BiciRace.com :: News :: August 2005

News :: August 2005

27 August 2005

Koldo Gil to Saunier Duval-Prodir

Gil Enjoys Podium, photo: Liberty Seguros-Würth

Koldo Gil (27) has signed for a two year agreement with the Spanish-Swiss squad of Saunier Duval-Prodir. The Spaniard, from Pamplona, shot to fame at this year's Giro d'Italia, where he won stage 7 to Pistoia after a long break-away. Gil started his professional career in 2001, riding for two years with iBanesto.com (2001-2) then switching to the team of Manolo Saiz (2003-5).You should mention the name of this team and not Saiz.

Disco In Spain

Team Discovery Channel DS, Johann Bruyneel, is bringing a strong team to Spain for the Vuelta a España. Bruyneel will not have the team riding for GC unless the opportunity presents itself, instead he is preferring strategies for stage wins. "We definitely come here with other ambitions for the simple reason we don't have a race favorite on our team," explained Bruyneel at Friday's press conference. "For the Tour of Italy, we had a former winner on our team in Paolo [Savoldelli], so he had to be considered one of the favorites. And of course, the Tour de France was another story with the big favorite in Lance [Armstrong] for the last several years ... Our goal is to win two stages. That would be a great accomplishment."

Disco has won two out of the three grand tours so far this year, and it would be unheard of if they were to win all three. Bruyneel will instead be sending riders up the road for stage victories, something not often seen at the Tour de France by Disco. The riders to watch for stage wins are Van Heeswijk, Beltrán, Azevedo and Danielson. Beltrán or Azevedo both have the experience to pick off mountain stages, and to guide the less experience riders.

Here is the 9-man team: José Azevedo, Manuel Beltrán, Tom Danielson, Stijn Devolder, Leif Hoste, Benoît Joachim, Benjamin Noval, Michael Barry and Max Van Heeswijk. (Read the Danielson or Barry Interview.)

Heras and Saiz Talk It Up

2004 Winner, Heras, photo: Liberty Seguros-Würth

"I feel optimistic at the start," said Roberto Heras (Liberty Seguros-Würth) yesterday at the press conference. The 3X winner of the Vuelta a España had a rough Tour de France, but will start the 2005 Vuelta with a fresh perspective. "Every race is different, and the Vuelta is very different from what happened to me one month ago in the Tour.

Team DS, Manolo Saiz, agrees with his team leader and considers Heras a serious contender. "Roberto Heras has earned this role and he deserves respect," said Saiz. "We have more responsibility, but we gladly accept it, though we don't forget that being the favorite only counts before the start, then it doesn't mean a thing." Saiz pulls no punches and easily names the top three riders for the final Vuelta: "my favorites for the podium are Heras, Aitor Gonzalez and Joseba Beloki." (read: Liberty Leads Vuelta with Heras, 26 August)

60th Vuelta a España:
Startlist
Stages and Maps, Key Stages, Overall Map
Photos, Dust Devil's Daily Wrap

Pérez Reinforces Illes Balears

Illes Balears has made a mid-season agreement with Milaneza Maia to sign Francisco Pérez. The 27 year-old will start with his new team in the Vuelta a España. Early this year the agreement was drawn up so that Pérez would race the Volta a Portugal with Milaneza Maia before he switched to the ProTour team of Illes Balears.

26 August News ...