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4 July 2005

5 July News ...

Super Dave Zabriskie to the Team CSC Rescue

Team CSC does not mind the Tour de France media attention that David Zabriskie brings in the Maillot Jaune. The team is looking for a 2006 (and beyond) secondary sponsor to add to the CSC sponsorship deal. Team CSC is guaranteed media attention in the yellow jersey, which always helps for finding money.

Zabriskie did a super ride in the stage 1 TT, taking the win and the Maillot Jaune. In stage 2 he was able to enjoy the spoils of the leader's jersey. "It was a fantastic feeling to wear the yellow jersey today, and I felt comfortable in the peloton, where my teammates really helped me get up front. So even though it was a hot day, I got through it fairly easy," said Zabriskie. Hats off to the Americano, he is showing strength and form.

92nd Tour de France:
Startlist, Classifications, Tour Challengers, Discovery Channel Profile
Key Stages, Key Stage Descriptions, Stages and Maps, Overall Map
Photos, Dust Devil's Daily Wrap

Petacchi and Ferretti, Brothers Gonna Work it Out

In the next few days Giancarlo Ferretti will be finalizing the future sponsor of Alessandro Petacchi and his lead-out boys. Fassa Bortolo's sponsorship ends with the beginning of 2006. Ale-Jet desperately wants to stay with the Iron Sergeant, along with the silver train: Alberto Ongarato, Fabio Sacchi, Matteo Tosatto and Marco Velo.

Recently Ferretti was also shopping the market for a second sponsor to join Fassa Bortolo for the year 2006. The Fassa Bortolo construction company gave the option of continuing in 2006, but only if the Iron Sergeant found a second sponsor. However, the Sergeant has his eyes on bigger goals, thus the "un-named" multinational company based in Holland, rumored to be electrical goods giant Philips or Panasonic.

Ale-Jet is not partaking in the Tour de France, this is usually the time for all deals to be hashed for the following year. As the days pass it becomes harder and harder for Ale-Jet to keep his train intact. Already Marzio Bruseghin is set to sign with Lampre-Caffita. Other Fassa riders leaving: Kim Kirchen is close to inking with Liquigas-Bianchi, Juan-Antonio Flecha is deciding between Rabobank, Gerolsteiner and Phonak, and Fabian Cancellara is being courted by Discovery Channel and Team CSC.

There are also teams that are pulling hard to take Petacchi out of the Ferretti hands: Liquigas-Bianchi, Domina Vacanze, and T-Mobile. The latter would be very hard to believe, but Zabel seems to be unhappy. Phonak is rumored to have offered Zabel a deal to join the squad for 2006.

Older Fassa Bortolo / Ferretti Sponsorship News: 9 May (Alessandro Petacchi Goes Dutch?) and 10 May (Rumors Run Wild!)

Boonen is Terrorizing Western France

Tom Boonen, hard-man of the North, is running wild in the 92nd Tour de France. The Quick-Step rider terrorized the sprinters in the closing kilometers of stage 2. His team, along with FDJ and Davitamon-Lotto, was instrumental in bringing back the day long four-man escape.

Tommy had this to say post stage, "In the last kilometer I was a little behind, with Trenti, then Zanini took us to the front and Guido had made great work to 500 meters. I got off on the right foot, which was important for the morale, for the squadra, and for the points classification for the green jersey. I hope to take it [the jersey] at the end in Paris: a portion of the work is now done." The Quick-Step fast man makes no secret of his goals, putting fear in to the sprint contenders. Tommy added, "My objective was to win a stage, now I hope to conquer another. I hope not to need to make the intermediate sprints for the extra bonuses, but in every case I will involve myself with McEwen."

It is a long way from the Belgian's beginning with US Postal, in the Armstrong fold. In the last two years, Boonen, after joining a proper Belgian team, has achieved super-star status. Last year it was 20 wins, and this year he is on form with his Paris-Roubaix and Tour of Flanders wins. Today the thunderstorm will continue into Tours.

Thomas Voeckler Winning French Hearts

Thomas Voeckler is winning over French hearts, and also tifosi world-wide. The Bouygues Telecom rider rocketed to fame last year when he was in an escape and took the yellow jersey. He fought like mad to keep the jersey for 10 days. This year Voeckler went out to repeat the coup. He did not succeed in taking the Maillot Jaune, but he did take the climber's jersey.

It was a hometown success for the Bouygues Telecom team. At the end of stage 2 Voeckler was presented with the Maillot Blanc à Pois Rouges (polka-dot jersey) in the sponsor's hometown of Les Essarts. For a small French team this was a big score. Voeckler will get all sorts of TV time today in stage 3.

Perhaps the 26-year-old has taken over where Richard Virenque left off. Virenque retired last year, leaving many French ladies at a loss. It was the small Frenchman, Virenque, who won the climber's classification a record seven-times. All of the BiciRace.com crew are now behind Voeckler. We love his punchy, never say die, attitude.

Kicking Out the Facts, Tour de France Style

The fun in every grand tour is naming the riders who are at the limits. Samuel Dumoulin is 1.58 meters. This little French guy won an emotional victory in the recent Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré. The tallest rider racing is Johan Van Summeren at 1.98 meters. The lightest is Leonardo Piepoli (57Kg) and the heaviest is 2004 Paris-Roubaix winner, Magnus Backstedt, at 95Kg.

Out of the 189 rider peloton, there are 39 who have won stages in past Tour de Frances. Of course it is Tex, Lance Armstrong, with the most. Armstrong has notched up 21 wins. Jan Ullrich is second with 7 wins and third is Robbie McEwen at 5.

3 July News ...