BiciRace.com :: News :: October 2005

News :: October 2005

7 October 2005

No Stop For Eki Until Beijing

Ekimov Continues to 2008, photo: Capture-The -Peloton.com

Viatcheslav Ekimov, Olympic time-trial gold medalist at Sydney, has no intentions of retiring. The 39 year-old Russian plans to continue until the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. It would be amazing to see Eki battle until the 2008 Olympics, where he would be 42 years-old.

Ekimov wants to continue with Discovery Channel, where he helped Lance Armstrong to six of his seven Tour de France victories. It would be a great scenario for Discovery, who can use Eki over the following years to help guide a future winner. This year he was forced to sit out the race after a training accident. But the Russian plans on being back to add to his tally of 12 appearances in the Tour.

Read: Eki Down in Training, 1 May

This is the End ... Alessandro Petacchi

Petacchi Wins Number 5, photo: © Unipublic

Alessandro Petacchi will not line-up for the Paris-Tours and has put an end to his 2005 season. The Italian fast-man has not overcome the criticism and disappointment of the World Championships. It is a shame for many tifosi who were expecting a good result from Petacchi in Sunday's sprinter's classic.

This means that Ale-Jet's last race in Fassa Bortolo's colors came with the closing stage of the Vuelta a España. It was a great way to end a long and winning relationship with the team. The Italian stormed to a stage 21 sprint victory and signaled his intentions for the Worlds. But all was dark when Petacchi had problems hanging with the front-runners in the Worlds. The Italian team did not have a great back-up plan, and the failure has caused a slight fall-out with the team members.

But make no mistake, Petacchi did stomp the terra this year. Many riders would kill for the season that the Fassa rider had: 3 stages in Tirreno-Adriatico, the Milano-Sanremo, 2 stages in the Tour de Romandie, 4 stages in the Giro d'Italia, and an amazing 5 stages in the Vuelta a España. Bravo Petacchi for one winning season! Next year Fassa Bortolo will not continue and Ale-Jet will race for Milram (part of the old Domina Vacanze).

Read:
Honest Words From Petacchi, 28 September
Petacchi Rides For Milram in 2006, 24 September
No Petacchi for Le Grand Boucle, 1 June

Odds for Paris-Tours

Time to put your money where your mouth is. Gather around with your friends this Sunday and place a bet on the winner of Paris-Tours. This fall classic might be easier to predict then last week's Züri Metzgete, or the upcoming Giro di Lombardia. It is a flat sprinter's course. So, what could be so hard in predicting the winner?

Early this morning, BiciRace.com met with our good friend, Paolo, in Piazza Garibaldi. Paolo ran down the list of starters with us, giving us 'the numbers'. He tipped Bennati as a hot favorite after hearing the news on Ale-Jet not starting.

Paolo's Odds:
Erik Zabel (T-Mobile to Milram) 1-5
Robbie McEwen (Davitamon-Lotto) 1-7
Daniele Bennati (Lampre-Caffita) 1-10
Thor Hushovd (Crédit Agricole) 1-10
Allan Davis (Liberty Seguros-Würth) 1-12
Jaan Kirsipuu (Crédit Agricole) 1-15
Steffen Wesemann (T-Mobile) 1-25
Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas-Bianchi) 1-30
Marco Zanotti (Liquigas-Bianchi) 1-30
Luca Paolini (Quick-Step) 1-30
Juan Antonio Flecha (Fassa Bortolo) 1-30
Filippo Pozzato (Quick-Step) 1-35
Jimmy Casper (Cofidis) 1-35
Roger Hammond (Discovery Channel) 1-40
Kim Kirchen (Fassa Bortolo) 1-40
Philippe Gilbert (Française Des Jeux) 1-45
Giovanni Lombardi (Team CSC) 1-45
Anthony Geslin (Bouygues Telecom) 1-45
Julian Dean (Crédit Agricole) 1-50
Cédric Vasseur (Cofidis) 1-50
Sylvain Chavanel (Cofidis) 1-80

Paris-Tours:
Main Page
Overall Map, Profile
Startlist
Photos
Report and Results

Sabatini: Bertolini Scores and Cunego Wonders

Alessandro Bertolini (Domina Vacanze) scored huge in the 53rd Coppa Sabatini yesterday near Pisa. He and his teammates worked the finish to ensure a Domina victory. Bertolini had the help of Mirko Celestino, Luca Solari and Paolo Valoti to score his first win of the season.

The 34 year-old now has 12 career victories, and most, like yesterday, happened in the fall. This will be an advantage for Bertolini who is hoping that that his contract will be renewed with Domina Vacanze (next year Milram). "I hope that a confirmation will come in the next few days," said the Italian. "It will be an important team next year with Alessandro Petacchi." The next races on Bertolini's schedule are: Giro dell'Emilia, GP Beghelli, Giro del Piemonte and then the Giro di Lombardia.

Sabatini did not go well for Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Caffita). "It was a disastrous test ... At the Giro dell'Emilia I will try again. I hope to re-find my condition and morale," said the Piccolo Principe. Team DS, Beppe Martinelli, was a bit more pessimistic in his outlook, Martinelli said that if the form was not there in Emilia then it would be the end of the season for Cunego. That would mean that the Giro di Lombardia (15 October) would not have their 2004 winner on the start line. BiciRace.com wishes Cunego the best of luck and we hope to see him at Lombardia.

Rujano Keeps Going in Home Country

José Rujano, photo: BiciRace.com

Our little Venezuelan friend, José Rujano, is kicking out the jams in his home country. Rujano is competing in the Clásico Ciclístico Banfoandes, an eight day stage race in Venezuela. Yesterday Rujano won stage 4 and now leads the overall by 32".

You might remember this little climbing sensation from the Giro d'Italia. Rujano won the green climber's jersey and also the queen stage, stage 19 from Savigliano to Sestriere, ahead of Gilberto Simoni. The final day in the mountains for the Giro covered the Colle delle Finestre, half of which is a dirt/gravel road.

Next year Rujano will continue with Selle Italia-Colombia up through the Giro d'Italia. Immediately after the Giro he will switch over the Belgian team of Patrick Lefevere, Quick-Step. Rujano will provide Quick-Step plenty of fire-power in the Tour's high mountains.

Read:
Rujano to Quick-Step in mid-2006, 17 August
Maglia Verde Too Busy For Planting Coffee, 13 May

Czech Rabon to T-Mobile

T-Mobile has signed Frantisek Rabon for the coming season. The 22-year-old Czech rider will make his debut in the ProTour, coming from the continental team PSK Whirlpool. Rabon is the 28th, and final, rider signed to T-Mobile for the 2006 season.

Frantisek Rabon won the European U23 road race championships this year in Moscow, and is regarded as one of the most talented young riders in the Czech Republic. "[He is] a very promising allrounder, who will be able to apply his massive potential with us," said Olaf Ludwig, T-Mobile Team manager. "He has the right credentials to make it as a good classics rider."

Read:
The Coming and Goings of T-Mobile, 5 October
Transfer Mania, 4 October
Kirchen, Mazzoleni and Honchar to T-Mobile, 24 August

6 October News ...