BiciRace.com :: News :: April 2005

News :: April 2005

29 April 2005

Mario Cipollini Retires, The End of an Era

Mario Cipollini Tour of Qatar 2005, photo: Liquigas

Tuesday saw Mario Cipollini’s 17-year career come to a close. Cycling fans around the world are expressing sadness as they witness the exit of the famous Lion King. Loved by millions, and dismissed as a showboat by just as many, Cipollini is truly one of the greatest champions of our generation. But whether you love him or not, you can’t deny the impact “Cipo” has had on the sport of professional cycling. Visionaries are typically misunderstood and their talent disregarded, and that was largely true for Cipollini. But, with 189 career victories, even if you don’t share his fashion sense, facts are facts and he is the most prolific rider in terms of victories since Sean Kelly. Read more ... Mario Cipollini Retires, The End of an Era.
- The Dust Devil

Lampre-Caffita and Discovery Channel for Giro

Lampre-Caffita and Discovery Channel will be fielding some strong teams in this year's Giro d'Italia. Looking at the squads makes one realize that this will be a dangerous Giro. Just the infighting of Lampre-Caffita is enough to make you tune-in, Gilberto Simoni and Damiano Cunego say they are friends, but BiciRace.com knows better.
Squadra: Damiano Cunego, Evgeni Petrov, Eddy Mazzoleni, Andrea Tonti, Alessandro Spezialetti, Marius Sabaliauskas, Giuliano Figueras, Paolo Fornaciari

The Disco boys are rolling in with a fresh squad that desire to help il Falco (Paolo Savoldelli) fly to his 2002 glories. BiciRace.com is excited for the Disco boys, tackling the Italian roads for the pink jersey.
Squadra: Tom Danielson, Paolo Savoldelli, Pavel Padrnos, Michael Barry, Antonio Cruz, Benoît Joachim, Jason McCartney, Volodymyr Bileka, Ryder Hesjedal

Read BiciRace.com's pink pages for toe-to-knee coverage of the 88th Giro d'Italia.

One Day for Petacchi

Yesterday in stage 2 of the Tour de Romandie the blue and white boys of cement and construction, Fassa Bortolo, deliver Alessandro Petacchi to the line in first. Yes, a Steels or Lombardi win would have been more exciting, but Petacchi is the current man of sprint.

Petacchi took the leader's yellow jersey, but will only hold on to it for one day. Today there is no way he will stay in yellow, the mountain-men are coming out to play. They will inflict pain on the Petacchi-type on the way to the mountain finish of Anzère. A 143.9 km stage with 3 category one climbs, painful indeed. Stay tuned for stage 3 coverage of the Tour de Romandie.

VDB: 19th New Beginning

Frank Vandenbroucke (MrBookmaker-SportsTech) is ready to start fresh, "I am tiptop in order, I feel good," says Vandenbroucke. He is scheduled to start in the Tour de Picardie (13 to 15 May). "After that I start the Tour of Belgium and the Tour of Luxembourg", said Vandenbroucke of his schedule.

So, get out the white paint and head for the nearest col or berg, and write in big letters "VDB". Cheer on the Belgian's fallen star, maybe he will come back around. Good luck Frank Vandenbroucke, in your first race of 2005!

28 April News ...