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4 May 2005

5 May News ...

A Disco in Italy

Three days to go until the start of the 2005 Giro d'Italia, and the excitement is out of control at the BiciRace.com headquarters in Italy. We are all gathered around the automated espresso machine after lunch to talk about the contenders. It is always interesting how the conversation comes back to Johann Bruyneel and Disco-boys (Discovery Channel).

Yes, we all know Tom Danielson just came off of a super Tour of Georgia, and Il Falco (Paolo Savoldelli) was smokin' in the Tour de Romandie. But what is it with Tom? Well, we aim to find out more, but for now we know that he has the goods to deliver. Tom has won the Tour of Langkawi in 2003, then cut his teeth with Fassa Bortolo, and has the TT/Climbing skills to get the job done in the big races like the Giro d'Italia.

And then there is Il Falco, the dude is flying! Did you remember that prologue in Switzerland last week at the Tour de Romandie? He could be finally back on form after a a heavy fall in training that ended his 2003 season, and again a fall in 2004 at the Rund um Köln. Now Paolo is discovering the Disco and out of the T-Mobile trance. Stay tuned for daily toe-to-knee coverage of the 88th Giro d'Italia.

Super Mario Rides Prologue!

Yes, Mario Cipollini cannot stay out of the lights. Mario will blaze a path of coolness for the other cyclist to learn from this Saturday at the Giro d'Italia prologue in Reggio Calabria. Mario will ride on a special Bianchi machine that is painted with a sunrise. Bianchi prepared this frame for the Lion King as a gift and a symbol of his new beginning.

Four Days of Dunkirk

Starting on the 4th of May and running to the 8th is the 51st edition of the Four Days of Dunkirk. This race is unfortunately one of the many casualties of the new UCI Pro Tour, but life goes on, and so, apparently, does this race. In not granting Pro Tour status to this race by the UCI, the inevitable result will be that the heavy hitters will probably pass it by in favor of more important events.

The riders will cover a total of 891 kilometers over 5 stages. Curiously, race organizers have decided to leave out the individual time trial stage which leaves this wide open to the sprinters. Few are the stage races that sprinters actually have a chance of winning. Four Days of Dunkirk main page.
- Paco

VDB Returns to Battle in Dunkirk

The elusive enfant terrible, Frank Vandenbroucke, has decided (or more likely has been forced) to return to action in tomorrow's Four Days of Dunkirk in France. VDB has been a no show all season, attributing his absences to everything from food poisoning to allergies.

Mr. Bookmaker.com director, Hilaire Vanden Schueren, has very modest expectations for his Belgian rider. Basically he's just looking for Frank to finish the first two stages. If he can go beyond that, then so much the better.

Guiding a wayward soul like Frank Vandenbroucke was probably more than new director Lucien Van Impe had bargained for. Van Impe's abilities as director and mentor to his riders is largely untested since he's so new to this side of the sport, but we at BiciRace.com hope that the stress caused by VDB's antics hasn't soured Van Impe's aspirations.
- Paco

Marco Pinotti, The Giro d'Italia Begins

Marco Pinotti (Saunier Duval - Prodir) talks about his training and his recovery from jet-lag, after a successful trip to the Tour of Georgia. But Marco once again has out his suitcase, he is heading South for the start of the Giro d'Italia. The Giro starts on Saturday and Marco explains the teams goals.
Inside Scoop from Marco Pinotti

Theo Middelkamp Passes

Theo Middelkamp, who was the first Dutchman to win a Tour de France stage (1936) and a World Champion (Reims, France in 1947), has died. Middelkamp, 91, lost many of his best years as a racer to WWII. Nevertheless, he was a national champion four times. When he won his Tour de France stage in 1936 it was from Aix-les-Bains to Grenoble, with the climb of Galibier, what a champion! BiciRace.com salutes the late Middelkamp.

3 May News ...