BiciRace.com :: News :: October 2005

News :: October 2005

26 October 2005

Victory for Alberto Ongarato

Ongarato at Eneco, photo: Capture-The -Peloton.com

Last Saturday (23 October) was the wedding of Alberto Ongarato (30) and Roberta Cappellari. The Fassa Bortolo rider and Roberta (a biologist) were married in a small ceremony in Tencarola Italy.

Ongarato is usually in the sprint mix for his Fassa Bortolo captain, Alessandro Petacchi, but this time it was the other way around. In support of Alberto on his big day were: Alessandro Petacchi, Marco Velo, Matteo Tosatto, Fabio Baldato (all Fassa Bortolo fast-men), Emanuele Sella (Panaria-Navigare) and Silvio Martinello. The all-star crew ensured an Ongarato victory (yes, we are talking about the wedding!). Immediately after the victory and celebrations, the new couple departed to Liguria to catch a cruise ship for the Caribbean Islands and then Miami. Congratulations from BiciRace.com

UniBet.com and VDB

Frank Vandenbroucke (31) will continue with Hilaire Van der Schueren, Team Manager of MrBookmaker-Sports Tech, for 2006. VDB will sign the contract in the next few days, but he has already given a verbal agreement.

In 2006 the team will undergo a name change, from MrBookmaker-Sports Tech to Unibet.com. In addition to his current signings, Van der Schueren is hoping to have Stuart O'Grady. The Aussie (from Cofidis) was left without a team after the Giancarlo Ferretti deal.

Read:
Unibet.com Builds with Serpellini, 24 October
Mr. Mojo Risin', 8 June
VDB Returns to Battle in Dunkirk, 4 May
VDB: 19th New Beginning, 29 April
Frank Vandenbroucke to Start Paris-Roubaix, 8 April

2006 Tour de France Announced Tomorrow

There is still one more day until the tifosi will know the route of the 2006 Tour de France. Tomorrow in Paris (11.00 Euro-time) the unveiling will occur. It is known that La Grand Boucle will start from Strasbourg on Saturday 1 July with a prologue. Then Sunday, the first stage, the racers will start and finish in Strasbourg, with a detour into Germany. The second stage will also depart from Strasbourg but the arrival is unknown, it is likely to be in Belgium or Luxembourg.

From stage 2 the race will have to head west, probably cutting all the way over to Bordeaux, leaving room to fit in the Team TT on the flat lands. Logic would then be that the race will cover the Pyrenees before the Alpes. The Tour is due to cover the Alpe d'Huez, perhaps we will see a return in the 93rd edition.

Tomorrow we will know the truth, but there are other rumors here at the BiciRace.com headquarters. One is a TT up the famed-barren slopes of Mont Ventoux, and the other is a TT in Paris. We really like the idea of having the last TT on the final stage, just to mix up the Tour de France formula. Stay tuned to BiciRace.com for full route details as they become known.

25 October News ...