BiciRace.com :: News :: August 2005

News :: August 2005

9 August 2005

Tutto OK for Ale-Jet

Ale-Jet, photo: Capture-The -Peloton.com

There is a calmness in Italy. It is August, everyone is on vacation, and the Squadra Azzurra looks secure. Italian national DS, Franco Ballerini, looks to repeat the success of 2002 with Mario Cipollini. Major Italian hopeful, Alessandro Petacchi, has spoken with Ballerini and the two are positive. The World Championship road race is over a month away and the two reason that they have time on their side.

The major concern is Ale-Jet's rocky return to racing after a prosperous spring. Remember back in March that it was Ale-Jet storming down the via Roma in Sanremo. After success in the Milano-Sanremo, Ale-Jet continued his ways in the Giro d'Italia. The Giro was followed by a deserved rest, and now a rocky return. The HEW-Cyclassics ended in a fractured finger with 15K to go, and the Eneco Tour of Benelux ended with a withdrawal. (read: Ballerini Thinks about Squadra Azzurra, 7 August)

Ballerini reached success in 2002 by building the entire Squadra Azzurra around Super Mario Cipollini. Back in 2002 the UCI allowed for 12-man squads, and this year the rules have been altered to only allow nine. This may limit the capabilities for Ballerini, but it will be equal for all teams. The Italian DS still has confidence in Ale-Jet and an all-out sprinting team. For now all is calm with the Squadra Azzurra, after all it is August in Italy.

Paolini, Noè, and Peron

Andrea Peron, photo: Capture-The -Peloton.com

The transfer market continues it's movement for the upcoming 2006 season. Andrea Noè has renewed his contract with Liquigas-Bianchi for an additional year. This will be Noè's 14th season as a professional. The Liquigas-Bianchi squadra is hoping to bolster its one-day race possibilities with the addition of Luca Paolini. Paolini, currently with Quick-Step, is slated to leave his captain, Paolo Bettini, and strike out on his own. Finally, there is long-time warrior, Andrea Peron. Peron is standing by Ivan Basso, renewing with Team CSC for the 2006 season. The rider from Varese celebrates his birthday in the coming days, he will be 34.

Max Doubles-Up in Eneco Tour

Max Van Heeswijk (Discovery Channel) stormed to victory in Hasselt. In stage Stage 5 of the Eneco Tour the Dutchman won out of a bunch sprint after 194K in miserable conditions. "I had thought of abandoning in the last few days, and I did not really know if I would ride well today," said Max after the stage win. "I felt like I had heavy legs because of the cold."

Van Heeswijk finished off the hard work by his teammate, Roger Hammond, and took advantage of Tom Steels (Davitamon-Lotto). "At the end Steels jumped, and fortunately I was able to stay on his wheel and use his draft. I am happy I waited because then I had the legs to win. Now these two wins make the whole year complete." Many are tipping Max Van Heeswijk to be the Dutch captain for the World Championships in Madrid. The 32 year-old would be the perfect choice to head the national team. Van Heeswijk has had a mellow spring and now an on-form fall, perfect for the Worlds.

Eneco Tour, 3 - 10 August
Main, Startlist, Map, Photos

Igor Astarloa Wins in Spain

Astarloa chats with O'Grady, photo: Capture-The -Peloton.com

Yesterday Igor Astarloa (Barloworld-Valsir) won stage 2 of the Vuelta a Burgos. It was the first victory of the season for the Spaniard, and former World Champion. Astarloa has been showing great form in this past few weeks. At the HEW-Cyclassics he rode a solid race and finished 28 seconds back.

Germans Announce Provisional Worlds Team

The German cycling federation gave a provisional list of riders for the upcoming World Championship road race in Madrid (25 September). On the list were 25 riders, among the names are Jan Ullrich, Erik Zabel and Jens Voigt.

Full list:
Rolf Aldag (T-Mobile), Markus Burghardt (T-Mobile), Matthias Kessler (T-Mobile), Andreas Klier (T-Mobile), Andre Korff (T-Mobile), Stephan Schreck (T-Mobile), Tobias Steinhauser (T-Mobile), Jan Ullrich (T-Mobile), Erik Zabel (T-Mobile), Robert Förster (Gerolsteiner), Markus Fothen (Gerolsteiner), Heinrich Haussler (Gerolsteiner), Sebastian Lang (Gerolsteiner), Michael Rich (Gerolsteiner), Ronny Scholz (Gerolsteiner), Fabian Wegmann (Gerolsteiner), Thomas Ziegler (Gerolsteiner), Linus Gerdemann (Team CSC), Jens Voigt (Team CSC), Christian Knees, David Kopp (Team Wiesenhof), Gerald Ciolek (Akud Arnolds), Jörg Jaksche (Liberty Seguros-Würth), Jörg Ludewig (Domina Vacanze), Patrik Sinkewitz (Quick-Step)

8 August News ...