BiciRace.com :: News :: April 2006

News :: April 2006

6 April 2006

Norwegian Hushovd Conquers Belgian Classic

Hushovd Hammers Over Pippo Flyer, photo: Quick-Step

Please Hammer, don't hurt 'em! - Thor Hushovd (Crédit Agricole) threw down the sprint hammer to win the 68th Gent-Wevelgem. The Norwegian crushed the late dash by Pozzato and the monstrous work of Milram. Finishing behind Hushovd were German David Kopp and Italian Alessandro Petacchi.

"For me this classic is an important win, I am really happy to win the race," said Norwegian Hushovd after staking his claim in Wevelgem. "Last year at Sanremo I understood that I could win a grand classic. This is the confirmation. Now I am very confident for Sunday's Roubaix."

"In the final kilometers it was all about saving energy, including latching on to the work of Milram." Hushovd, and other sprinters, almost missed out on the sprint due to a last minute move by Pozzato. "It was very close when closing to Pozzato's attack. Kopp started the sprint early and I just hung on."

Pippo Causes Chaos

The finale in yesterday's Gent-Wevelgem was thrown into chaos with a Filippo flyer. Italian Pozzato (Quick-Step) flew off the front at -1200m. Filippo's move broke up the Milram-led gruppo and chaos reigned. Unfortunately, the winner of Milano-Sanremo was hunted in the last meters, clearing the way for Hushovd's Hammer.

"I had very fresh feeling at the start of the race, I was ready to try something," explained Pippo after finishing fourth. "I saw a Petacchi who was beatable, so I anticipated the sprint. It was truly a beautiful moment. There is still a lot I want to win after Sanremo."

"Now I hope for Roubaix," continued Pippo. "I see Hincapie and Cancellara at the front for Roubaix, they were there in Flanders, and here today in Gent. They will not be a surprise for me, I see them on the rise."

Forza Pippo!

Delusional Petacchi

Tough Northern Racing, photo: Quick-Step

Alessandro Petacchi's dream of Gent-Wevelgem greatness came tumbling down, just like in Milano-Sanremo, due to a move by compatriot Pozzato. The Filippo flyer broke up il Treno Milram, causing Petacchi to lose his chances of winning a Northern Classic. Lo Spezzino did salvage the day by placing third, but placings in Sanremo and Wevelgem don't add up to wins.

"I tried to make my move off of Kopp and Hushovd, but the speed was too slow," explained the 32 year-old Milram man. "I have a lot of delusion, I raced well and I missed another chance, after the second in Sanremo. It helps that I get a placing here, before I return to win. ... But it was a great sprint by Hushovd."

What is going on between you and Boonen? "I don't know. I talked to Velo and he said that it was a misunderstanding amongst the journalists. In the race he [Boonen] searched me out and was a gentleman."

Petacchi ends his northern campaign here, renouncing the pavé of Paris-Roubaix and rebuilding for stages in the Grand Tours. Surely lo Spezzino will tune-in this Sunday to see how the war is fought out, and where a certain Boonen finishes.

Read:
Petacchi's Last Northern Stop, 5 April
Let Down for Petacchi, 3 April
Boonen Trashes Petacchi's Probability, 1 April

Boonen Prepares for Roubaix

Boonen is oh so Cool, photo: Quick-Step

World Champion Tom Boonen rolled into the finish of Gent-Wevelgem in 117th, at 5'55". The Belgian is looking to double in Roubaix and, as often is the case in this mid-week race amongst the favorites, sacrificed his chances for victory.

"When I understood that I was not going to win, I decided to take it easy and save myself for Roubaix," said Boonen of Quick-Step.

Boonen then went on to fuel the Boonen-Petacchi fire: "The fact that Hushovd battled Petacchi is not a surprise, it is only another demonstration that winning a Northern Classic is different from a stage in a Grand Tour."

Tomorrow Boonen, winner of the 2005 Paris-Roubaix, and his Quick-Step squadra will reconnoiter the parcours of Sunday's race. The blue boys will head off from the Trouée d'Arenberg (Forest of Arenberg) section (163.5K), and ride the 100K to the finish, making note of every misplaced cobble along their way.

Read:
Tom Boonen's Northern Contenders, 28 March

Sarthe: Basso, Grillo and Lancaster

Ivan Basso (Team CSC) took victory in yesterday's 8.8K time trail of the Circuit de la Sarthe. Il Varesino sent out a strong signal to his Giro and Tour contenders that he has the crono skills to pay the bills.

"It was my object in this race, to do a good crono, and I succeeded," explained Basso (27). "I felt very good today and this was inline with my expectations. I rode faster than some of the crono specialists, like [Serhiy] Honchar and [Michael] Rogers, who is the World Champion. ... The work we're doing now is with the Giro in mind, so I'm glad to see that it's paying off."

Earlier in the morning, before the TT, there was a 93K road stage. Young-gun Paride Grillo (24) won the sprint to claim his second win of the season. The Italian missed his Panaria-Navigare teammate, Lancaster, who came down hard in stage 1 of the Circuit de la Sarthe: "I miss Lancaster a lot. It is too bad because the time trial would have suited his abilities perfectly."

Cool Headed Samuel Sánchez

Sánchez Confirms in Leader's Jersey, photo: País Vasco

Yesterday Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) flew past the field on the finishing 15% climb to Lerin to take his second consecutive stage in the Vuelta Ciclista al País Vasco. Wearing the leader's yellow jersey, he out-gunned Davide Rebellin to the line and added to his overall lead.

"Without a doubt, knowing the finish in Lerin helped," said Sánchez after crossing the line in stage 3 of the Basque race. "We previewed this stage by car last Wednesday. It was vital to choose adequate gearing. We used a 25 gear in the back. I almost had to stop two times, and to have a 25, versus the 23, is where I made the difference."

"My average heart-beat for the stage was 136, but it was not a day that pushed me to my max," explained the Basque rider. "In Paris-Nice and the Vuelta a Valenciana I hit 195 beats, but here in Lerin it was probably 191."

Sánchez now stands a chance of claiming overall victory, but what has changed the 28 year-old rider? "Well, I did get third back in 2002, when Iban Mayo won. But the other years I started at the wrong time, would get sick or had no ambitions. Now I am more mature, and with a cooler head. Over the winter I had time to reflect on my career, and surely the stage in last year's Vuelta, to Santuario de la Bien Aparecida, helped my morale a lot."

The Vuelta Ciclista al País Vasco continues today with two more road stages, followed by the final decisive stage, a 24K time trial, on Saturday. Keep you browser locked to BiciRace.com.

Read:
Sensational Sánchez Takes Over Valverde in País Vasco, 5 April

5 April News ...