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6 December 2005

9 December News ...

History of Giro-Tour Double Winners

The year 1949 was the first time a rider won the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France double. Fausto Coppi was the first cyclist to win the two biggest grand tours in one year, and he went on to repeat that success in 1952. The Italian's Giro-Tour double marked a triumph that was never seen in the pre-World War II years.

Following Coppi's double success, 12 years later, was Jacques Anquetil. The Frenchman was the first five time Tour winner but was only able to pull off the twofer once. There was a certain Belgian who was able to win the Giro-Tour double an amazing three times, Eddy Merckx. The Cannibal won just about every race ever run, and doubled up on the Maglia Rosa Maillot Jaune in 1970, 1972 and 1974.

In the Eighties came Bernard Hinault and Stephen Roche. In addition to being a 5X Tour winner, the Frenchman accomplished the double twice, in 1982 and 1985. Roche had a magical year in 1987, winning the Giro-Tour double, followed by the World Championships in Villach (Austria). In the Nineties were Miguel Indurain and Marco Pantani. The Spaniard was another 5X Tour winner and pulled off the double back to back in 1992 and 1993. Il Pirata in 1998, like Roche before him, had his only grand tour victories with his double win.

Who will be next? The big name going around is the Italian, Ivan Basso. The CSC man came close in both events last year, but was stopped by strange circumstances. In the Giro he was nailed by a stomach bug, and in the Tour there was the unstoppable Armstrong force. The 7X Tour winner, Lance Armstrong, knows a thing or two about winning a grand tour and he never tried to contest such a difficult task.

Yesterday, from the team camp in Denmark, Basso announced that he would attempt the rare double. Bravo Basso! The BiciRace.com staff will be pulling for you in May and July.

Read:
Corsa Rosa for Italian Stallion (Basso), 5 December
2006 Giro d'Italia Route Unfolded, 12 November
2006 Tour de France Route Revealed, 27 October
Ivan Basso Interview: King of Denmark on Tour and 2006, 21 October
Eddy Merckx is 60, 17 June
Pantani and the Piadina, 10 June

CSC Survival Camp Starts

Sunday, just hours after Ivan Basso and Bjarne Riis announced the 2006 Giro d'Italia plans, the entire Team CSC crew was called to start their survival camp. A little before midnight the squadra and associated staff were called down to the gym in their "hotel" in Denmark. There they were greeted by the BS Christiansen, one of NATO's best trained elite soldiers. Christiansen issued the boys their 20Kg backpacks, complete with tents, sleeping bags, canteen and dry food.

No one is really privy to the exact route or plan of the mission, but it will hurt. The boys will be tested over the course of 48 hours, marching in the dark, icy conditions near the North Sea. They will be put through a series of difficult tests designed to crack the toughest of rider, just like the Giro or the Tour!

Bjarne Riis and BS Christiansen have perfected this camp over the past four years. Their model has proven so successful that other teams are now trying to copy their camp. The end goal will be establishing "team work" amongst the international members of the squadra. Riders and staff will leave the survival camp with a better understanding of their resistance under pressure and self capacity, which will hopefully translate into more Team CSC wins.

Read:
November: A Month of Swimming for Basso, 24 November
Camps: Simoni, Basso and Savoldelli, 17 November

Mauricio Ardila Cano to Rabobank

Mauricio Ardila Cano (26) will ride for Rabobank in 2006. The Colombian is a strange breed of rider who has spent most of his career in northern based teams in Belgium, and now Holland. This year with Davitamon-Lotto he won one race, but placed very well in Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España stages. The little Colombian climber will be an asset to the Michael Rasmussen and the rest of the orange squadra.

Read: Rabobank Keep A Strong Tradition, 16 November

Acqua & Sapone Race with De Rosa

Today in Milano a one-year deal was signed between Cristiano De Rosa, commercial representative of Cicli De Rosa, and Palmiro Masciarelli, Team Manager of Acqua & Sapone. This means that next year the water and soapy boys will ride on De Rosa, and not the Moser machines that they used in 2005.

De Rosa is one of Italy's most historical and famous frame manufactures. The soapy squadra will race using the legendary frames, all marked with the famous heart. In 2005 De Rosa was the supplier of Barloworld-Valsir, who may now be switching over to Cannondale. The arrival of De Rosa surely had to do with the help of Giancarlo Ferretti, who was slated to have the Milano-based firm as the bike supplier of his ill-fated SonyEricsson squadra. Currently Ferretti is a logistical advisor for Acqua & Sapone and thus is helping the team to start 2006 on proper bikes.

Read:
Kanstantsin Siutsou to Acqua & Sapone, 14 November
Acqua & Sapone Builds with Fassa Bortolo Help, 3 November
Miche Signs Hamburger and Gerosa, 1 November
What the heck? Ferretti Loses SonyEricsson, 14 October
Ondrej Sosenka Breaks Boardman's Hour Record, 20 July

Volpi Helps Corti with Barloworld

Alberto Volpi, former Team Manager of Fassa Bortolo, will be at the side of Claudio Corti for 2006. The famous Bergamasco, Corti, is rapidly rebuilding the Barloworld-Valsir squadra, and he has enlisted the Bresciano as a Team Manager. Volpi has learned a huge amount of knowledge over the past years while working with Giancarlo Ferretti at Fassa Bortolo. The goal is for Volpi to help Corti develop the UCI Professional team into a ProTour team.

Read:
Corti and Christensen to Barloworld-Valsir, 3 December
Claudio Corti to Head Barloworld-Valsir, 22 November
Lampre-Caffita Break-up The Band, 10 August

5 December News ...