BiciRace.com :: News :: February 2006

News :: February 2006

4 February 2006

Love on the Rocks: Armstrong and Crow

Armstrong to Splitsville, photo: Makoto Ayano

Lance Armstrong, 7X Tour de France Champion, has separated from his fiancee Sheryl Crow. Last year il Texano announced his marriage plans with the rock star (43) but now all plans have been shelled. The couple's relationship began over two years ago, back when Armstrong was only a 5X Tour winner.

"After much thought and consideration we have made a very tough decision to split up. We both have a deep love and respect for each other and we ask that everyone respect our privacy during this very difficult time," read a statement released by Crow and Armstrong.

Read:
Armstrong on Cancer and Ullrich, 19 January
Matt Damon as Lance Armstrong, 16 January
Armstrong Strong at Team Camp, 12 December

Etruschi Determines Spring Sprinters

Today in Donoratico is the Italian season opener, the 11th GP Costa degli Etruschi. The race provides the Italian tifosi the first glimpse of their two-wheeled heroes for 2006. It will also allow us to have a better assessment of Alessandro Petacchi. Just how will the sprinter answer the winning streak of Tom Boonen in Qatar?

"The conditions is a little less than it was this time last year, in 2005," confessed Ale-Jet. "I will search to confirm my condition. The Costa degli Etruschi brought me good luck last year ... to win again would be significant and get me off on the right foot for 2006." The amount of domination today will also help determine sprint leadership of the Milram squadra heading towards Milano-Sanremo (remember there is also Erik Zabel).

Petacchi will face competition from Luciano Pagliarini (Saunier Duval-Prodir), who finished second last year, but also from the revelation of 2005 Danilo Napolitano (Lampre-Fondital), the veteran Fabio Baldato (Tenax-Salmilano), the young Daniele Colli (Liquigas) and the expert Enrico Degano (Barloworld). The flat route will favor a bunch gallop into Donoratico, which can be confirmed by some of the past winners, two wins by Mario Cipollini and one by Jaan Kirsipuu.

Read:
Petacchi Develops Milram Train, 3 February
Milram Train of Petacchi Debuts in GP Etruschi, 1 February
The Italian Opener: GP Etruschi, 31 January

Ag2R Prévoyance for Tour Méditerranéen

Ag2R Prévoyance is taking a mix of youth and experience to the Tour Méditerranéen. The French squadra will face six stages over five days of racing (8 - 12 February). The big name missing from the team is Simon Gerrans (25), who won the Tour Down Under last month. The Aussie crashed out of the GP d'Ouverture La Marseillaise last week and is now on the recovery trail.

Ag2R Prévoyance for Tour Méditerranéen:
Sylvain Calzati
Cyril Dessel
Hubert Dupont
Stéphane Goubert
Mark Scanlon
Ludovic Turpin
Alexandre Usov
Tomas Vaitkus

Team Director Sportif's:
Vincent Lavenu
Julien Jurdie

Read:
GP Marseillaise: Cooke Wins and Gerrans Down, 1 February
Gerrans Start to Finish Down Under, 23 January

3 February News ...