BiciRace.com :: News :: April 2006

News :: April 2006

5 April 2006

Sensational Sánchez Takes Over Valverde in País Vasco

Sánchez is Rewarded, photo: País Vasco

Yesterday in the Vuelta Ciclista al País Vasco Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) swooped to stage victory and took the overall lead from Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears). The 28 year-old Basque bombed down the day's final descent and caught the competition napping.

"This is a very important victory for me. When I saw Alberto Contador and Aitor Osa in front, I decided to attack and try to catch them. The descent was very fast but I was very confident. I took some risks that, in the end, worked out for me," said Sánchez after the win.

"The main objective of the Vuelta is already accomplished," continued Sánchez, who will wear the leader's yellow jersey in today's 170K stage to Lerin. "I used the team tactics to perfection. Then also played off, and took advantage of, the work of Liberty. It was all a little cold-blooded, but in the end I was able to throw my hands up as stage winner."

Sánchez Leads Valverde, photo: País Vasco

"Samuel is strong and he attacked at the key moment, and then on the descent he was very difficult to follow," said Alejandro Valverde after handing his GC lead over Sánchez.

"Overall today was a good stage for me, we arrived together, but the win did not go my way. The team again did phenomenal work. Since the start we controlled the peloton, but in the finale the victory slipped away, but it was no fault of the team," finished Valverde."

Boonen and Petacchi Battle in Gent-Wevelgem

World Champion Tom Boonen (25) will once again be the man to beat. Today the Quick-Step rider will line up in the Gent-Wevelgem, a sprinter's classic, which the Belgian believes his team can control and win, even against the likes of Alessandro Petacchi (Milram).

"In a pure sprint Alessandro may be able to beat me six out of ten times, but the rest he is missing," explained the Belgian on the eve of Gent-Wevelgem. "You saw him at Flanders, a race where you can't count on your teammates to bring you up to the front at the last moment. It would all be a bluff if he is not up in the mix tomorrow in Gent, where there is also the Kemmel. But to win this race, it is not enough to be a sprinter."

"All the races this week are important, and if I have the chance I will want to win tomorrow. But my big objective is to repeat in Roubaix on Sunday, and here [at Gent] we also have Pozzato," finished Boonen.

For the 210 kilometer race from Gent to Wevelgem Boonen will wear a special jersey. He is now the leader of the ProTour, but dearly loves his World Champion's jersey, so the UCI have allowed a unique design. The Belgian will have his rainbow jersey with the UCI ProTour emblem and blue on the sleeves.

Petacchi's Last Northern Stop

The Gent-Wevelgem will be Alessandro Petacchi's last Northern Classic. The Milram rider has announced he will skip the Paris-Roubaix, stating "I don't want to risk the rest of my season." The Italian wants to go out with a win, salvaging a lack-luster northern campaign, and might find today's Gent-Wevelgem to his liking.

"The Gent-Wevelgem is a race more suited to my style than the Tour of Flanders," said Petacchi yesterday. "There is only the Kemmel, and it is too far from the finish to be decisive. In Gent-Wevelgem it is better for me, Boonen does not have rivals on the pavé, but in a sprint finish he is beatable. I am still faster than him, which I demonstrated at Sanremo."

Petacchi has heard the words of Tom Boonen in the last few weeks and he does not care for the Belgian's attitude. "I have never passed judgment on anyone, even when I was battling Cipollini. But Boonen, he talks like a director sportif."

The battle will be waged for one last time today, then the tifosi might have to wait until the Tour de France for more Boonen-Petacchi face offs.

Read:
Let Down for Petacchi, 3 April
Boonen Trashes Petacchi's Probability, 1 April

Ulle Confirms Romandie

Ullrich is Ready, photo: T-Mobile

Jan Ullrich (T-Mobile) announced that he will take part in the Tour de Romandie (25 - 30 April) to determine his condition for starting in May's Giro d'Italia. The 32 year-old German has been experiencing some knee pains, but announced that he is "very optimistic and motivated."

The German continued: "I have trained everyday, up to four hours, on the rollers, and yesterday I started back on the road. The irritation in the right knee is not so bad. If I go in Romandie without pain then 6 May I will start the Giro d'Italia, using it as preparation for the Tour."

Read:
Ulle Delayed, 30 March
Ulle to Sarthe and Giro, 22 March

Crash-Fest in Sarthe: Raisin, Lancaster, Dominguez and Farrar

Yesterday's opener of the Circuit de la Sarthe (4 - 7 April) was a day to forget for many. Serious crashes took down four riders before the day's end.

Juan Carlos Dominguez (Unibet.com) was the first to strike pavement, the Spaniard broke his collar bone in an incident at 10K to go. Saul Raisin (Crédit Agricole) was next to go down, at -2K he crashed hard and is reported with a broken collarbone and scrapes to his hip and face. The American's debut in the Giro d'Italia is now unfortunately in doubt. The final crash involved Brett Lancaster (Panaria-Navigare) and Tyler Farrar (Cofidis). The Aussie was banged up but with no broken bones, while the American fractured his left collarbone.

BiciRace.com sends our best wishes out to these riders, and we hope to see them back on the roads soon.

4 April News ...