BiciRace.com :: News :: September 2005

News :: September 2005

19 September 2005

Petacchi Stomps the Terra

Petacchi Wins Number 5, photo: © Unipublic

Who is the sprint daddy of late? Alessandro Petacchi (or Ale-Jet, or Peta). The Italian riding for Fassa Bortolo has ripped through the Vuelta a España, taking out five stage wins. Ale-Jet won stage 3 (Puertollano), stage 4 (Argamasilla de Alba), stage 5 (Lloret de Mar), stage 12 (Burgos) and then yesterday's stage 21 (Madrid).

Yesterday Erik Zabel ran Petacchi all the way to the line, but only could manage 2nd. There is a huge respect between the two sprint mad-men, "Erik touched me on the back after the sprint to give me complements, and later we shook hands. Between us there is a lot of respect, for me it is an honor to win in front of a champion like him. I am certain that Sunday he will ride a great Worlds, in the last week I saw that he was going very strong."

Part of yesterday's stage was run on the same circuit that the World Championships will use in six days. The stage gave Ale-Jet a chance to evaluate part of the course at race speed, particularly the finish. "I think that the most dangerous rival will be McEwen," said Petacchi after his win. "... He will make that final turn very easily and search for the best position. I hope that I will be there, I have trained how you have to, every day I was better. I have finished the Vuelta very well, I think that I've chosen all the right methods." Petacchi also used the stage to test gearing for the Worlds, "... in this last stage I was searching for the proper gearing to use... A 53 is optimum for parts of the descent, but after the curve it would be better to have a 52. I will have to think on this, I have a week to do so."

Petacchi has now had a full assessment of the course to be used for the Worlds. His squadra is arriving today from Italy, then they will train together on the closed circuit. Ale-Jet continued with this thoughts: "It is very difficult, you arrive at around 70 K/hr after departing at 30 K/hr. We need to be in front in the first three or four positions and be the most effective squadra. Then you can expect a sprint of 500 meters and you have in front two men, and very strong. But in general the finish of the Worlds is not very easy like they say ... The course will be very long." Sunday's race is 273K, you have to go back to the Worlds of 1988 in Renaix when there was a longer course, 274K. Then it was the Italian Maurizio Fondriest who took top honors.

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

Heras Praises Team and Vuelta

Roberto Heras Rocks The Vuelta, photo: © Unipublic

Roberto Heras (Liberty Seguros-Würth) has accomplished what no other rider has done in the history of the Vuelta a España: win the race four times. He faced stiff competition from Menchov and others, but was able to finally take control on stage 15, Saint-Lary Soulan (Pla d'Adet). Then he rode himself into the gold jersey, and kept it until Madrid. After the final stage Heras said that "the race has given me the most reward. The Vuelta has given me everything."

Heras is unsure if the race would have been different if Rabobank had brought a stronger team to defend Denis Menchov. Liberty cannot be accused of the same, they had a powerful team to make sure Heras won his 4th Vuelta. The best image of the Vuelta for Heras was when "my team was waiting for me after the Colladiella ... Here [stage 15], we gave everything for everybody and I hope that these days hook people into cycling."

Di Luca Keeps Strong in ProTour

Di Luca in Poland, photo: Tour de Pologne

Yesterday Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas-Bianchi) finished well in the Tour de Pologne. After Sunday's final double day he finished 5th in the final overall classification. Stage 7 Di Luca finished 2nd to Kim Kirchen (Fassa Bortolo), the eventual overall winner. And in final stage, the uphill TT, Di Luca rode home 7th.

Di Luca has 209 points in the ProTour standings for the season. His nearest rivals, Armstrong and Ullrich are finished for the year, but behind them there still could be some competition. Petacchi has 128 points and Vinokourov has 136, and both of these riders worry The Killer. "Between the two the most dangerous is Petacchi," said Di Luca Sunday. "Because it would be easiest for him to win a double, Worlds and Paris-Tours, as a opposed to Vino winning both Zurich and Lombardia. I have wanted to close the competition here in Poland, and without the let-down in the final TT I would have taken 3rd overall. But my condition is getting better, and at Zurich I will go to win."

Tour de Pologne, Poland: 12 - 18 September

Preview and Stages, Overall Map, Startlist, Photos

Giovanni Lombardi Does Triple

BiciRace.com salutes Giovanni Lombardi of Team CSC. The 36 year-old will head to the World Championships as the only rider to complete all three grand tours this year. Originally Lombardi was only scheduled to ride the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España, but at the last minute he was called to duty in the Tour de France by his good friend, Ivan Basso. Completing all three grand tours added up to a lot of kilometers: 10,385.45. Lombardi finished the Giro in 88th at 2.57', the Tour in 118th at 3.18', and the Vuelta in 115th at 3.27'.

Panaria-Navigare 1-2-3 in Misano Adriatico

Panaria-Navigare pulled off a rare 1-2-3 in the GP Città di Misano Adriatico. The race came down to a sprint in the final, and the Panaria boys were working for Ruben Bongiorno. Bongiorno's teammates, Paride Grillo and Brett Lancaster, led out so well that they pulled off 2nd and 3rd. Lancaster put in a strong sprint after his duties to nip Murilo Fischer (Naturino-Sapore di Mare) at the line. It was impressive stuff by the orange squadra. (BiciRace.com hopes that Lancaster is selected for the upcoming Worlds. Read our interview with this man of speed for more information.)

18 September News ...