2013 Cycling Thread

[Smallville22]

Chicchi wins stage four Langkawi sprint

Francesco Chicchi sprinted to victory on stage four of the Tour de Langkawi ahead of fellow Italian Andrea Guardini.
Vini Fantini-Selle Italia rider Chicchi shot up the inside of Guardini, next to the barriers, after the 11-times Langkawi stage winner opened his sprint too early.
Lithuanian Aidis Kruopis was third for Orica Greenedge on the 168km stage from Tapah to Kapar.
"I decided to watched Andrea and when he started sprinting with 300m to go I was on his wheel and could pass him," said Chicchi.
"This is my first time in Malaysia and at Tour de Langkawi. I'm very happy to be here because we came with a good team and we are successful."
GC leader Meiyin Wang finished 64th in the huge lead group of 126 riders.
Guardini, who left the previous incarnation of the winning team Farnese Vini for Astana in the winter, has been on the podium three times so far in this year's 10-stage race, but is yet to claim a stage.
"I'm used to winning all the sprints in this race but this year the competition is very high from Theo Bos to Francesco Chicchi and all the other good sprinters who are here," said Guardini.
"Today Francesco was better than me. He predicted the finish better than me. I was thinking of sprinting at 250m out but I started fifty metres earlier."
There was an early breakaway consisting of Yukiya Arashiro (Europcar), Taiji Nishitani (Aisan Racing) and Phuchong Sai-Udomsin (OCBC).
They went four minutes out before the peloton, led by Wang's small Chinese squad Xengxiang, began to close the gap. The time difference was two minutes with 30km to go, with the lead riders beginning to suffer in the heat. Arashiro broke away and would stay out the longest before being caught with 10km to go, with the main body of riders now controlled by the ProTour teams.
Bos (Blanco) seemed well-placed with two kilometres to go but would not ultimately threaten, while Guardini lived to regret beginning his push 300m from the line.

 

[Smallville22]

Another gold for James; Trott settles for silver

Becky James brought the curtain down on a record-breaking World Track Cycling Championships as she stormed to her second title in two days in Minsk, Belarus.
Heading into the final day of competition James could already call herself a world champion having won sprint gold less than 24 hours earlier.
But the 21-year-old was not done there as she returned to the track to lead the keirin final from start to finish to double her gold-medal tally.
James also heads back home with bronze from the time trial and team sprint, which she claimed alongside Victoria Williamson, meaning she becomes the first British rider to claim four medals at a single World Championships.
"Oh my gosh. I can't believe it. Wow,” said James, who held off the challenge of China's Jinjie Gong and Cuban Lisandra Guerra Rodriguez to win the keirin title.
"It's going to take a good week for it to sink in, or two weeks, or a month.
"I just need someone to pinch me and tell me if it's really happening to me. I feel like it's a complete ***** apart from the pain in my legs."

Meanwhile, Olympic omnium champion Laura Trott had to settle for silver as she surrendered her world title to American Sarah Hammer.
The 20-year-old helped Great Britain win team pursuit gold on Thursday but her tenth-place finish in Saturday's points race ultimately proved crucial as despite bettering Hammer twice on the final day she still came away with silver.
Trott said: "A better rider beat me on the day. What more can I do?
"After the points race, I am happy to come away with a medal, so to end up with silver I am super happy."
Despite having no more finalists on the final day Britain's young team still ended the week on top of the medal table in Minsk, with nine in total, including five golds.

 

[Smallville22]

Drujon edges rivals at Classic Sud-Ardèche

Unheralded French rider Mathieu Drujon (Big Mat Auber 93) won the Classic Sud-Ardèche after a four man sprint finish in the South of France.
It came down to a battle between Drujon and Rémi Pauriol (Sojasun), Romain Bardet and Sylvain Georges (both AG2R La Mondiale) and it was the 30-year-old who got the win.
The quartet were part of a bigger leading pack that formed on the biggest climb of the day – the Rocher de Sampzon with 17km to go – and they then sprung clear at the top of the climb.
Drujon won the race for the line ahead of last year's winner Pauriol with Bardet in third.
French legend Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) did try and chase down the final four with a solo ****** near the end but he was swallowed up and had to settle for 11th.

 

[Smallville22]

Renshaw wins Clásica de Almería sprint

Australian speedster Mark Renshaw (Blanco Pro Cycling Team) won the Clásica de Almería in a sprint finish.
Mark Cavendish's former lead out man showed that he could do it himself as he beat South African Reinardt Janse Van Rensburg (Team Argos-Shimano) and Italian Francesco Lasca (Caja Rural) for the win.
David De La Cruz (NetApp-Endura), Pablo Urtasun and Mikel Bizkarra (Euskaltel-Euskadi) had the most significant breakaway of the race but were reeled in well before the finish.
It was Renshaw's first win of the season and continues a strong start to the season from the Blanco team.

 

[Smallville22]

Two of Sunday's races on the calendar – the Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne and Città di Lugano - were both cancelled due to inclement weather.

 

[Smallville22]

Arredondo takes yellow jersey in Malaysian mountains

Nippo-De Rosa’s Julian Arredondo assumed control of the yellow jersey after claiming the fifth stage of the Tour de Langkawi in Malaysia.
The Colombian climber’s late solo ****** on the steep Genting Highlands finish saw him move clear of Orica-GreenEdge rider Pieter Weening inside the closing two kilometres to take the lead in the general classification.
Weening had sparked the initial ****** three kilometres earlier, but was able to hold on for second, ultimately finishing 26 seconds behind Arredondo.
Victor Nino Corredor of RTS finished third on the 110.3km stage, with the arduous climbs picking off riders one by one from the back of the leading group.
“I need to thank all my teammates,” Arredondo said. “This is a very big victory for us.
“This win is very important for us because we are a little team, and sharing the road with other pro teams is very important.
“We are an Asian team and to win the most beautiful stage for us is incredible. It’s like a ***** come true.”
The tour continues with stage six on Tuesday, taking the competitors from Mentakab to Kuantan, with the 10th and final stage coming on Saturday with a finish in Kuala Terengganu.

 

[Smallville22]

Serry injures elbow in Langkawi fall

Pieter Serry could miss the sixth stage of the Tour de Langkawi at least after suffering a ***** elbow injury in Malaysia.
The Belgian rider from Omega Pharma-Quick Step fell on a downhill stretch before the final climb of stage five on Monday.
He sustained the injury to his left elbow after it struck the asphalt.
However, Serry finished the stage before being immediately taken to the nearby hospital to undergo X-rays, which showed that there were no fractures.
In agreement with the team’s medical staff, Serry will decide on Tuesday whether or not to line up for the start of stage six.
Meanwhile, Matteo Trentin had surgery on Sunday at the Herentals Clinic in Belgium for a fracture to the scaphoid of his right hand — the result of a fall in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday.
Due to the complexity of the fracture, Trentin will be out of action for four weeks, after which he can gradually return to training.

 

[Smallville22]

Peraud to lead Ag2R-La Mondiale at Paris-Nice

Jean-Christophe Peraud will lead Ag2R-La Mondiale at Paris-Nice.
The 35-year-old Frenchman took an impressive victory on stage four of the recent Tour Méditerranéen after a stunning final climb up Mont Faron.
The former mountain bike rider leads a team of eight, which includes young climber Romain Bardet and sprinters Samuel Dumoulin and Yauheni Hutarovich - the latter, a Belarusian, the only non-French rider - on the stage race held from March 3-10.
Their Italian riders Pozzovivo, Nocentini and Appollonio, and Colombian Betancur, will be taking part in the Tirreno -Adriatico from March 6-12.
General manager Vincent Lavenu is pleased with the team spirit on show so far in 2013.
"The assessment of this early season is encouraging in the sense that we feel a significant change from the last season in terms of collective spirit and aggressiveness at races," he said on the team's Facebook page.
"There is very good team cohesion and the riders really want to succeed.
"We simply need to focus on certain details to achieve victory, because we all know that victory is all that counts.
"We have already won two races, that’s fine, but we don’t have to stop there. I hope that in coming weeks - why not in Paris-Nice? - the team will win a stage in a World Tour race."

Squad: Romain Bardet, William Bonnafond, Maxime Bouet, Samuel Dumoulin, Hubert Dupont, Yauheni Hutarovich, Sebastien Minard, Jean-Christophe Peraud

 

[Smallville22]

Dockx ruled out for six weeks

Lotto Belisol rider Gert Dockx sustained a fractured elbow and collarbone at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and will be out of action for six weeks.
The Belgian crashed on the third loop of his home event, 69km into the race.
He appeared to be the only rider hurt in the spill.
“The unfortunate rider incurred a small fracture of the elbow and the collar-bone. For the next few days the elbow will be in a plaster cast, afterwards there will be a check-up,” the team said. “The total inactivity is estimated at six weeks."

 

[Smallville22]

Bos pulls out of Langkawi

Blanco Pro Cycling sprinter Theo Bos has pulled out of the Tour de Langkawi due to illness.
The Dutchman has a case of suspected food poisoning and was ****** to withdraw before the sixth stage of the race in Malaysia.
He had already won two stages and wore the yellow jersey for two days last week.
"Yeah, it is ****. I have to stop, I'm going home," he told Cycling News.
"Maybe it's from too much hand shaking, that's also not a very good thing to do."
The race continues without Bos on the 212.8km route to Kuantan.

 

[Smallville22]

James 'yet to match Pendleton'

British Cycling head coach Shane Sutton insists it is too early to compare Becky James with Victoria Pendleton despite the Welshwoman's achievements at the Track World Championships.
James became the first Brit to win four medals at a World Championships last weekend after taking gold in the keirin and individual sprint and bronze in the 500m time trial and team sprint in Minsk.
The 21-year-old's win in the sprint followed on from Pendleton's victory in the same event at last year's World Championships, the last ever world title the double Olympic champion secured.
However the best medal haul Pendleton, who won sprint gold at the Beijing 2008 Olympics and the keirin title at London 2012, managed at a single World Championships was three.
She did that on three different occasions in between 2007 and 2009 winning 16 medals in total throughout her career with James opening her World Championship collection in Minsk.
However Sutton, who was overseeing the British team with Sir Dave Brailsford sitting out, insists it will take a number of years yet before James and Pendleton can be matched up against each other.
"This girl, compared to all of them, she's probably got a little bit more tactical nous," said Sutton. "She's probably got a steeliness more than them.
"She probably hasn't got the raw speed yet that Vicky had. Vicky, in her top flight, was incredible. Vicky was born with it.
"She had a gift; she could pedal at a great cadence. You can't compare the two. Maybe in six years' time. Vicky goes down in my book as one of the legends of the women's sprint."

 

[Smallville22]

Leezer claims wet Langkawi stage six

UCI ProTeam Blanco’s Tom Leezer won a rainy sixth stage of the Tour de Langkawi, a result which sees Julian Arredondo keep hold of the yellow jersey.
At the conclusion of a lengthy breakaway, the 27-year-old Dutchman held off South Korea’s Jung Min Ji (KSPO) and Poland’s Michal Golas (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) to complete the 212.8km stage fastest with a time of 4:33:42.
The finishing line-up of the Mantakab-to-Kuantan stage’s front-runners meant that Nippo-De Rosa’s Arredondo was hardly in danger of losing his position atop the general classification on Tuesday.
The Colombian will look to keep nearest rival Pieter Weening (Orica) of the Netherlands at bay as the tour heads from Kuantan to Dungun on Wednesday, in the seventh stage of 10.
The Tour de Langkawi concludes in Kuala Terengganu on Saturday.

Stage six results:

1. Tom Leezer (Blanco) 4:33:42

2. Ji Min Jung (KSPO) a 27

3. Michal Golas (Omega Pharma-Quick Step) a 35

4. Jackson Rodríguez (Androni-Venezuela) m.t.

5. Travis Meyer (Orica-GreenEDGE) m.t.

6. Andrea Guardini (Astana) a 40

7. Allan Davis (Orica-GreenEDGE) m.t.

8. Jake Keough (UnitedHealthcare) m.t.

9. Mohd Harrif Saleh (Terengganu) m.t.

10. Anuar Manam (Sinergy) m.t.

 

[Smallville22]

Guardini sprints to Langkawi stage seven win

Astana sprinter Andrea Guardini earned a 12th career Tour de Langkawi stage win with victory on the brisk seventh stage.
Guardini won five stages of the 2011 edition while with Vini Fantini-Selle Italia and went one better last year with six, but he is finally off the mark in the 2013 Tour after pipping fellow Italian Francesco Chicchi (Vini Fantini-Selle Italia) to the finish line.
Orica-GreenEdge rider Aidis Kruopis of Lithuania finished third on the 149.8km route along the Malaysian east coast from Kuantan to Dungun for his third podium of the calendar year.
Kruopis’s team-mate Travis Meyer dominated the majority of the stage in a two-man breakaway with Europcar’s Cyril Gautier, opening up a seven-minute lead inside the first hour.
But the peloton kept the pace and remained intact heading onto the finishing straight where Guardini led the way.
Nippo-De Rosa’s Colombian rider Julian Arredondo retains the yellow jersey ahead of Orica’s Pieter Weening by one minute and 15 seconds after the short stage.
The Tour de Langkawi concludes on Saturday.

Stage seven result

1. Andrea Guardini (Ita) Team Astana

2. Francesco Chicchi (Ita) Vini Fantini-Selle

3. Aidis Kruopis (Ltu) Orica-GreenEdge

4. Allan Davis (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge

5. Andy Fenn (GBr) Omega Pharma-Quick Step

6. Steele Von Hoff (Aus) Garmin-Sharp

7. Graeme Brown (Aus) Blanco Pro Cycling

8. Bryan Coquard (Fra) Team Europcar

9. Taiji Nishitani (Jpn) Aisan Racing Team

10. Rico Rogers (NZl) Synergy-Baku Cycling Project

 

[Smallville22]

Cavendish to race Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen

Omega Pharma-Quick Step sprint ace Mark Cavendish will race this weekend's Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen in Belgium.
The Briton will take part in the three-day stage race as he bids to get his preparations for the Tirreno-Adriatico back on track, following the cancellation of the Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne last weekend.
Cavendish will be joined by OPQS team-mate and last year's overall winner of the race Julien Vermote.
"The race will be similar to last year's race, and last year we won with Vermote," said directeur sportif Tom Steels.
"The most important stage will be the one on Sunday with the climb of Monteberg and Kemmel. Last year this stage was really difficult because of terrible weather conditions.
“We will count on a very strong group of riders for this race, including Niki Terpstra - who is in good condition - and Gert Steegmans, who will start working on setting up the sprint and his leadout with Mark.
"Our objectives are to try and win a stage and repeat the good GC results of 2012. We have the potential to do that."

Omega Pharma-Quick Step squad: Dries Devenyns, Frantisek Rabon, Gert Steegmans, Iljo Keisse, Julien Vermote, Kristof Vandewalle, Mark Cavendish, Niki Terpstra.

 

[Smallville22]

Vicioso rejoins Katusha after testifying in court

Katusha have lifted a provisional ban on Spanish rider Angel Vicioso after he testified at a high-profile doping trial in his home country.
Vicioso, 35, was suspended by Katusha for misleading them over his scheduled court appearance in Madrid but he was allowed to rejoin the team after testifying by a video link last week.
"We're satisfied with his testimony, therefore Angel will be able to race again," a Katusha spokesman said.
He will race in Thursday's one-day classic Citta di Camaiore in Italy, the team said on their website.
Katusha won the right to compete on the elite World Tour this year following an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Cycling's world governing body UCI had rejected their application to compete in the top flight because of the team's doping record over the past four years.
Vicioso is one of several world-class athletes linked to Spanish doctor Eufemiano Fuentes, who is currently on trial for allegedly masterminding a doping ring.
Vicioso told the court he had met Fuentes for "sporadic medical consultations" from 2004 to 2006 while he was competing for Spanish team Liberty Seguros but denied receiving any ***** transfusions to boost his performances.

 

[Smallville22]

Teen spirit fuels British cycling's winning formula

Forget team spirit, it's teen spirit that is fuelling British cycling as they start the long road towards the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
Last week's track cycling World Championships saw 18-year old A-Level student Elinor Barker become a world champion as part of the women's team pursuit squad. And 19-year old Victoria Williamson win team sprint bronze with new golden girl Becky James - now a double world champion at the grand old age of 21. Simon Yates, the new points race world champion, is also only 20 and the list goes on. It's little wonder other nations - who have watched British track cyclists win seven out of the available ten gold medals at both the 2008 and 2012 Olympics - are starting to fear the worst already, not just for Rio but for beyond. "Becky has been has inspiration to me, I train with her every day and hopefully I can be competing with her soon," said Williamson. "The experience of the World Championships was all brand new to me but I learned so much just from being there. "British cycling is a very competitive environment, you can never relax as everyone is striving to be the best in the world. "You can't look ahead too far or get a little bit complacent because of all the talent you are surrounded by." Double Olympic champion Victoria Pendleton has certainly inspired the generation that will follow her storied lead, as she sits back and enjoys the sport from retirement. In addition to James and Williamson there is Jess Varnish, an Olympian and two-time world medallist, and rising sprint stars Dannielle Khan and Rosie Blount. There are all aiming for two likely spots on the Rio team but Barker - who joined ****** with Olympic champions Laura Trott, 20, and Dani King, 22, to win her first senior rainbow jersey in Minsk - believes her timing could be spot on. From next year the women will race a team pursuit over 4,000m rather than 3,000m with four riders rather than three. That frees up an extra space when, as expected, Joanne Rowsell returns to focus on the track after a spell on the road. "Great Britain haven't lost a women's team pursuit for so long, so I really felt the pressure of coming into the squad," said Barker, who only took up cycling eight years ago to avoid swimming lessons. "I'd love to establish myself in the team for the next three years but the change of format means lots of changes to get used to. "It's been a strange six months, watching these riders do so well at the Olympics and then being part of the team alongside them. "It was a great experience and to win a world title at my first big event, especially with all that expectation on us, really gives you confidence."

 

[Smallville22]

Tsatevich denies Team Sky at Le Samyn

Alexey Tsatevich foiled Team Sky's best efforts to win the 45th staging of Belgium’s Le Samyn race.
The 23-year-old Russian took the biggest victory of his career as he beat Kris Boeckmans (Vacansoleil-DCM) and Adrien Petit (Cofidis) to the line in a bunch sprint after Geraint Thomas was caught inside the final 2km.
Team Sky were one of five World Tour teams in the 206 kilometres race and Welsh youngster Luke Rowe was in the break of the day.
The 22-year-old from Cardiff was part of a three-man escape that formed early in the race which took place on Walloon soil.
Along with Thomas Sprengers (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise) and Elias Van Breussegem of Continental team Doltcini Flanders, the trio built up a lead of 5:30 as the peloton crossed five short, steep climbs that came in quick succession.
Rowe left his fellow escapees as the riders completed five 16.5km laps which included the cobbled ascent of Côte de la Roquette.
But his advantage was under a minute as the former European junior track champion commenced the final lap and he was caught with 12km to go, denying him a chance of a second professional victory following his maiden success in the Tour of Britain last year.
But team-mates Thomas and Ian Stannard then hit the front, initially with Ignatas Konovalovas (MTN-Qhubeka) and Vacansoleil's Bert-Jan Lindeman before the Olympic pursuit champion went clear.
However he was caught inside the final 2km to set up the bunch gallop where second-year pro Tsatevich prevailed. Kenny de Haes and Alessandro Bazzana completed the top five.
Tsatevich said: "The team gave me a chance today, the whole race was done around me and I am thankful for that. I came to Belgium a little bit earlier than other members of Katusha, so I had some more days to train. That was one of the keys for today’s success.
"I was waiting for the massive sprint, but a rider from Europcar attacked before it. I took his wheel and was able to save the energy. In the last meters I started my sprint to win. I am happy to get first Russian victory for Katusha this year."

Dutch cyclist Ellen van Dijk of Team Specialized-Lululemon won the women's race.

 

[Smallville22]

Coquard takes Langkawi stage eight sprint

Olympic silver medallist Bryan Coquard won stage eight of the Tour de Langkawi, his third victory in 2013.
Twenty-year-old Coquard, in his first year as a road pro, triumphed on the 164.5km stage from Kuala Terengganu to Tanah Merah to secure his most impressive road victory to date.
Coquard, who previously won two stages at the Etoile des Bessegges and took silver for France in the London 2012 Omnium, finished ahead of Briton Andrew Fenn (Omega ***** -Quick-Step) and stage six winner Francesco Chicchi (Vini Fantini).
Team Nippo–De Rosa rider Julian Arredondo kept his lead over Pieter Weening (Orica GreenEdge) on GC by finishing in the leading 83-rider bunch.
"The sprint was difficult, with a lot of fight," Coquard told Cyclingnews. "At 500m Kévin Reza launched me and after at 200m I was on the wheel of Chicchi and I started my sprint. I am so happy because the win at Tour de Langkawi has been difficult for me.
"I broke my derailleur [earlier in the stage race] and yesterday my legs were no good.
"Today, I am very happy. It's my third win of the year. It's a very good day for Europcar and for me."
Points leader Andrea Guardini was unable to compete for the win after becoming blocked off between Fenn and Chicchi.
Coquard celebrated by revealing his new tattoo, which reads 'Silver LONDON'.
"Before coming to this race I had a challenge with my sport director that if I win a stage I will have to show this tattoo," he said.
"I'm very proud of this tattoo because the silver medal for me at the Olympic Games is my best memory to date."

 

[Smallville22]

Bak to return for Paris-Nice

Lotto Belisol rider Lars Bak is set to return to the saddle for the Paris-Nice race after having recovered from a fractured bone in his hand.
The Dane sustained the injury at the GP de Marseillaise at the end of January and the damaged scaphoid required surgery.
But the 33-year-old was training again just a week later and he has now been given the go-ahead by team doctors for the 'Race to the Sun', which starts on March 3.
“I'm incredibly glad to be allowed to race again,” Bak said. “That's what I've trained for all winter.”
“I've trained well on my home trainer with some 'nasty' intervals, and the last few weeks put in many hours on the road.
"Of course I shall get beaten up on the climbs in Paris-Nice, but after a few days, I hope my diesel engine will go well.”

 

[Smallville22]

French doping agency to run Tour testing

The French Anti-Doping Agency has agreed to carry out testing at the Tour de France in June.
The AFLD said in a statement on Thursday the UCI had guaranteed "information on the whereabouts of the riders and their biological profile data in order to carry out random tests".
Two weeks ago the AFLD said it would not carry out tests on the Paris-Nice race that starts on Sunday, citing a disagreement with the UCI.
The two organisations have long been at loggerheads, with the AFLD saying the UCI had not followed correct procedures during testing in the 2009 Tour de France. The UCI denied the allegations.
The UCI came under heavy fire in last year's U.S. Anti-Doping Agency report that led to the Lance Armstrong scandal.
The American was stripped of his seven Tour titles in October and admitted to doping in a televised interview last month.