Garmin’s Transitions?

Posted on August 31, 2010 by

Transfer-wise, the summer had been quiet for the guys over at Garmin-Transitions and the Cervélo Test Team—at least until last week, when rumors emerged, and were then confirmed, that Cervélo’s squad would be no more in 2011.  Instead, Cervélo would be joining Garmin as team co-sponsor to form Garmin-Cervélo for 2011 and beyond.  But the questions remains: which riders from both teams will form the basis of the new squad’s roster?  On the eve of new roster announcements, we thought now was a better time than ever to speculate—let’s get started.


Before the last week’s drama, Garmin was looking like a full house at 27 or 28 riders, but clearly everyone can’t stay.  Let’s look at the Garmin roster and see who’s got a contract in place for next year.


On the “Contract Through Next Year” list we have:

1. Christian Vande Velde – through 2012

2. Dan Martin – through 2012

3. Dave Zabriskie – through 2013

4. Fredrik Kessiakoff – through 2011 (probably)

5. Jack Bobridge – through 2011

6. Julian Dean – through 2011

7. Martijn Maaskant – through 2013

8. Michael Kreder – through 2013

9. Murilo Fischer – through 2012

10. Ryder Hesjedal – through 2013

11. Steven Cozza – through 2011

12. Svein Tuft –through 2011 (possibly longer)

13. Tyler Farrar – through 2011


“Confirmed Somewhere Else Next Year”:

Ricardo Van der Velde


In the “I Can’t Find Proof But I Can’t Imagine They’re Leaving” list:

14, 15,16, and 17. Peter Stetina, Kirk Carlsen, Cameron and Trevor Meyer – All relatively new pro’s with a deadly combination of youth, talent and low asking-prices.


18. David Millar – Given his position as an owner, I don’t see him leaving.  That said, this could be an impetus to trade the bike for a director position.


19. Robbie Hunter – Hunter was a new signing in 2010; it’s likely he signed a two-year contract.  He’s also a semi-valuable member of Farrar’s lead-out train.


20. Johan Van Summeren – Also a new signing in 2010, as well as a talented and powerful rider in both the classics in the Tour.  They’re crazy if they let him leave.


This all leaves Garmin with 13 riders who we know have contracts, and seven who are pretty likely to have contracts for next year.  One rider (Van der Velde) is already confirmed as leaving.  But there are more still to consider.


In the “Contract Is Up This Year As Far As We Know” list:

Christian Meier – 2010

Matt Wilson – 2010

Tom Peterson – 2010


And last but not least, the “Who Knows?” list:

Danny Pate

Timmy Duggan

Tom Danielson

Trent Lowe


If Cervélo riders are coming to Garmin next year, the majority of the vacancies will likely come from the two lists above.  Let’s take a look at each rider and see if we can guess what the future may bring:


Christian Meier – At 25, Meier is a young rider with loads of potential.  The Canadian National Champion in 2008, he’s been with Garmin for two years, having come from Symmetrics with Svein Tuft.  Meier won the intermediate sprint competition at the Tour of Basque country earlier in the year and being Canadian probably can’t hurt with Cervélo coming as a new sponsor.  He appearred on the preliminary Vuelta start list, but didn’t make the official start list.  That could be a bad sign, indicating he’s on his way out; an entirely neutral sign, indicating his form wasn’t where they wanted it to be; or a good sign, indicating his position is secure, and the Vuelta is being used as a test for other riders.  (See below.)


Tom Peterson – Peterson was originally slated as a reserve team member for the Vuelta, but is now on the squad in place of Christian Meier. Peterson came to Garmin in 2009 after impressing many with his performance at the 2008 Tour of Chihuahua.  He started things off with a bang in 2009 by winning a stage at the Tour of California and finished the year with the KOM jersey at the Herald Sun Tour.  Another young guy with potential, he was a member of the Tour of Poland squad that supported Dan Martin’s overall victory.  It’s likely his performance impressed management enough to earn a spot on the Vuelta squad.


Matt Wilson – Another member of the team’s Vuelta squad, Wilson’s value to the team is only something they can gauge.  His results this year have been lackluster, but for a rider whose value has been more about helping others win than winning himself, we can only speculate.  My guess: he’ll lose his spot to one of the riders coming over from Cervélo.  It’s a tough call for sure, but business is business.


Danny Pate – Pate’s been with Garmin since the TIAA-CREF days.  After starting his professional career at Saeco in 2000, he retreated to the relative safety of the US domestic scene, thanks to a principled stand against the doping culture he encountered while abroad. His U-23 Time Trial World Championship clearly showed he had the ability to compete with Europe’s best.  In 2003, a conversation with his then teammate Jonathan Vaughters helped set in motion the creation of what ultimately became Garmin-Transitions.  Clearly, he’s a friend of Vaughters and a sentimental favorite of the team.  That said, his performance this year has been largely underwhelming, and he was omitted from Garmin’s squads for all three grand tours.  Will he take a page from Will Frishkorn’s playbook and read the writing on the wall?


Timmy Duggan – Like Pate, has been around since the TIAA-CREF days.  A broken elbow in late June ruined his chances of making Garmin’s Vuelta roster.  He’s back in one piece now, but missed most of July and August.  He gets hurt quite a bit, often very badly.  He’s been a pro since 2003, and might be looking for work elsewhere.


Tom Danielson – The story of Tom Danielson’s cycling career is one of missed opportunities and bad luck.  There have been plenty of flashes of genuine brilliance from Danielson over the years, and in his earliest days as a pro he looked sure to be one of the best.  In spite of, or maybe as a result of this, he’s never lived up to expectations. Vaughters has written about the talent that Danielson is, and it’s clear he’s been pulling for the guy. He’s riding the Vuelta, and I suspect he’s been told it’s time to stand and deliver.  Given how Danielson appears to perform under pressure, that not a good thing.  Even worse: the guy hasn’t been mentioned in Garmin’s plans for next year—a bad omen.


Trent Lowe – Lowe’s a former mountain biker who was brought on for his climbing ability.  He won Best Young Rider in the 2008 Tour of Georgia—we haven’t seen or heard much of him since.  He’s also been linked to Fly-V Australia, an Australian team with Pro Tour aspirations.


Let’s recap what we know:


We can confirm 2011 contracts for 13 riders from 2010’s Garmin-Transitions team, with another 7 riders that seem likely to have contracts through 2011—bringing the total roster to 20.  We know 1 rider of the remaining 8 is leaving.  Of the final seven, 3 have contracts that appear to end in 2010 and 4 we just don’t know about.


So where does that leave us?


While unconfirmed due to UCI rules, Christophe Le Mével coming to Garmin in 2011 was by most accounts a done-deal in July.  Recent news suggests his contract isn’t signed, but that’s largely an “administrative issue”.  An interview with him on 8/26 makes it seem like he’ll be joining the squad.  That brings the team’s roster to 21.


Now for Cervélo: Based on what we’ve learned this week, we can assume Thor Hushovd is coming to Garmin, along with 6 other riders.  Six names have emerged, either in mainstream cycling press (here too), or by some fancy Twitter sleuthing.  Aside from Hushovd, Garmin is reportedly talking to Haussler, Klier and Hammond. Lloyd has also been linked, as has Jeremy Hunt.  There’s some circumstantial evidence that Brett Lancaster may also be headed to Garmin—or at least a team with a base in Girona.  Are these the 7 riders to which Hushovd is alluding?  At this point, we can only speculate.


Whether or not Hushovd is 100% accurate with his rider count is an unknown.  Assuming he’s right, the spots will likely come from the “older” riders who’ve been underwhelming the last few years at Garmin, and probably one or two contract buyouts.  Slots could be opened by not renewing the contracts of people whose terms are up at the end of 2010.  It’s also possible that contracted riders could be bought out of their contracts.


I hate speculating about a person’s livelihood, but it can’t be easy to be Matt Wilson, Trent Lowe, Danny Pate, Timmy Duggan or Tom Danielson right now. Christian Meier’s drop from Garmin’s preliminary Vuelta roster is also curious.


Things are also looking pretty bad for Martijn Maaskant with the arrival of more classics contenders. Could he be a candidate for a contract buyout?  And what about Hunter?  Hushovd isn’t the same sort of sprinter Farrar is, so I don’t think there will be as much friction there as people are anticipating.  How similar are Hunter and Hushovd?  Will Hunter be happy playing leadout man to Farrar and Hushovd?


How this plays out remains to be seen—hopefully, both the fans and the riders affected will know more soon.



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Monday Musette – Vuelta, Garmin-Cervelo, and Metaphors

Posted on August 30, 2010 by
2010 Vuelta Espana - Gilbert in Red Jersey After Stage 3

Fotoreporter Sirotti

Here’s this week’s Monday Musette.


1. The 2010 Vuelta Espana kicked-off this weekend with a midnight team time trial through the streets of Seville.  By the end of the evening, Mark Cavendish was wearing the red jersey as leader of the race, after his HTC-Columbia team took the stage victory.  For HTC-Columbia, the win was reminiscent of the 2009 Giro d’Italia, when Cavendish pulled-on the pink jersey following the team’s Venetian TTT victory.  (Garmin was the big loser that day too, if you recall.)


2010 Vuelta Espana - HTC-Columbia Wins Stage 1

Fotoreporter Sirotti

On Sunday, we expected Cavendish, Garmin’s Tyler Farrar, and Lampre’s Alessandro Petacchi to rekindle their exciting sprint battle from this summer’s Tour de France—except someone forgot to tell FDJ’s Yauheni Hutarovich.  Hutarovich decisively beat his three heralded colleagues—is he this year’s Borut Bozic?


2010 Vuelta Espana - Hutarovich Wins Stage 2

Fotoreporter Sirotti


But the real excitement came at the end of today’s Stage 3, when Philippe Gilbert sent a message to those hoping to contend at Worlds in October.  For his [team’s] efforts, he got the stage and the red jersey.  Behind, the GC saw it’s first re-shuffling, with overall favorites coming to the fore on the uphill finish in Malaga.


2010 Vuelta Espana - Gilbert Wins Stage 3

Fotoreporter Sirotti


While we don’t expect Gilbert to contend for the overall victory, it’s interesting to see Rodriguez and Nibali race so aggressively at the beginning of the first week.  Menchov, Mosquera, Frank Schleck, and Van Garderen all held their own as well.


2010 Vuelta Espana - Grega Bole in Stage 3

Fotoreporter Sirotti


Two quick notes: watch-out for Filippo Pozatto and Grega Bole at Worlds later this year.  Pozatto’s someone we have come to expect to be at the top of his game, but Bole’s proven himself to be a very talented rider over the past months.  When Oscar Freire won his first world title, he was a relatively unknown small bunch sprinter.  Romans Vainsteins won his title in a group sprint as well—with little team support.  To make a long story short: if you’re a betting person, save at least one small wager for the young Slovenian.


What are your thoughts after the first 3 days of the Spanish grand tour?


2. This weekend’s other big news was the demise of the Cervélo TestTeam and Cervélo’s new agreement with Team Garmin.  We’ll cover this at length later in the week, but for right now it seems there’s a moral to the story: gone are the days when bike manufacturers can afford title sponsorships.  Cervélo had a great idea in bringing together a group of passionate and like-minded companies to create a sort of travelling laboratory in which to gather the best R&D data—and publicity—that money could buy.  Unfortunately, while admirable, the venture proved too costly.


Luckily for Cervélo, there just happened to be an Anglo-American team that just so happened to not have its contract renewed with its bike supplier.  (This team also happens to employ three of the world’s best Canadian cyclists.)  So after a quick bit of “Insert Bike Company Tab A into Pro Tour Team Slot B”, we have Garmin-Cervélo.  Now the real fun begins as Garmin attempts to build the best possible roster without breaking/buying-out too many current contracts.


This ought to be good.  Your thoughts?


3. And last but not least, I was quite impressed with the third and final installment of Rapha’s RSA Film Series.  Friday’s D’Acciaio offered a close look into the mind and workshop of the legendary Dario Pegoretti.  The man seems to eat, sleep, and breathe his craft.  If you missed it, I feel sorry for you.  It also offers the best use of metaphor—in Italian—since Il Postino.  (Sorry, but I couldn’t find it with subtitoli.)


Which brings me to my final question: do you or someone you know ride a Pegoretti?  If yes, drop me a line and tell me about it—I’d love to hear your opinions.  Just shoot an email to paveblog@gmail.com.  Thanks!


Enjoy your Monday!

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2010 Vuelta Espana – Team Preview

Posted on August 27, 2010 by
2010 Trofeo Melinda - Nibali Wins

Fotoreporter Sirotti

Admittedly, it’s been a slim August here at Pavé as work, family, and other obligations have led me astray from my regular schedule.  But with a new school year beginning—and my regular work week as well, I’m hoping to get back on track—beginning with a preview of the year’s final grand tour: the Vuelta Espana.


Here’s a run-down of each team’s chances:


1. Cervelo TestTeam – The big news this week is the demise of the Cervelo TestTeam and the absorption of its remnants by Garmin.  Before heading their separate ways, Thor Hushovd and Carlos Sastre—two of the team’s three biggest stars—take another stab at a grand tour.  (For Sastre, it’s his third this year.)  While a podium finish in Madrid might be a bit of a long shot for the Spanish veteran, multiple stage wins for the team certainly are not.  As for Hushovd, he’s looking for stage wins—and some form for worlds later in the month.  Theo Bos and Philippe Deignan—a stage winner and ninth-place finisher last year—are two other men to watch.  Can Vroomen’s men go out on top?


2. AG2R – The French team comes to the Vuelta hoping Irishman Nicolas Roche can build upon on his 15th-place finish in this summer’s Tour de France.  With a solid team and some lackluster competition, Roche is a good bet for the top-10.  Rinaldo Nocentini rides as well—he leads the group of AG2R riders on the hunt for stages.


3. Andalucia-Cajasur – The Spanish wild card squad hopes it can do enough in this year’s race to justify its invitation.  Despite winning the overall title in 2009, Spanish riders won only 2 of the race’s 21 stages—Andalucia-Cajasur would love to be one of the teams to help improve upon that number this year.


4. Astana – Astana’s Vuelta line-up is a far cry from the team that won the Tour de France.  Tour heroes Alberto Contador and Alexandre Vinokourov are staying home, leaving the Kazakh squad to rely on imports Allan Davis and Enrico Gasparotto to take a stage or two.


5. BBox Bourges Telecom – BBox comes to the Vuelta hoping to continue the success its merry band of opportunists found in the Giro and the Tour.  Look for the William Bonnet, Johan Tschopp and Nicolas Vogondy to lead the charge, while Pierre Rolland tries for a finish inside the top-10.


6. Caisse d’Epargne – Caisse d’Epargne lost last year’s Vuelta champion Alejandro Valverde to a doping suspension earlier in the season, but that does little to harm the team’s ambitions in its home tour.  Luis Leon Sanchez leads the squad with Italian Marzio Bruseghin and David Arroyo Italian serving as his lieutenants.  Should Sanchez choose to ride for the GC over stage success, he’s a good bet for the top-10 (and an outside contender for the top-5).  As for Bruseghin, he always seems to be there in grand tours and David Arroyo finished second in this year’s Giro.  Together, these three might surprise us.


7. Cofidis – Frenchman David Moncoutie skipped his home tour for a better chance at success in the Vuelta.  With a stage win and the KOM jersey in last year’s race, he might prove to have made the right choice.  With talented men like Tony Gallopin, Rémi Pauriol, and Samuel Dumoulin hunting for stage wins, it might be a profitable September for the French squad.


8. Euskaltel – Euskaltel lost some firepower when Samuel Sanchez decided to skip this year’s Vuelta.  A two-time podium finisher in Spain and the fourth-place rider in this year’s Tour de France, Sanchez would have been popular pick for the win.  Instead, Euskaltel brings its usual mix of Spaniards and Basques to its home Tour hoping for stages and a top-10 GC finish.


9. Footon-Servetto  – Mauro Giantetti’s Footon-Servetto becomes Team Geox next year with big names Denis Menchov and Carlos Sastre joining the fold.  This year, the team brings a multi-national squad to Spain for its final grand tour of 2010.  With no clear GC leader, look for Footon to try and place riders in as a many breakaways as possible with the hope of taking a stage win or two. Personally, I’m rooting for Johnny Walker.


10. Francaise des Jeux – FDJ had a bittersweet Tour de France this summer. Sandy Casar earned the French team a stage win, but Christophe Le Mevel failed to build upon his 2009 tenth-place finish.  In the Vuelta, Le Mevel gets another shot to prove that he’s more than just a one hit wonder—I’ll be surprised if he does.  As for the rest, Yoann Offredo and Yauheni Hutarovich are the team’s best hopes for stage success, while Remi DiGregorio will try to live up to the hype he received as a neo-pro.


11. Garmin-Transitions – Garmin won three stages at last year’s Vuelta with Tyler Farrar, Ryder Hesjedal, and David Millar all finding success. This year, the team has one of the deepest squads in the race—even without Tour-revelation Hesjedal.  The opening night’s TTT should be the first item on the team’s wish list—on paper they have by far the fastest squad against the clock.  Then the focus should shift to Farrars sprint chances, while Vande Velde and Danielson wait patiently for the GC battle to begin.  And don’t forget David Zabriskie and David Millar—they likely have their eyes on Stage 17’s 46km (pan flat) time trial.


12. Lampre-Farnese Vini – Lampre comes to the Vuelta with Alessandro Petacchi hoping to build upon the sprint success he found in this year’s Tour de France.  That said, Petacchi’s participation is uncertain following allegations of pre-Tour doping.  In his absence, look for Danilo Hondo, Grega Bole, and recent suspension-returnee Andrey Kashechkin to be the team’s best hopes for stage wins.  As for Damiano Cunego, he’s staying in Italy to build form for autumn—a good call considering he seemed to peak too soon last year while winning two Vuelta stages.


13. Liquigas – Liquigas had a banner Giro d’Italia—but a bummer Tour de France.  But with Vincenzo Nibali and Roman Kreuziger leading the team’s Vuelta squad, the team could easily end the season on a high note with a grand tour victory in Spain.  Nibali finished third in the Giro, while Kreuziger took tenth in the Tour.  Nibali is the team’s captain on paper, he finished third in the Giro while riding for teammate and eventual Giro-winner, Ivan Basso.  He can climb, time trial, and descend—a handy skill on Spanish roads that are often steep, technical, narrow and wet.  Nibali’s a future Italian grand tour champion—he could get his first taste of the podium’s top step here.


14. Omega Pharma-Lotto – Lotto comes to this year’s Vuelta looking for little more than stage wins and some good training.  Philippe Gilbert leads the charge, hoping the Vuelta will once again give him the fitness that saw him take Paris-Tours and the Tour of Lombardy over the course of a week last autumn.  For Gilbert, Worlds is a big target this season—a solid Vuelta is the first piece of his rainbow puzzle.  As for Greg Van Avermaet, he won a stage and the points competition at the Vuelta in 2008—and hasn’t done much since.  Can BMC’s new recruit turn it around this September, punching his Worlds ticket in the process?


15. Quick Step – Quick Step brings an interesting mix of stage win candidates and possible GC surprises to Spain.  For stage wins, Wouter Weylandt is not to be ignored in field sprints, while Carlos Barredo is one of the most aggressive riders in the peloton.  For the GC, Kevin De Weert finished anonymously inside the Tour’s top-20, while Dario Cataldo and Branislav Samoilau showed potential in the Giro.  Does one of the three have a top-10 ride in his legs?


16. Rabobank – With two-time Vuelta champion Denis Menchov and 7-time stage winner Oscar Freire, Rabobank has all the makings for a successful Tour of Spain.  By far the most accomplished grand tour rider in the race, Menchov hopes to build on the form that saw him take third in this year’s Tour—his best French result to date.  As for Freire, he might be looking ahead to Worlds more than he’s looking to win stages here—especially with Hushovd, Farrar, Cavendish, and Petacchi participating (that might be a good idea for the 3-time World Champion). Talented rouleurs like Nick Nuyens and Sebastian Langeveld along with climbers Juan Manuel Garate and Laurens Ten Dam will be charged with keeping their men safe and sound—but all four could be stage threats if given the green light.


17. Team Sky – It hasn’t quite been the banner year Team Sky had anticipated.  Few big wins coupled with a relatively anonymous Tour de France have left team feeling a bit down and out.  That said, there’s some potential on the team’s Vuelta roster—if they let the riders do what they have proven to do best: win stages.  Simon Gerrans, Juan Antonio Flecha, and Thomas Lokvist are the team’s best chances, with Lokvist an outside bet for a good GC ride if he can stay out of trouble.  I’m also eager to see what John-Lee Augustyn can do in the mountains—could he be this year’s Vuelta surprise?


2010 Dauphiné - Van Garderen in Stage 3

Fotoreporter Sirotti


18. Team HTC-Columbia – Any early doubts about the losses HTC-Columbia suffered before the season have officially been dashed—they’re clearly the deepest and most talented team in the peloton. This year’s Tour of Spain will be our first chance to see if the team has discovered the one thing it’s lacked throughout the past two seasons: a true grand tour contender.  Tejay Van Garderen impressed everyone with a fine third place in this year’s Dauphiné.  The Vuelta is the young American’s first chance to show his mettle in a 3-week event.  And oh yeah, Mark Cavendish and Matthew Goss are racing—look for 4-6 stage wins as well.


19. Team Katusha – Katusha’s an interesting team to watch in this year’s Vuelta.  Joaquin Rodriguez finished seventh in Spain last year and won a stage and finished eighth in this year’s Tour—he could easily earn a podium spot in Spain.  As for Alexandre Kolobnev and Filippo Pozatto, they’re likely searching for stage wins and fitness for Worlds.  With a solid roster of support men, Katusha could be one of the race’s more successful teams.


20. Milram – Unable to find a new sponsor for 2011, the Vuelta looks to be the beginning of Milram’s swan song.  Several men on the team’s Vuelta squad—such as Niki Terpstra and Robert Forster—have already found new homes for 2011.  For those who have not, the Vuelta’s a good chance for them to audition for teams with roster spots still unoccupied.


2010 Vattenfall Cyclassics - F. Schleck Before Start

Fotoreporter sirotti


21. Team Saxo Bank – Fabian Cancellara and both Schlecks come to this year’s Vuelta, making Saxo Bank one of the tour’s more favored teams.  Cancellara hopes to once again use the race as preparation for Worlds (he wants to win the time trial and road titles in Australia).  As for Andy Schleck, he’ll serve as one of the world’s best lieutenants, riding at the service of his older brother Frank.  With the usual top-notch supporting cast, there’s little reason to think Frank can’t take a victory—after all, he’s one of the most talented riders in the race and the only GC contender without a full grand tour in his legs.


22. Xacobeo Galicia – Xacobeo Galicia’s always good for a stage win in its home tour—last year, Gustavo Veloso won the team a mountain stage. But the bigger story is Ezequiel Mosquera, a man who has quietly scored three consecutive top-5 finishes in the Spanish grand tour.  Mosquera’s results this year—top-5 results in the Tours of Castilla Lyon, Asturias, and Burgos—prove he’s up to the challenge.  Could the 34-year-old shock the world?


There you have it—a brief preview of the teams in this year’s Vuelta.  But who will emerge as this year’s champion?  Here’s my top-5:


1. Vicenzo Nibali

2. Frank Schleck

3. Ezeqiuel Mosquera

4. Denis Menchov

5. Tejay Van Garderen


Overall, I think we’re in for a fantastic race for sprint fans, with Hushovd, Farrar, Cavendish, Petacchi (maybe), and Freire all participating.  This year’s Vuelta is also suited to US riders, with Van Garderen, Vande Velde, and Danielson all good bets for top-10 finishes.  And of course, there’s the men using the race as training for Worlds and the autumn classics—Cancellara and Gilbert are foremost among them. Expect an aggressive and wide-open event.


And what about you—who are your picks?  What questions do you hope to have answered?  Who are your sleepers and busts?


Share your comments below.  And as always, thanks for reading.


Posted in Races | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Weekend Preview – ENECO, Melinda, and Plouay

Posted on August 20, 2010 by
2010 Tre Valli Varesine - Alessandro Ballan

Fotoreporter Sirotti

Here’s a quick run-down of this weekend’s major events:


1. The 2010 ENECO Tour continues this weekend with two longish stages in Belgium and the Netherlands.  Saturday’s 214.4km stage from St. Lievens-Houtem (Belgium) to Roermond (Holland) should be a good day for the sprinters, with few real difficulties on tap.  Look for Robbie McEwen and Andre Greipel—and possibly Edvald Boasson Hagen—to fight it out for the win.


Sunday’s stage from Roermond to Sittard is a bit more interesting though, with a 204km berg-filled stage that resembles a mini-Amstel Gold Race.  HTC’s Tony Martin is the current race leader; if men like Stijn Devolder, Lars Boom, and EBH wish to replace him at the top of the GC, they’ll need to start their assault here.  Monday offers another mini-Classic, with a 205km trip through the Belgian Ardennes, including a trip over the infamous Muur de Huy.  Should Martin make it through these two tough days relatively unscathed, Tuesday’s final time trial will be a mere formality.  We’ll check back in Monday and see where things stand.


2. Moving to Italy, Saturday’s 1.1 Trofeo Melinda features a largely Italian start list containing some Italian stars and a few men looking ahead to next weekend’s opening of the Tour of Spain.


ISD-Neri’s Giovanni Visconti returns this year to defend his title from last year, this time wearing the tricolore as Italian champion.  He’s supported by the German Patrick Sinkewitz, a rider returning to the sport following a doping suspension.  Liquigas brings some talent to the event in the form of Ivan Basso and Vincenzo Nibali; the latter’s certainly hoping to put the finishing touches on his Vuelta fitness.  The same can be said of HTC-Columbia’s Tejay Van Garderen and Garmin’s Tom Danielson, two American’s hoping for top-10 finishes in Spain.  HTC’s roster also features Michael Albasini, Marco Pinotti, Konstantin Siutsou, and Maxime Monfort—all four are capable of taking the Italian event should they find themselves in the right break.


Androni Giocattoli brings Michele Scarponi to the race, as well as 2008 Melinda-winner Leonardo Bertagnolli.  Alessandro Bertolini’s also on the team’s roster for Saturday—he’s always good for an August win in Italy.  As for the rest, the race features the usual mix of Italian Pro Continental teams, as well as “foreign” squads Vorarlberg-Corratec, Miche, Amore Vita, and Katusha’s U23 squad—a win Saturday would certainly be one of the high points of their seasons.


3. And finally, Sunday brings Normandy’s traditional summer Pro Tour event, the Grand Prix Ouest France-Plouay.  A 248km race run entirely on the parcours of the 2000 World Championships, Plouay features thousands of eager fans and aggressive summer racing.  This year’s start list offers several intriguing options:


Australian Simon Gerrans leads Team Sky in his bid to become the event’s first back-to-back winner since France’s Jacques Bossiss in 1976 and 1977.  Gerrans has the full support of a squad including Bradley Wiggins, Sylvain Calzati, and Serge Pauwels.  BBox brings 2008 Plouay-winner Pierrick Fedrigo, a rider hoping to continue his successful run this season, while Rabobank looks to Nick Nuyens to get himself back on track with an important victory.  That said, Lampre might have one of the stronger teams in the race, with Damiano Cunego,  Grega Bole, and FRancesco Gavazzi eager to take the win.


French teams AG2R, Cofidis, and FDJ, bring the usual mix of homegrown talent and foreign imports, with Maxime Bouet, Rinaldo Nocentini, Remi Pauriol, Anthony Geslin, and Christophe Le Mevel the best of the bunch.  Caisse d’Epargne brings veteran Frenchman Christophe Moreau and the young sprinter Jose Joaquin Rojas.


Four American teams take the start Sunday, with Radio Shack, BMC, HTC-Columbia, and Garmin-Transitions all coming to Normandy.  BMC’s Alessandro Ballan, HTC’s Matthew Goss, and Garmin’s Tyler Farrar, Ryder Hesjedal, and Daniel Martin are the highlights, with Farrar and Goss the top favorites should the race come down to a sprint.


Belgian squads Omega Pharma-Lotto and Quick Step bring some star power as well Sunday, with Lotto’s Philippe Gilbert and Greg Van Avermaet and Quick Step’s Sylvain Chavanel and Jerome Pineau all participating.  Chavanel would love to give the home fans one more taste of his July exploits.


As for Liquigas, Peter Sagan races Sunday in an event that suits him should he have regained some fitness following his abandon from the Tour of Poland.  Milram’s hoping Niki Terpstra and Fabian Wegmann can make one last-ditch effort to prove the team worthy of a new title sponsor.  And last but not least, Vacansoleil brings another strong team to France, hoping to make an early bid for a 2011 Tour invitation—Bjorn Leukemans, the Feillu brothers, and Johnny Hoogerland, and Matteo Carrara are the team’s main hopes Sunday.


4. That’s it for the races, here are my picks:


ENECO Tour Stage 4:

1. Greipel

2. McEwen

3. Boasson Hagen


ENECO Tour Stage 5:

1. Lars Boom

2. Daniel Oss

3. Boasson Hagen


Trofeo Melinda

1. Visconti

2. Nibali

3. Scarponi


GP Plouay

1. Ballan

2. Bole

3. Terpstra


And what about you—who are your picks for the weekend?  Share them below!

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Monday Musette – Vattenfall, ENECO, and Films About Flandriens

Posted on August 16, 2010 by
2010 Vattenfall Cyclassics - Final Podium

Fotoreporter Sirotti

Here’s this week’s Monday Musette:


1. Tyler Farrar became the first back-to-back winner of the Vattenfall Cyclassics with his win Sunday.  Edvald Boasson Hagen and Andre Greipel took second and third, rounding-out what I had suspected would constitute the final podium (albeit in different positions).  The race went as planned for Garmin-Transitions—the team timed is lead-out perfectly, with Julian Dean putting the final touch on the work of Team Sky in the final 2 kilometers.  With head-to head wins over just about everyone at this point in 2010, Farrar is now rightfully the second-fastest man in the world.  This begs the question: what does Farrar have to do to close the gap to Cavendish?


2. Looking down the results, two names inside the top-15 stood-out to me: Frederic Guesdon and Kevin Hulsmans.  For Guesdon, it was a solid placing for a rider many thought would be making his swan song this year.  That’s not to be however, as the 38-year-old Frenchman has already signed a 1-year extension with FDJ.  As for Quick Step’s Hulsmans, his result is notable if only for the fact that he’s a rider largely known for his efforts on behalf of Tom Boonen.  In a race where Boonen’s absence was by particularly felt, it’s nice to see his domestiques giving it a go for themselves.


3. Boasson Hagen and Greipel now head to the ENECO Tour, where Hagen hopes to defend his title in what would be his first Pro Tour stage race win for Team Sky.  On paper, there’s little reason to believe he doesn’t have the form to accomplish the feat, but Stijn Devolder, Tony Martin, Lars Boom, Richie Porte, Andreas Kloden, and José Ivan Gutierrez (a two-time ENECO winner himself) will all give the Norwegian a run for his kroner.  The ENECO Tour also marks the return of Omega Pharma-Lotto’s Jurgen Van den Broeck following his fifth-place finish in this year’s Tour de France.  It’s also a race featuring Johan Vansummeren, one of the peloton’s most popular Belgians—and an outside bet for the title.  My gut has Hagen, Devolder, and Martin taking the first three places on GC—but in what order?


4. Did you happen to watch the short film over at Rapha about Johan Museeuw, “A Throw of the Dice”?  To be honest, I was a bit disappointed.  The piece started strong with images from the Roubaix countryside, the velodrome itself, and several highlights from last year’s edition.  Then things took a turn for the bizarre with some hazy flashbacks to Napolean, WWI, and a “famous” day in 1992(?) when Museeuw was given a rosary by a suspicious fan while out training.  I won’t spoil the ending for you, but I wish the producers would have done a better job with some of their research—the flashback to Museeuw circa-1992 had the Belgian wearing black shorts and a Mapei-Bricobi jersey, for example.  And the scene depicting Museeuw the night before the 1998 Paris-Roubaix had the champion wearing a Rapha jersey in his hotel room.  Small oversights/indulgences like these detracted from what was otherwise an entertaining and well-produced film.  Your thoughts?


5. Speaking of film, Big Jonny brought an interesting Youtube series to my attention featuring episodes from a Belgian TV special called De Flandriens.  While you don’t need to speak Flemish to know what the series is about, you will need to spreek een beetje vlaams to understand the commentary.  Despite the language barriers though, it’s still a fantastic documentary offering terrific footage of some of the sport’s greatest Flemish hardmen—well worth your time.  And there’s a book too!


6. And last but not least, it’s time for me to eat some crow.  If you recall, last week I criticized the lack of any meaningful coverage of the Tour de France in the most recent issue of VeloNews. While I stand by my earlier opinion, I must give the magazine a bit of credit for an incredible photo of Christian Vande Velde getting a helping hand after his Stage 2 crash, as well as some great research on the world’s best up-and-coming riders that features some names you might not be otherwise familiar with—a great read for anyone who enjoys prognosticating.  While the lack of Tour coverage is a bit of a downer, it’s still a worthy pick-up if you’re in the US have nothing better to spend your money on.


That’s it for today—share your comments and insights below!





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Weekend Preview – Vattenfall Cyclassics

Posted on August 13, 2010 by
2010 Tour Down Under - Greipel Wins Stage 1

Fotoreporter Sirotti

The Pro Tour continues its summer run with the 15th running of Hamburg, Germany’s Vattenfall Cyclassics.  Formerly, the HEW Cyclassics, the race was a World Cup event from 1998 until joining the Pro Tour in 2005.  The relatively flat race usually favors riders strong enough to make it over the small climbs that speckle the route yet fast enough to win what often amounts to a small to mid-size group sprint.  With several men eager to take their first big win of the summer, Sunday’s start list contains no shortage of popular favorites.  Let’s take a look:


1. Last year’s champion, Garmin’s Tyler Farrar returns this year to defend his title with the support of Julian Dean, Maartijn Maaskant, and Tour of Denmark runner-up Svein Tuft.  Farrar’s again looking to Hamburg for retribution following another hard-luck showing at the Tour de France—this time the result of a broken wrist sustained in the Tour’s Stage 2 carnage.  Farrar used Denmark to ease himself back into the swing of things—we’ll soon know if he’s really “back” and ready to compete again.


2. Saxo Bank brings another talented and experienced squad to Hamburg led by none other than Fabian Cancellara.  While Spartacus is always a man to watch, he and popular teammate Jens Voigt might be better suited to helping their faster colleagues Matti Breschel and the Haedo brothers win in a field sprint.  Breschel has just announced his transfer to Rabobank, the Dane is certainly eager to prove the Dutch squad spent its money wisely.  One interesting note: Frank Schleck rides Sunday, giving the Luxembourger a good day of training as he attempts to ride himself back into form in time for the Tour of Spain.


3. Team Milram could certainly use a big win—it’s beginning to look as if Gerry Van Gerwen’s carriage is about to become a pumpkin again as his search for a new title sponsor has found little success.  Germany’s Gerald Ciolek will be the team’s best chance Sunday, with Linus Gerdemann, Fabian Wegman, and Christian Knees looking for a winning breakaway.


4. Astana’s had a rough time following its successful Tour de France. Alberto Contador’s left for greener pastures at Saxo Bank and the squad has had trouble finding a replacement for its Tour superstar.  On Sunday, Allan Davis and Enrico Gasparotto head the team’s contingent, with both the Australian and the Italian outside bets to take the win should a larger select group hit the line together.


5. Team Katusha brings two former winners to the race with both Robbie McEwen (2008) and Filippo Pozzato (2005) taking the line Sunday.  While both should be considered candidates for victory watch for the Italian sprinter Danilo Napolitano—should Pozzato and McEwen put their eggs in his basket, the victory could head to Italy.


6. As for Liquigas, Francesco Chicchi is bound for Quick Step next season, but the Italian could still take an important for his team before his departure.  Hamburg is also the type of race suiting Peter Sagan’s talents.  The young Slovakian abandoned the Tour of Poland with stomach problems, but he could still prove to be a force to be reckoned with here.


7. As for Omega Pharma-Lotto’s Philippe Gilbert, we’re still a month or two away from his best fitness—he’s peaking for another crack at a world title in Australia.  The rest of his team is likely looking for summer miles in advance of their autumn engagements as well, but Jurgen Roelandts is a name to remember—he won the Belgian title a few years ago in a field sprint, and this is the right time of year for surprises.


8. Rabobank is in a situation similar to Lotto’s with Nick Nuyens and Lars Boom likely looking ahead to other events—like next week’s ENECO Tour.  Team Radio Shack is in a similar boat with Geert Steegmans the only man with a shot Sunday—and that’s iffy at best.  That said, Matt Busche took third in the Tour of Denmark—the American at least deserves mention.


9. Sunday’s real favorite might just be—no surprise here—Team HTC-Columbia.  With Andre Greipel and Matthew Goss both riding at the top of their game, the only problem for the team might be in deciding which horse to pick.


10. José Joaquin Rojas was one of the Tour de France’s most underrated, but consistent sprint finishers.  While he might be a bit out-classed by some of the competition Sunday, look for the Caisse d’Epargne rider to continue his quest for the title of “World’s Fastest Spaniard Not Named Sanchez”.


11. As for Lampre, Alessandro Petacchi takes the line hoping for more of the form that saw him take two stages and the green jersey at this year’s Tour de France.  But with whispers of doping echoing through the press room, Petacchi might end-up taking a backseat to one of his teammates.  Of them all, Danilo Hondo’s the best bet to become what would be one of the more surprising winners in the Cyclassics’ short history.


12. As for Euskaltel, I’m not counting-out Samuel Sanchez despite a course that doesn’t seem to suit him.  He won two stages and the overall at the Tour of Burgos and seems to be enjoying the form of his life.  Hamburg’s smiled upon powerful breakaway opportunists before—could this be Sanchez’s year?


13. Team Sky brings a talented roster to Hamburg, buoyed by Edvald Boasson Hagen’s win Friday in the 1.HC Dutch Food Valley Classic.  Hagen enjoyed a stellar August last year; with a talented team including Juan Antonio Flecha, Greg Henderson, and Chris Sutton, the British team has a good chance to take the win.


14. Of the wild card invites, BMC and Vacansoleil have the best rosters.  BMC brings 2007-winner Alessandro Ballan to Sunday’s race.  Ballan rode well in Poland last week—he and Markus Burghardt give the American a solid one-two punch for the finale.  As for Vacansoleil, big wins still seem to elude the Dutch team this season.  Sprinter Borut Borzic and strong man Bjorn Leukemans join Italians Marco Mancato and Alberto Ongarato in trying to earn the squad what would be one of its most important victories to date.


And my prediction?  Greipel takes the win on home turf.  Farrar, Hagen, Ballan, and one of the Haedo’s will round out the top-5.


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