BiciRace.com :: News :: December 2005

News :: December 2005

20 December 2005

Igor Astarloa Continues with Corti and Barloworld

Astarloa at Worlds, photo: RFEC

2003 World Champion, Igor Astarloa, was one of the last big names still floating around the open market in this 2005 off-season. Over the past months his name was linked with the ProTour teams of Lampre-Fondital and Liquigas, but now he has signed with Barloworld.

Astarloa's training partner, Pedro Arreitunandia (31), has also resigned with the British/Italian/South African squadra. In 2005 the Basque rider won stages in the Vuelta a Murcia and the Euskal Bizikleta.

After an interrupted 2004 season Igor Astarloa (29) spent 2005 with Barloworld-Valsir. The World Champion was planning on moving on to another team but then Barloworld brought in the famous Bergamasco, Claudio Corti. The management change came just at the right time for Barloworld, enabling Corti and Astarloa to rekindle their relationship.

Astarloa, who has a long time association with Italian teams, spent his Saeco days under the direction of Corti. "I know Igor well and I am happy that we can recommence our relationship," said Corti. "It has been great that we have been able to put together such a team in a short amount of time."

Past teams for Astarloa:
Barloworld-Valsir (2005), Cofidis/Lampre (2004), Saeco (2002-3), Mercatone Uno (2000-1) and Riso Scotti (1999).

Read:
Mayo and Astarloa hang with Nys, 11 December
Big Plans for Astarloa, 21 November
Igor Astarloa closer to Lampre-Fondital, 17 November

Corti Building with Barloworld

One month ago Claudio Corti (50) left the Lampre-Caffita squadra to become the new Team Manager of Barloworld. After the separation from his old Lampre-Caffita coworkers, Saronni and Martinelli, the Bergamasco has been busy rebuilding Barloworld. This has included trips to Johannesburg (South Africa) to meet with the sponsors, and signing riders and staff.

Although the team is not a ProTour squadra they should get plenty of wild card invitations to the big races, including the Giro d'Italia. The name of Claudio Corti carries a lot of weight in cycling and will open many doors for the British/Italian/South African team. Corti guided Gianni Bugno to wins in two World Championships, the Giro d'Italia and the Milano-Sanremo, and he has also been associated with the wins of Ivan Gotti, Mario Cipollini, Paolo Savoldelli, Danilo Di Luca, Gilberto Simoni and Damiano Cunego.

"Barloworld wanted a new structure to the team," said Corti "They were searching for a new manager with experience and so they contacted me." Corti was amateur World Champion (1977), then as a pro he was twice Italian champion (1985 and 1986), and his past management roles include: Lampre-Caffita (2005), Saeco (1997-2004), Polti (1994), Gatorade-Mega Drive (1993), Gatorade-Chateau d'Ax (1991-2), Chateau d'Ax (1990).

Along with Corti will be his long time bike supplier, Cannondale. The USA firm has been with the Italian for many years, first with Saeco and then in 2005 with Lampre-Caffita. "I immediately contacted Cannondale and we established the basis for a long term relationship," said Corti. It is big coup for Cannondale, who in 2004 helped deliver Damiano Cunego to his Giro d'Italia win.

Riders Continuing with Barloworld:
Enrico Degano
Félix Rafael Cárdenas
Giampaolo Cheula
Igor Astarloa
Jeremy Maartens
Pedro Arreitunandia
Rodney Green
Ryan Cox
Tiaan Kannemeyer
Tom Southam
Vladimir Efimkin

New Riders:
Alexander Efimkin (from neo-pro)
Giosuè Bonomi (from Lampre-Caffita)
Hugo Sabido (from Paredes Rota dos Moveis-Beira Tamega)
James Perry (from Konica Minolta)
Mads Christensen (from Quick-Step)
Mauro Facci (from Fassa Bortolo)

Leaving:
Antonio Salomone (to ??)
Darren Lill (to ??)
David George (to ??)
David Plaza (to ??)
Eddy Serri (to ??)
Giulio Tomi (to ??)
Luca Celli (to Acqua & Sapone)
Matteo Carrara (to Lampre-Fondital)
Paolo Longo Borghini (to ??)
René Joergensen (to ??)
Roger Beuchat (to ??)
Sean Sullivan (to ??)
Stefan Adamsson (to ??)
Stefano Cavallari (to ??)

Read:
Volpi Helps Corti with Barloworld, 6 December
Corti and Christensen to Barloworld-Valsir, 3 December
Claudio Corti to Head Barloworld-Valsir, 22 November
Lampre-Caffita Break-up The Band, 10 August

Sprint d'Or from RTBF to Boonen

Sportsman of the Year, photo: Quick-Step

Tom Boonen (25), fresh from winning Belgium's Sportsman of the Year, has been honored with the Sprint d'Or. It is the second straight year for Boonen to win this award, followed by years of domination by Johan Museeuw.

The Sprint d'Or trophy, started in 1995, honors the best Belgian cyclist of the year, and it is awarded by the French speaking Walloon broadcasting station, RTBF. Of course there is a Flemish equivalent of the award, it is called the Kristallen Fiets (or "crystal bicycle"). The Kristallen Fiets was established in 1992 by Het Laatste Nieuws and was won in 2004 and 2005 by Boonen.

Sprint d'Or Winners:
1995 Johan Museeuw
1996 Johan Museeuw
1997 Johan Museeuw
1998 Tom Steels
1999 Frank Vandenbroucke
2000 Axel Merckx
2001 Rik Verbrugghe
2002 Johan Museeuw
2003 Peter Van Petegem
2004 Tom Boonen
2005 Tom Boonen

Read:
Belgium's Sportsman of the Year: Tom Boonen, 19 December
Tom Boonen Wins the 2005 Mendrisio d'Oro, 2 December
Velo d'Or for Tom Boonen, 30 November
Sports Merit Award for Tom Boonen, 18 November
First Race Win for New World Champion, 7 November
The King and Boonen Meet, 27 September

19 December News ...