2013 Cycling Thread

[Smallville22]

Europcar applies for World Tour status

Team Europcar has applied for a World Tour licence for the 2014 season for the first time since the car hire company took over from previous sponsor Bouygues Telecom in 2011.
Jean-Rene Bernaudeau, the team manager, feels the time is right for his squad to make the step up - and will feel confident of a successful application given the disbanding of current World Tour outfits Euskaltel-Euskadi and Vacansoleil-DCM.
There were 19 World Tour teams in circulation during the current season following the reinstatement of Katusha at the beginning of the campaign.
Next year, the number of teams will return to the usual 18, which means there will be one place up for grabs for 2014. Europcar is the only team to have lodged an application so far, with Swiss team IAM Cycling confirming last week that it would not be looking to take World Tour status in 2014.
"We have received confirmation of receipt [of our application] and now we just have to wait for the verdict," Bernaudeau told French regional newspaper Sud-Ouest. "Our sponsor would like us to be present on more of the big races, notably the Vuelta."
A habitual wildcard entry for the Tour de France, Europcar has not participated in another Grand Tour since the 2010 Vuelta a Espana. Despite concerns over future sponsorship earlier in the season, the team was bolstered with the news that Europcar would prolong their involvement for two years with the hope that Bernaudeau's team would garner greater international visibility.
Although part of the inaugural ProTour in 2005, Bernaudau's team has not been part of cycling's top division since 2009. The team currently leads the 2013 UCI Europe Tour rankings thanks to a string of victories from sprinter Bryan Coquard in his debut season and Thomas Voeckler's consistency.
Should Europcar get the nod to join the sport's top flight then Bernaudeau would have to bring in at least three new riders to meet the obligatory quota imposed by the World Tour.
"I have 22 riders at the moment which is a bit too much in our current position - but should we get elevated to the World Tour I would need to take on three more," he said. "But I wouldn't go beyond that - I don't want to do anything crazy."
In other news, Europcar suffered a blow last week when the team had 18 bikes stolen in Belgium during the Eurometropole Tour. The bikes were taken from a van overnight after the opening stage.
Thankfully, the riders were able to continue the race after Belgium team Wallonie-Bruxelles agreed to lend the team some bikes ahead of the second stage. "It highlights the solidarity between all the teams in the peloton," said directeur sportif Dominique Arnould.

 

[Smallville22]

Flecha quits cycling, next stop Hawaii

Juan Antonio Flecha has announced his retirement from professional cycling - and he knows exactly what he'll be doing next.
The Spanish star finished 13th in Il Lombardia on Sunday, and then confirmed that his final ever race will be the upcoming Tour of Beijing, which begins on Friday.
"Recently, I suddenly saw everything clearly," he told El Pais. "I saw what I wanted to do with my life and what I had to do.
"I finished 13th. I didn't know my group was sprinting for a top 10 place, but 13th in the year 2013 is not bad in my last year as a professional cyclist, in my last monument."
Flecha evidently cannot wait to retire from the sport, and already has a clear plan in mind.
"I say goodbye to cycling forever at the Tour of Beijing. I cannot wait to finish that race in mid-October and go to Maui, Hawaii, with an open date on the return ticket," he added.
"I’ll swap the asphalt for the foam of the waves, the bike for the surfboard, and walk barefoot all day, and be free!"

 

[Smallville22]

Sponsorship boost will keep Saxo-Tinkoff team going

The Saxo-Tinkoff team led by former Tour de France champion Alberto Contador have received a sponsorship boost from Saxo Bank that will keep the team going next year.
There had been fears about the future after the co-sponsors, Russian credit card suppliers Tinkoff Bank, pulled out in July.
Owner Bjarne Riis needed to find replacement financing for his riders who finished the 2013 Tour at the top of the team classification.
"This (deal) gives us the space to continue with our team at a high level while we continue to develop our portfolio of partners for next year and after," Riis said in a news release on Thursday. "We are still in the market for additional sponsorship."
Riis's outfit will now be known as Team Saxo Bank.
"This news gives me extra motivation going into next season, knowing I will have the same great team around me," said Spaniard Contador.
Saxo Bank said its decision reflected the sport's growing appeal.
"In the financial industry cycling is now more popular than golf," the company said.

 

[Smallville22]

Sheryl Crow 'saw Lance Armstrong dope'

Grammy Award-winning musician Sheryl Crow watched disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong get an illicit ***** transfusion and later told federal investigators about what she had seen, according to a new book.
The New York Daily News, citing a book by Wall Street Journal reporters Reed Albergotti and Vanessa O'Connell, said Crow - who was dating Armstrong at the time of the transfusion in 2004 - cooperated with investigators after being given immunity from prosecution.
"He trusted that Crow would have no desire to tell the press or anyone else about the team's doping program," the two authors wrote in "Wheelmen: Lance Armstrong: the Tour de France and the Greatest Sports Conspiracy Ever."
"He explained that it was simply part of the sport - that all cyclists were doing the same thing."
Armstrong has been stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and was ****** for life from cycling last year after accusations he had cheated for years.
In January, he admitted to using performance-enhancing ***** his career in an interview with television host Oprah Winfrey.

 

[Smallville22]

Cookson opens talks with WADA over investigation into UCI

The International Cycling Union (UCI) has contacted the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to start discussions for an independent investigation into cycling's governing body, new UCI president Brian Cookson said on Friday.
Cookson, elected to the post two weeks ago ahead of previous incumbent Pat McQuaid, had based his campaign on restoring trust in the UCI, which has had a difficult, and at times acrimonious, relationship with various anti-doping agencies.
The UCI was also criticised heavily for not doing enough to catch **** cheat Lance Armstrong, who last year was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles following an investigation by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).
"We have started the work of establishing a high level dialogue with WADA to plan how we will proceed with the independent investigation into the UCI's past," Cookson said in Beijing.
"We have also been making contact with other key stakeholders in this area, including USADA, other national anti-doping organisations and the French Sports Ministry.
"And earlier this week I called (journalist) Paul Kimmage to tell him that the UCI has withdrawn from the legal action against him," added the Briton.
Under McQuaid, the UCI last year began legal proceedings against Kimmage for defamation which were then put on hold.
"These early days are very important for the UCI," said Cookson.
"We have embarked on the process of implementing our manifesto commitments so that we can re-establish our international federation's reputation and make it the best and most respected in the world. I believe that we have made a good start."

 

[Smallville22]

Hushovd wins opening stage in Beijing

Thor Hushovd (BMC) won the first stage of the Tour of Beijing after a sprint finish at Huairou Studio City.
The big Norwegian edged out Luka Mezgec (Argos-Shimano) and Nikolas Maes (Omega Pharma- Quick Step) after finding a late gap.
Willem Wauters (Vacansoleil-DCM), Sander Cordeel (Lotto-Belisol), Davide Viganò (Lampre-Merida) and Ryota Nishizono (Champion System) attacked straight away on the 190km stage and built up a lead of nine minutes at one stage.
However, on a flat day, the sprinters' teams were able to reel them in and set up the exciting finish.
Cordeel was the last man standing but was caught with about 5km to go.
"It's a good win. I'm a little surprised as I had a hard couple of weeks after the Worlds finding the motivation. I still did the training I had to do and so to win here couldn’t be better," Hushovd said.
"With 20km to go they (the break) still had two minutes and so we were scared. My BMC team-mates pulled a lot and so it was up to me to do a good job and finish it off."
Hushovd has a chance to defend the leader's jersey on another flat day on Saturday but things get tough on stage three.
The five stage race concludes on Tuesday when the riders race between two iconic spots - Tiananmen Square to the Bird’s Nest Piazza.

Results from Tour of Beijing (Beijing - Beijing, 190.5 km)

1. Thor Hushovd (Norway / BMC Racing) 4:20:34"

2. Luka Mezgec (Slovenia / Argos) ST

3. Nikolas Maes (Belgium / Omega Pharma - Quick-Step)

4. Alessandro Petacchi (Italy / Omega Pharma - Quick-Step)

5. Michael Matthews (Australia / Orica)

6. Enrique Sanz (Spain / Movistar)

7. Ruediger Selig (Germany / Katusha)

8. Nacer Bouhanni (France / FDJ.fr)

9. Jonas Van Genechten (Belgium / Lotto)

10. Roberto Ferrari (Italy / Lampre)

Classification from Tour of Beijing after Stage 1

1. Thor Hushovd (Norway / BMC Racing) 4:20:24"

2. Willem Wauters (Belgium / Vacansoleil) +3"

3. Luka Mezgec (Slovenia / Argos) +4"

4. Nikolas Maes (Belgium / Omega Pharma - Quick-Step) +6"

5. Ryota Nishizono (Japan / Champion System) +9"

6. Alessandro Petacchi (Italy / Omega Pharma - Quick-Step) +10"

7. Michael Matthews (Australia / Orica)

8. Enrique Sanz (Spain / Movistar)

9. Ruediger Selig (Germany / Katusha)

10. Nacer Bouhanni (France / FDJ.fr)

 

[Smallville22]

Bouhanni in red with Beijing stage two win

Nacer Bouhanni held off heavy pressure from Roberto Ferrari to claim stage two of the Tour of Beijing.
Bouhanni, France’s 2012 national champion, broke away at the final 500 metre mark of the 201.5 km stage inside Beijing but Italy’s Ferrari was able to remain on his tail.
But though Ferrari kept within a bike’s length of Bouhanni he was unable to pass the 23-year-old, who takes the red jersey for stage three on Sunday.

Stage two results

1. Nacer Bouhanni (France / FDJ.fr) 4:59:49"

2. Roberto Ferrari (Italy / Lampre) ST

3. Mitch Docker (Australia / Orica)

4. Matti Breschel (Denmark / Saxo - Tinkoff)

5. Alessandro Petacchi (Italy / Omega Pharma - Quick-Step)

6. Barry Markus (Netherlands / Vacansoleil)

7. Jonas Van Genechten (Belgium / Lotto)

8. Steele Von Hoff (Australia / Garmin)

9. Luka Mezgec (Slovenia / Argos)

10. Elia Viviani (Italy / Cannondale)

General Classification after two stages

1. Nacer Bouhanni (France / FDJ.fr) 9:20:13"

2. Thor Hushovd (Norway / BMC Racing) ST

3. Maxime Bouet (France / AG2R) +1"

4. Willem Wauters (Belgium / Vacansoleil) +3"

5. Luka Mezgec (Slovenia / Argos) +4"

6. Roberto Ferrari (Italy / Lampre)

7. Chad Beyer (U.S. / Champion System) +5"

8. Nikolas Maes (Belgium / Omega Pharma - Quick-Step) +6"

9. Mitch Docker (Australia / Orica)

10. Olivier Kaisen (Belgium / Lotto) +7"

 

[Smallville22]

Bouhanni extends Beijing lead with stage three success

Nacer Bouhanni won a second straight Tour of Beijing stage to extend his overall lead in the General Classification.
The Frenchman of FDJ was a late bloomer in the sprint finish of stage three, but deftly capitalised on a gap to overtake Michael Matthews of Orica-GreenEDGE and Alexei Tsatevich of Katusha.
The win, which follows his stage victory the previous day when Bouhanni claimed the red jersey, extends his GC lead to 11 seconds over Australia’s Matthews.
Omega Pharma-Quick Step’s Tony Martin almost threw a spanner into the works of the sprint teams late on when he moved into the lead at the final descent of the 176km stage, ******* the specialists to react.

Stage three results

1. Nacer Bouhanni (France / FDJ.fr) 4:08:15"

2. Michael Matthews (Australia / Orica) ST

3. Alexey Tsatevich (Russia / Katusha)

4. Elia Viviani (Italy / Cannondale)

5. Martin Kohler (Switzerland / BMC Racing)

6. Borut Bozic (Slovenia / Astana)

7. Tosh Van der Sande (Belgium / Lotto)

8. Jesus Herrada (Spain / Movistar)

9. Romain Bardet (France / AG2R)

10. Matti Breschel (Denmark / Saxo - Tinkoff)

General Classificastion after three stages

1. Nacer Bouhanni (France / FDJ.fr) 13:28:18"

2. Michael Matthews (Australia / Orica) +11"

3. Maxime Bouet (France / AG2R)

4. Alexey Tsatevich (Russia / Katusha) +16"

5. Nikolas Maes (Belgium / Omega Pharma - Quick-Step)

6. Matti Breschel (Denmark / Saxo - Tinkoff) +18"

7. Rui Costa (Portugal / Movistar) +19"

8. Benat Intxausti (Spain / Movistar)

9. Ryota Nishizono (Japan / Champion System) +20"

10. Alessandro Petacchi (Italy / Omega Pharma - Quick-Step)

 

[Smallville22]

German Degenkolb powers to Paris-Tours success

Germany’s John Degenkolb powered to his sixth win of the season in the Paris-Tours classic on Sunday after a mass sprint finish.
FDJ led out their man Arnaud Demare but the Frenchman had to settle for third after being overhauled by Degenkolb and Denmark’s Michael Morkov.
At one stage it seemed that Jetse Bol would grab victory after the Dutch rider broke clear with three miles remaining, but the pack hunted him down late on and he dropped outside the top 10.
Last year’s victor Marco Marcato looked strong on the ascents before he faded in the final five kilometres.

Result

1 John Degenkolb (Ger) Team Argos-Shimano

2 Michael Morkov (Den) Team Saxo-Tinkoff

3 Arnaud Demare (Fra) FDJ

4 Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Sharp

5 Michael Van Staeyen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise

6 Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM Cycling

7 Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale

8 Jon Aberasturi Izaga (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi

9 Ioannis Tamouridis (Gre) Euskaltel-Euskadi

10 Niki Terpstra (Ned) Omega Pharma-QuickStep

 

[Smallville22]

Intxausti wins stage four to lead Tour of Beijing

Spain's Benat Intxausti stormed through to win the fourth stage of the Tour of Beijing on Monday and seize the leader’s red jersey.
Intxausti attacked the long climb of the day ruthlessly to assume control with just over two kilometres to go in the stage.
The Movistar rider raced through to the finish in Mentougou, located in the hills of the Chinese capital.
Intxausti showed impressive power and stamina to pip world champion Rui Costa of Portugal and defending title holder Tony Martin from the chasing group.
The 27-year-old then had to hold off Ireland’s Daniel Martin by three seconds after a counter-****** looked to have dragged him into contention in the closing stages.
Intxausti assumed control of the overall classification as a result of the 10-second bonus for winning the 150.5km stage.
The Spaniard now holds a commanding 10-second lead over Garmin-Sharp's Martin with a flat final stage to follow in Beijing.

Results from Tour of Beijing (Beijing - Beijing, 150.5 km) on Monday

1. Benat Intxausti (Spain / Movistar) 3:43:25"

2. Daniel Martin (Ireland / Garmin) +3"

3. David Lopez (Spain / Team Sky) +4"

4. Rui Costa (Portugal / Movistar) +6"

5. Romain Bardet (France / AG2R) +11"

6. Tony Martin (Germany / Omega Pharma - Quick-Step)

7. Jan Bakelants (Belgium / RadioShack) +13"

8. Robert Gesink (Netherlands / Belkin)

9. Ivan Basso (Italy / Cannondale)

10. Mathias Frank (Switzerland / BMC Racing) +18"

Classification from Tour of Beijing after Stage 4 on Monday

1. Benat Intxausti (Spain / Movistar) 17:11:50"

2. Daniel Martin (Ireland / Garmin) +10"

3. David Lopez (Spain / Team Sky) +13"

4. Rui Costa (Portugal / Movistar) +18"

5. Romain Bardet (France / AG2R) +24"

6. Tony Martin (Germany / Omega Pharma - Quick-Step)

7. Jan Bakelants (Belgium / RadioShack) +26"

8. Robert Gesink (Netherlands / Belkin)

9. Ivan Basso (Italy / Cannondale)

10. Garikoitz Bravo (Spain / Euskaltel) +31"

 

[Smallville22]

Millar set to retire next year

Scotland's David Millar will end his cycling career next year.
The 36-year-old Millar revealed that his 17th year as a professional will be his last one.
"It's been quite organic really. It's been one of those things where you always think it's going to be a definitive moment, but it hasn't. It's kind of crept up and I'm suddenly realising that it's time."
Millar won his career fourth individual Tour de France stage last season.
He will compete in The Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France. He could also represent Scotland at the Commonwealth Games on home turf in Glasgow.
"I can still be on top of the game, I know that, but it's a lot harder for me now," he said. "I know I can get that out of me with the motivation knowing it's my last year."

 

[Smallville22]

Mezgec wins thrilling finale as Intxausti claims Beijing title

Luka Mezgec (Argos–Shimano) won an incredible fifth stage of the Tour of Beijing as Beñat Intxausti (Movistar) claimed overall victory.
Spanish rider Intxausti had won the fourth stage by three seconds ahead of Daniel Martin to take the lead in the overall standings, and he finished safely in the pack on stage five to complete his triumph.
Martin (Garmin) ended up second, 10 seconds back, with Team Sky's David Lopez third, while Mezgec's well-timed sprint saw him edge home ahead of Nacer Bouhanni and Moreno Hofland on the final stage.
The victor was thrilled after the perfect end to an excellent season.
"This victory rounds off a great season for me. I think that taking leadership roles in the Giro made me gain consistence and courage, and now this victory in a World Tour race is sort of a confirmation," Intxausti said.
"I'm growing year by year and that will be my intention for the next season. I'm especially happy about the team.
"I brought what I could and it was amazing how things went this season: podiums in two GT's, the Worlds, every single victory... it really shows our potential."

 

[Smallville22]

Rowsell eyes European title as Britain qualify for gold medal ride

Joanna Rowsell insists Britain's extended women's team pursuit outfit won't settle for anything less than gold at the European Track Championships in Apeldoorn.
Rowsell joined ****** with Laura Trott and Dani King to impressively claim the women's team pursuit title at the London 2012 Olympics last summer with a world record in each of their three rides.
She has had a break from the boards since, both deliberately and inflicted through injury, in which time the women's team pursuit has grown from three riders and 3000m to four and 4000m.
However Rowsell is back with Trott and King for the European Championships and joined in the endurance squad by Elinor Barker, her replacement at this year's worlds which also resulted in gold.
So too is Katie Archibald who formed part of the quartet, Rowsell, Trott and Barker the others, that qualified Britain in first place in Apeldoorn with Poland their opponents in the final.
And Rowsell, who joined ****** with King, Trott and Barker to win the British team pursuit title last month, admits the event changes haven't altered their will to win.
"We want to win, we don't want to be stood in second or third on the podium," Rowsell told British Cycling. "We want to be on that top step all of the time, every time. We just want to win.
"I really like it; I don't know how I would have felt had it stayed at three kilometres. Personally I really like the new challenge.
"I had been doing three kilometres for five years since it first came into the worlds in 2008 so for me, it's really nice to have a change and something else to work towards.
"We knew the three-kilometre event inside out and we knew exactly how to ride it perfectly by the Olympics so it's nice to start that process again with something slightly different.
"It sounds very similar but when you really into it there are so many subtle differences, I'm finding it quite interesting exploring the new event and figuring out how to go faster using different methods and turn lengths. I'm enjoying it."

 

[Smallville22]

European gold and world record for British team pursuiters

Great Britain's new-look women's team pursuit squad powered to the European title and a new world record in Apeldoorn.
Laura Trott and Dani King - who both won Olympic gold in London - were joined by Katie Archibald and Elinor Barker and clocked 4:26.556, over nine seconds quicker than nearest rivals Poland.
This season has seen a change in rules for the women's team pursuit, with four members now competing over 4,000m, rather than three over 3,000m.
And Britain has been quick to adapt - trimming over six seconds off the world record they set at the recent national championships during their two races in Holland, with Olympic gold medallist Joanna Rowsell joining the quartet in qualifying.
Great Britain also won the men's team pursuit, Ed Clancy combining with Owain Doull, Steven Burke and Andrew Tennant to clock 4:02.258, just two tenths quicker than Russia.
King also won silver in the women's points race while double world champion Becky James and Jess Varnish combined to take bronze in the women's team sprint, won by Russia's Elena Brejniva and Olga Streltsova.
But there was disappointment for Olympic champions Jason Kenny and Philip Hindes, plus Kian Emadi, as Great Britain finished fourth in the men's team sprint, won by Germany.

 

[Smallville22]

Trott takes second gold at European Track Championships

Laura Trott grabbed her second gold at the European Track Championships after she topped the pile in the women's omnium in the Netherlands.
Trott, who was part of the quartet that finished first in the women's team pursuit event, finished the individual six-event competition on 15 points.
That put her level with Kirsten Wild of the Netherlands, but 21-year-old Trott won the title on countback.
Triple Olympic champion Jason Kenny claimed a silver in the men’s keirin event to go with his sprint bronze from Saturday.
Kenny was pipped out of top spot on the podium by Germany's Maximilian Levy while fellow Brit Matthew Crampton was eighth in the same event.
In the women's keirin double world champion Becky James had to settle for seventh while her team-mate Victoria Williamson was ninth.

 

[Smallville22]

Sicard and Martinez join Team Europcar

Former under 23 world champion Romain Sicard and French sprinter Yannick Martinez have joined Team Europcar ahead of the 2014 season.
Twenty-five-year-old Sicard (pictured) joins Jean-Rene Bernaudeau's squad on a one-year contact after three years at the now-defunct Basque team Euskaltel-Euskadi.
Sicard won the Tour de l'Avenir as well as the under 23 world championships road race in a stunning breakthrough season in 2009, but has since struggled with injury.
"Above all I have to thank Jean-Rene Bernaudeau and the whole of Team Europcar for having given me this opportunity to ride for them next season," said Sicard, whose career has been hampered with a muscular problem in his right leg as well as issues with his hip and back.
"I hope to evolve as a rider at Europcar and I think I can above all help out the climbers in the team, which is my area of expertise."
Sicard is friendly with both Kevin Reza and Jerome ****** from their time in the French youth ranks and the Basque climber is confident he can integrate himself quickly within the team.
"I hope to start at least one stage race and one Grand Tour next season," said Sicard when quizzed about his ambitions for 2014.
"The ideal scenario will be to ride two Grand Tours but all that depends on whether or not Europcar are accepted into the World Tour. We will see in the coming weeks and everything will become clearer."
Sicard rode two Grand Tours in total for Euskaltel, finishing 44th in the 2012 Vuelta a Espana and 122th in this year's Tour de France. Despite his lofty ambitions, Sicard appreciates that it is up to him to prove his worth to his new employers.
"I have to be realistic and I know that it has been a while since I've had some decent results. First of all I will have to think about my responsibilities within the team. I have to show that I am still capable of achieving things. And to do that my initial priority is to integrate myself in the heart of a team which is renowned for its fighting spirit and collective attitude."
Martinez joins on a two-year contract from Pro Continental team La Pomme Marseille. Also 25, Martinez won stages on the Route du Sud and Four Days of Dunkirk this spring and finished third in the inaugural London Ride Classic in August.
By joining Team Europcar, Martinez will get to taste what it is like to ride with one of France's major teams - a prospect the young sprinter is excited, yet understandably anxious, about.
"For sure there is some apprehension from my part because to ride in the Pro Tour will be a big first for me," said Martinez. "I have yet to test myself at this level and with Europcar it is going to be a whole new experience than that at La Pomme Marseille, where most of our races were in France."
Despite his apprehension, Martinez stresses that he is "not worrying too much" about making the step up. Martinez will join fellow French sprinter Bryan Coquard at Team Europcar - and the new recruit said he would be happy to work for the London 2012 silver medallist if need be.
"I could be used as a lead-out in the sprints. I'm not afraid of getting stuck in and I've already told that to Jean-Rene Bernaudeau. I have a good kick and so [leading out Bryan Coquard] would be a task that suits my strengths," he said.

 

[Smallville22]

Route for the 2014 Tour de France

Tour de France organisers unveiled the route for the 2014 race on Wednesday:

Saturday, July 5* - Stage 1: Leeds to Harrogate, 191 km (flat)

Sunday, July 6* - Stage 2: York to Sheffield, 198 km (hilly)

Monday, July 7* - Stage 3: Cambridge to London, 159 km (flat)

Tuesday, July 8 - Stage 4: Le Touquet-Paris-Plage to Lille, 164 km (flat)

Wednesday, July 9 - Stage 5: Ypres (Belgium) to Arenberg Porte du Hainaut, 156 km (flat, cobbles)

Thursday, July 10 - Stage 6: Arras to Reims, 194 km (flat)

Friday, July 11 - Stage 7: Epernay to Nancy, 233 km (flat)

Saturday, July 12 - Stage 8: Tomblaine to Gerardmer, 161 km (hilly)

Sunday, July 13 - Stage 9: Gerardmer to Mulhouse, 166 km (hilly)

Monday, July 14 - Stage 10: Mulhouse to La Planche des Belles Filles, 161 km (mountainous, summit finish)

Tuesday, July 15 - Rest day in Besancon

Wednesday, July 16 - Stage 11: Besancon to Oyonnax, 186 km (flat)

Thursday, July 17 - Stage 12: Bourg en Bresse to St Etienne, 183 km (hilly)

Friday, July 18 - Stage 13: St Etienne to Chamrousse, 200 km (mountainous, summit finish)

Saturday, July 19 - Stage 14: Grenoble to Risoul, 177 km (mountainous, summit finish)

Sunday, July 20 - Stage 15: Tallard to Nimes, 222 km (flat)

Monday, July 21 - Rest day in Carcassonne

Tuesday, July 22 - Stage 16: Carcassonne to Bagneres de Luchon, 237 km (mountainous)

Wednesday, July 23 - Stage 17: St Gaudens to St Lary Soulan, 125 km (mountainous, summit finish)

Thursday, July 24 - Stage 18: Pau to Hautacam, 145 km (mountainous, summit finish)

Friday, July 25 - Stage 19: Maubourguet to Bergerac, 208 km (flat)

Saturday, July 26 - Stage 20: Bergerac to Perigueux (flat individual time trial), 54 km

Sunday, July 27 - Stage 21: Evry to Paris, Champs Elysees (flat)

Total distance: 3,656 km

* First three stages being held in England

 

[Smallville22]

2014 Tour hits cobbles in blow for Froome

If Chris Froome is to become the first rider to retain his Tour de France title in almost two decades, the Briton will need to navigate a number of traps lurking around a tricky 2014 route.
Britain's Chris Froome must successfully navigate a number of traps lurking around a tricky 2014 Tour de France route if he is to retain his title in cycling's most prestigious stage race.
Starting in northern England on July 5, the Tour features stretches of cobbled roads in northern France, a treacherous crossing of the Vosges mountains and only one time trial - a favourite discipline of Team Sky leader Froome. "Uncertainty is part of the competition," Tour director Christian Prudhomme told reporters when asked about the cobbled sections, which could turn the fifth stage into a lottery.
"It would not make sense to avoid the cobbles when we go through northern France," he added.
But Froome told reporters: "If you know a rider who likes the cobbles, you tell me."
Team Sky sports director Nicolas Portal told Reuters: "It's an interesting route, anything can happen, we'll have to be careful. It's good for the pure climbers. They (the organisers) made it spicier.
"It is going to be an intense battle every day on every terrain."
Asked if Froome should fear the cobbles, Portal replied: "Even though he does not have a beautiful style on the bike, Chris is rarely on the ground. He knows how to handle his bike."
Prudhomme said the 2014 Tour would pay its respects to those who died in World War One as the peloton will ride on the Chemin des Dames and Verdun where many battles took place a century ago.
"I'd like to see Bradley Wiggins there," International Cycling Union (UCI) president Brian Cookson told a media briefing.
Wiggins won the 2012 race but sat out of this year's edition through injury and it is unclear whether he will take part in the 2014 Tour along with team mate Froome.
"It will keep the media guessing in speculation," said Cookson.
Should Froome cope with the 15 km of cobbles spread out over nine sections, where his rivals will hope to catch the Team Sky juggernaut off guard on a terrain unlikely to suit them, the Briton will then need to combat three mountain ranges.
They will start in the Vosges, with the 10th stage being "a real mountain stage where the best GC (general classification) riders should fight", according to Prudhomme.
The stage ends at the top of the Planche des Belles Filles, where Froome triumphed last year.
"In 2012, it came at the end of a hilly stage, this time it will be preceded by several other tough climbs, such as the Petit Ballon d'Alsace and the Col de Chevreres," Prudhomme added.
There will be five summit finishes, including the demanding climb to Hautacam in the Pyrenees, at the end of a short yet ****** stage also featuring the ascent of the Tourmalet.
A well balanced Tour - which could see sprint king Mark Cavendish don the coveted yellow jersey after the first stage ending in his ******'s home town of Harrogate - may not be decided until the riders race against the clock on the eve of the Champs Elysees parade.
The only time trial will be a 54-km flat route between Bergerac and Perigueux, representing a last chance for Froome to gain time on his rivals if he has been held up along the way.
No rider has retained the Tour de France title since Spain's Miguel Indurain in 1995.
Alberto Contador, the 2007 and 2009 champion, was stripped of his 2010 title after failing a dope test and Lance Armstrong lost his seven consecutive titles from 1999 after a U.S. Anti-Doping Agency report showed he had cheated his way to glory.

 

[Smallville22]

Tour de France nearly-man Kloeden quits cycling

Twice Tour de France runner-up Andreas Kloeden, who also won an Olympic bronze medal, has retired after 16 years in the sport.
Kloeden, 38, won the 2000 Paris-Nice race and finished third in the Sydney Olympics road race in the same year.
He seldom talked to German media in the last years of his career, angered by what he said were false allegations of doping, and has been living in Switzerland.
Several retired fellow German riders including Erik Zabel and Jan Ullrich have since made full or partial doping admissions for a period when the use of ****** substances was rampant in the sport.
Kloeden, however, who played mostly second fiddle to them in his career, always denied the claims.
"I have nothing to admit to," he told the Weserkurier newspaper.
He finished 30th in his 12th and last Tour this year.

 

[Smallville22]

Giro-focused Evans to start next season Down Under

Cadel Evans will race on home soil for the first time since he won the Tour de France at next January's Tour Down Under.
The 36-year-old BMC rider was the first Australian to win road cycling's most prestigious event and returns to the event in South Australia for the first time since his eighth appearance in 2010.
Evans has decided to focus on the Giro d'Italia this year after finishing 39th in the Tour de France in 2013, two years after cycling up the Champs Elysee in the yellow jersey.
"With my focus on the Giro d'Italia, everything comes earlier in the year," Evans, who finished third in the Giro last year, said in a statement.
"There is also the team's desire to get the season off to a good start. I think with a bit harder course this year, it would be realistic to go for the overall win.
"I haven't been able to race there since 2010 because I've always been working toward the Tour de France.
"But with me going for the Giro, it gives me the opportunity to race in Australia and at the race which has become the real season start and the meeting point for the world of cycling at the beginning of the year.
"So it will be something special, especially racing in front of the home crowd."
The Tour Down Under will be held in and around Adelaide from 19-26 January.
"This will be the first time that Australian cycling fans have seen Cadel race on home soil since his historic 2011 Tour de France win," said race director Mike Turtur said.
"He's one of our greatest riders of all time, our only Tour de France winner and road world champion. I've always admired his respect and commitment to the sport and his total commitment to suffer during races."