimano), Maurits Lammertink and Marco Marcato (both Vacansoleil-DCM) braved the elements to build up a maximum lead of three minutes over the peloton.
But the horrific conditions were made all too apparent when four of the five escapees all hit the deck on an early descent after stage nine winner Belkov slid on the slippery tarmac to spark a domino effect of sprawling riders.
Only Belgian De Backer managed to avoid coming to grief - and news of the incident soon filtered down to the peloton who eased their pursuit with around 100km left to ride.
Already Wiggins was struggling - the 33-year-old riding at the back and clearly suffering the lingering effects of the cold and chest infection he picked up in the opening 10 days of the race.
Two fourth-category climbs had very little effect on the composition of both the leading group and the main pack - but it was the gradual but long descent of the last climb, 40km from the finish, which hammered the nail in the coffin of Wiggins's Giro.
Numerous groups formed as the peloton split under the pressure of Omega Pharma-Quick Step - and the Italian veteran Scaponi, winner of the 2011 edition of the race, was stuck in no-mans-land at one point.
But where Scarponi succeeded on fighting back, Wiggins failed. Supported by six Sky team-mates, Wiggins managed to close the gap to around one minute before suffering from a second wave of weakness.
Soon Wiggins was off the back and isolated - and it was not until team-mate Christian Knees came back that he found his way back into the fold. But at this point, the chasing group was more than three minutes down on the main pack.
With OPQS setting a fast pace in pursuit of the five-man break, the gap grew to in excess of three minutes as Sky - minus Uran and Henao - tried to recapture their winning team time trial form and reduce the deficit.
But it was all in vain. As Cavendish was celebrating his century of wins, former Sky team-mate Wiggins was still driving to the line, his Giro aspirations left in complete tatters.
The race continues on Friday with the tough 254km stage 13 from Busseto to Cherasco - a largely flat affair which concludes with a succession of hills including one third-category test 35km from the finish.

 

[Smallville22]

Kristoff wins again in Norway

Alexander Kristoff won his second stage in a row at the Tour of Norway, beating Edvald Boasson Hagen again in stage two.
Race leader Kristoff, who claimed stage one of his home tour on Wednesday, shaded a sprint finish in driving rain in Skien, having cut across his compatriot at the final turn.
It was a tough day for the riders, with unseasonal cold temperatures accompanying the rain, and the clouds hanging so low that TV coverage was not possible.
Sondre Enger of Team Plussbank was third, completing an all-Norwegian podium.
“It feels great to win again”, Katusha’s Kristoff said afterwards. “But it’s so cold that it’s difficult to enjoy the victory.
“When I came to this race, I said I wanted to win the first three stages, so I have to try again tomorrow to reach my goal but there’ll be a lot of riders eager to beat me.”
He also apologised for his move on Team Sky’s Boasson Hagen.
“My brakes weren’t working in the last corner. I wanted to stay behind Edvald but I couldn’t. It was slippery.”
Boasson Hagen said he held no grudges.
“I don’t want to accuse him of anything,” he said. “We do an outdoor sport with wet and dangerous corners, that’s how it is.”

Results:

1 Alexander Kristoff (Nor) Katusha 4:11:12

2 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Sky Procycling

3 Sondre H Enger (Nor) Team Plussbank

4 Evaldas Siskevicius (Ltu) Sojasun

5 Sven Vandousselaere (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise

6 Marko Kump (Slo) Team Saxo-Tinkoff

7 Tom Van Asbroeck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise

8 Andreas Stauff (Ger) MTN-Qhubeka

9 Matteo Pelucchi (Ita) IAM Cycling

10 Frederique Robert (Bel) Lotto Belisol

11 Ben Swift (GBr) Sky Procycling

12 Eduardo Sepulveda (Arg) Bretagne-Seche Environnement

13 Kristian Dyrnes (Nor) Team Oster Hus-Ridley

14 Sébastien Hinault (Fra) IAM Cycling

15 Jean-Pierre Drucker (Lux) Accent Jobs-Wanty

16 Andre Fernando S. Martins Cardoso (Por) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA

17 Vegard Robinson Bugge (Nor) Joker-Merida

18 Fridtjof Røinås (Nor) Team Plussbank

19 Bob Schoonbroodt (Ned) Cyclingteam De Rijke-Shanks

20 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Blanco Pro Cycling Team

 

[Smallville22]

Veteran Voigt wins in California as Van Garderen takes lead

Jens Voigt sprinted away from the breakaway with 5km to go to win stage five of the Tour of California in Avila Beach.
Tejay van Garderen took the overall lead as the race split in the final third of the 185.7km stage from Santa Barbara with overnight leader Janier Acevedo (Jamis-Hagens Berman) distanced by strong crosswinds.
Voigt's RadioShack Leopard team-mates started the acceleration and 16 riders at the front quickly built a lead that grew to 50 seconds with 38km to go.
The breakaway was pegged back to 30 seconds with 22km left, but the leaders picked up the pace again and eventually stretched the gap out to more than a minute by the finish.
41-year-old German van Garderen smelled the possibility of victory and blasted off the front to time trial into the finish line, collapsing against the barriers in exhaustion after coming home six seconds ahead of Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Sharp) and Thor Hushovd (BMC).
“We had a close look at the road circuit today and saw at 125km into the race when the road turned just a little bit, and the headwind switched to a crosswind, that we could do something there," said Voigt.
"Markel Irizar and I were in the front to drive the break, and after a while Markel said to me, ‘I think you look really good today so maybe you should save something for the end.’ I thought about it and agreed. There were some quality riders in the group. To win from that group, I knew I would have to go alone.
"I had hopes they would look at one another to chase me and give me 20 seconds. Once you do that, I’m gone. Once I went and then looked back to see the gap, I couldn’t believe they had given me 20 seconds. I said to myself, ‘Yes!’ It was pretty hard and I really had to dig deep. I’m a happy stage winner.”
Heading into Friday's 31.6km individual time trial, van Garderen leads 2010 Tour of California winner Michael Rogers (Team Saxo-Tinkoff) by 42 seconds while Acevedo is third, 50 seconds back.
"At the beginning of the day, nothing suggested today would be anything more than a bunch sprint and a non-GC (general classification) day," van Garderen said.
"But nobody can really predict the weather and that's cycling. You always have to be attentive and luckily our guys were."
Van Garderen said wearing the race leader's yellow jersey will not change his approach to the race against the clock that finishes with a three-kilometre climb.
"You go in and ride as best as you can and as hard as you can," he said. "Right now all my focus is on the time trial. We'll deal with Mt. Diablo (Saturday's mountain-top finish) when we get there."

 

[Smallville22]

Hesjedal's Maglia Rosa defence over

Defending Giro d'Italia champion Ryder Hesjedal has been ****** to withdraw from the race.
The Canadian has been suffering since the stage 8 time trial and had slipped to 38th place after 12 stages, 32 minutes and 55 seconds down on overall leader Vincenzo Nibali of Italy after suffering badly in the first mountain stages of the race last weekend.
Stage 9 saw him in difficulty on the final two climbs but his Garmin-Sharp team and Hesjedal believed that the rest day would provide respite and recuperation for the 2012 champion. However, stage 10 saw him suffer again - he was not able to get the power he needed on the first climb of the day, and he struggled to finish the stage.
Conditions on Thursday's rainy, cold stage combined with Hesjedal's deteriorating physical condition proved too much and the defending champion will not start Friday's 254km stage from Busseto to Cherasco.
"It's heartbreaking," said Hesjedal. "I want to be here for my team and for all the people who have supported me to get me here to this point. I built my entire season around the Giro and I came here feeling great, but I have been suffering since the TT. We're working on it, but we're not sure what's wrong.
“There's a virus that's been going around, so it could be that, or severe allergies, or going too deep on the TT combined with both – whatever it is, I'm only getting worse. Yesterday's stage was just too much for me,
“I fought to get through it and I know everyone suffered but after seeing the medical staff last night, I also know that it is time for me to go home, get some tests done and get healthy again. I have tried my best to honour the number one bib number, the race, my team and fans and its devastating to leave this way. Going home now is heartbreaking.”
Hesjedal became his country's first Giro d'Italia winner when he edged out Spain's Joaquim Rodriguez by 16 seconds after a ferocious two-week duel through the mountains, with the Canadian gaining the upper hand on the final day's time trial in Milan.
Hesjedal's withdrawal follows that of Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins and France national champion Nacer Bouhanni, who announced on Thursday evening that he was quitting the 21-stage race.

 

[Smallville22]

Acevedo takes second stage of the Tour of California

Janier Acevedo (Jamis) took stage two of the Tour of California in Palm Springs ahead of Tejay Van Garderen (BMC Racing) and Philip Deignan (UnitedHealthcare) to assume overall lead in the general classification.
Acevedo made his move with 500m to go of the 5.9km final ascent in blistering heat to secure the win by a margin of 12 seconds from race favourite van Garderen.
The stage win gives the Colombian the overall lead with a 12-second advantage over van Garderen and 27 on Irishman Deignan.
The early escapees were Pat McCarty (Bissell), Ben Jacques-Maynes (Jamis-Hagens Berman), Scott Zwizanski (Optum) and Sylvain Chavanel (Omega Pharma-Quickstep) - with the peloton coming across the first climb, Mountain Center, 9:30 down - but a combined effort between 5-Hour Energy and UnitedHealthcare whittled their advantage down to 1:30 with less than 10km to go.
Deignan attacked and had the lead with 2km remaining before being caught by van Garderen but Acevedo managed to hold the American’s wheel before assuming the lead in the last 500m in 50C (122F) heat.
"[Acevedo] he was super strong out there. When he attacked I was too afraid to go into the red because in this heat if you go into the red just a little bit you just can't recover. I made a little bit of a ****** to stay in my tempo and claw him back but he was definitely strong enough to hold on,” said van Garderen.
"He got the stage, and good on him, but I feel confident for the time trial, and I think I'm in a perfect position for the overall classification."

 

[Smallville22]

Philippe Gaumont dies at 40 following heart ******

Former French cyclist Philippe Gaumont has ****** away at the age of 40 three weeks after a heart ******.
Gaumont, a bronze medallist at the 1992 Olympics in the team time trial, and winner of the 1997 Gent-Wevelgem, had been comatised since suffering a heart ****** in April.
His career had been overshadowed by doping issues, with positive tests for nandrolone on four occasions in the late 1990s, and a failed test for amphetamines in 1999 leading to Tour de France organisers telling him he was not welcome in the race.
He retired in 2004, and wrote a book of his time in cycling called Prisonnier du Dopage (Prisoner of Doping).

 

[Smallville22]

Review recommends GreenEdge reinstate ****** director

A review of Australia's GreenEdge has recommended the UCI WorldTour cycling team reinstate sacked sports director and confessed doper Matt White.
White admitted to doping with the U.S. Postal team and voluntarily stood down from the GreenEdge position in October after being implicated in the United States Anti-Doping Agency's dossier on disgraced **** cheat Lance Armstrong.
White was subsequently sacked and Orica-GreenEdge (OGE) launched a review into its anti-doping regime.
The 39-year-old completed a six-month suspension from cycling imposed by Australia's national doping agency last month.
"Consistent with the advised general approach to past doping offences/admissions and the conditions already outlined, it is recommended that Matt White have his position with OGE reinstated once any ASADA-imposed sanction is completed," the review, led by former World Anti-Doping Agency director Nicki Vance, said.
The review advocated clemency for riders found to have doped prior to the current eight-year statute of limitations and reduced penalties for riders who made full admissions and informed on other riders since.
White told local broadcaster SBS earlier this month that he had doped for most of his career before retiring in 2007 to pursue a career in coaching.
White helped Australia's Olympians prepare for the men's road race at the London Games, but was sacked from his position at Cycling Australia in October after his doping admission.
The review also recommended GreenEdge retain current sports director Neil Stephens, who was implicated in the 'Festina Affair', the series of doping scandals that erupted at the 1998 Tour de France after a large haul of doping products were found in the Festina team's car.
Stephens admitted taking injections of EPO while riding for Festina but said he thought he was being given legal supplements.
Both GreenEdge and Cycling Australia were unable to provide immediate comment.

 

[Smallville22]

Wiggins quits race

Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins has withdrawn from the Giro d'Italia due to a chest infection.
Wiggins was dropped by the main pack in the last hour of a rain lashed stage 12 on Thursday and finished three minutes and 17 seconds back on winner and compatriot Mark Cavendish.
Overall the multiple Olympic gold medallist and pre-race favourite dropped to 13th, 5:22 down on Italian leader Vincenzo Nibali.
Team Sky team principal Sir Dave Brailsford said: “We monitored Bradley overnight and this morning we’ve withdrawn him from the Giro after consulting the team doctor. His chest infection has been getting worse and our primary concern is always the health of our riders.
“Bradley will return to the UK today for treatment and to rest and we hope to have him back on the road as soon as possible.
“As a passionate racer he wanted to continue but he is simply unable to do so on medical grounds.”
The Giro had been this season's major goal for Wiggins but the 33-year-old has suffered a run of bad luck since the race began in Naples on May 4, including a downhill crash, missing out on a time trial win because of a puncture and now illness.
"I think he's brave and showed a lot of courage to get on his bike. When you open the curtains and are feeling as sick as he was, the last thing you want to see is the pouring rain," Brailsford said on Thursday of Wiggins who has been taking antibiotics for the last few days.
"We all had colds and the flu and we all know how he feels. I'm sure some of us would call in sick and have a day off, but these guys can't do that."
Despite Wiggins's misfortune, Team Sky are still in the fight for the overall classification, with Colombian rider Rigoberto Uran lying third overall, 2:04 behind leader Nibali.
"He looks in good shape and so for us it's still a very exciting race and we'll try to get on the podium or even better with Rigoberto," said Brailsford.
The Giro d'Italia finishes in Brescia on May 26.

 

[Smallville22]

Bos sprints to stage win as Kristoff stays ahead in Norway

Theo Bos sprinted to victory in stage three but Alexander Kristoff finished second to stay in the lead of the Tour of Norway.
Dutchman Bos, of Blanco Cycling, exploited Team Sky’s lead-out for Edvald Boasson Hagen, with Katsuha’s Kristoff surging to second and Italy’s Mateo Pelucchi (IAM Cycling) third.
Boasson Hagen faded to fourth, having hoped to improve on his two second-placed finishes.
Norway’s Kristoff, who won the first two stages, retains the overall lead, extending his lead over compatriot Boasson Hagen to 14 seconds.
Earlier in the 163km, sprinter-heavy stage, a four-man break of Lars Boom (Blanco), Tim Wellens (Lotto-Belisol), Amets Txurruka (Caja Rural) and Sven Erik Bystrom (Oster Hus-Ridley) threatened to stretch the peleton.
But the gap was soon reduced and eventually caught as the riders approached the five 8km finishing circuits towards the end.
Team Sky took the initiative but Boasson Hagen was unable to hold off the fast-finishing trio over the final few metres.

 

[Smallville22]

WADA files appeal against Operation Puerto verdict

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has filed an appeal against the verdict in Spain's "Operation Puerto" trial into an alleged doping ring in professional cycling, the agency said on Friday.
WADA had expressed its disappointment with the judge's decision last month to order evidence including bags of ***** to be destroyed, depriving the agency and other sports bodies of the chance to analyse them.
The Spanish doctor at the centre of the trial, Eufemiano Fuentes, had told the court that as well as cyclists his clients included athletes in sports such as soccer, athletics, tennis and boxing.
"The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is filing a declaration to appeal to the Criminal Court in Madrid in relation with the Operation Puerto," WADA said in a brief statement on their website (www.wada-ama.org).
"Following its policy, WADA will refrain from commenting further in order to protect the integrity of the process," the statement added.
WADA's appeal joins those already filed by the Spanish prosecutor and the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI).
Other bodies including Spain's anti-doping agency (AEA) have said they will challenge the judge's ruling and have until the beginning of next month to file their appeals.
The judge's decision not to release the evidence for further investigation dented hopes that the case would unmask other athletes involved in doping and prompted widespread condemnation.
Spain hoped the trial would help dispel the impression that the nation was soft on doping and boost Madrid's bid to win the right to host the 2020 Olympic Games.
The country is pushing updated anti-doping legislation through parliament which the government says will bring Spain into line with international norms.

 

[Smallville22]

Van Garderen closes on overall victory with ITT win in California

American Tejay van Garderen dominated the time trial on stage six of the Tour of California to close on his first stage race victory.
The 24-year-old BMC rider finished the tough 31.6km course in San Jose - which finished with a punishing climb - to extend his lead over Michael Rogers (Saxo-Tinkoff) and Cameron Meyer (Orica GreenEdge) to 1:47 and 2:57 respectively after those riders finished fourth and sixth.
"I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch, but I'm ready to win, and I think it's about time. I think now I’m finally mature enough to pull through to the end. I think I’m ready to do it," said Van Garderen, who was last to leave the start ramp.
"The climb up to the finish was hard. There was a couple of little downhills that you could kind of soft-pedal and catch your breath a little bit. But it was really on the gas the whole way.
"It’s incredible. I really couldn’t have asked for a better day."
Van Garderen held his newborn ******** on the winner's podium.
"I knew my wife and my ******** were at the finish, and that gave me a little extra motivation," he added. "It's true what they say, becoming a *** brings out something in you."
Vacansoleil-DCM rider Lieuwe Westra, winner of stage one, was second - a huge 23 seconds down on Van Garderen - with Rohan Dennis (Garmin Sharp) third at 28 seconds.
Saturday sees a 147.1km run from Livermore to Mt. Diablo and the race concludes on Sunday with a 130.4km stage from San Francisco to Santa Rosa.