BiciRace.com :: News :: April 2006

News :: April 2006

8 April 2006

Boonen: Press and Pavé

Boonen and Crew on Mons-en-Pévèle, sector 10, photo: Quick-Step

Tom Boonen (25) has his hands full in France, juggling press conferences with pavé reconnaissance. Friday morning, before meeting with the press in the afternoon, Boonen and his Quick-Step crew inspected the parcours of the 104th Paris-Roubaix.

Starting a little before the infamous sector 17, Trouée d'Arenberg, the crew covered the some of the most important sectors, finishing just after sector 7, in Cysoing. Boonen gave close inspection to sector 11, Auchy-lez-Orchies à Bersée, and sector 7, Moulin-de-Vertain, some of the most treacherous of this epic one-day race.

"I am ready for it, the team is ready to go. All that is left is to race," said cycling's rock-star after his test run on some of France's worst roads. "I think you should keep an eye on Kevin Hulsmans, and this is no joke, he is in super form and can win Roubaix."

"Gent-Wevelgem has nothing to do with winning Paris-Roubaix," answered Boonen regarding his training ride during Wednesday's race. "The Ronde [Van Vlaanderen] took a toll on my body and legs... Perhaps in the coming years I will follow the example of Godfather Van Petegem, and focus on just racing Gent-Wevelgem."

42/53 on Boonen's Time Roubaix Bike, photo: Quick-Step

How is the Time bike? "It is new, we tested it last year but it has been put together especially for Roubaix. It's very stiff but it gives me lots of control on the cobbles. I'm very happy with what Time has done. The chainrings will be a 42/53."

"Now I have seen and tested every cobble on the way to the velodrome," continued the World Champion. "I want to win this Sunday in the rainbow jersey, something better than last year... Sure I will be a marked man, but I will just go faster than everyone else." If Boonen wins the on Sunday he will follow in the footsteps of Frenchman Bernard Hinault, who in 1981 was the last rider to win the Hell of the North in the World Champion jersey.

Read:
Boonen Prepares for Roubaix, 6 April
31 Years Later Boonen the Rock-Star, 3 April
Tom Boonen's Northern Contenders, 28 March

Godfather Van Petegem Relaxed

Van Petegem Relaxed and Training, photo: Davitamon-Lotto

Godfather Van Petegem, winner of the 2003 Paris-Roubaix in the World Cup leader's jersey, has been under heavy fire after missing out in one of his season's objectives, the Ronde Van Vlaanderen. The 36 year-old Belgian is now shifting his focus to a second win in Paris-Roubaix, after skipping the mid-week Gent-Wevelgem.

"I got a lot of criticism, but in the Ronde [Van Vlaanderen] I proved that I am strong," said Van Petegem during yesterday's Davitamon-Lotto press conference. "Wednesday I was still slightly sore, but Sunday the bones will be perfect."

Arenberg Cobbles, photo: Davitamon-Lotto

"Like always, my tactics will be to ride at the front... This can be easy or difficult, it just depends on how the day unfolds," continued the Belgian. "If I win it will be a spectacular and beautiful day, but my career has already been made, so if I lose it is not the end of the world."

Read:
Man of Mystery: Van Petegem, 31 March

Paris-Roubaix, 9 April, 259.5K, A Sunday in Hell
Main Page, Overall Map, Cobbled Sections, Startlist
Report and Results, Photos
2005 Results

Saul Raisin Update: Coma but Living

Saul Raisin (23) is still in a coma after undergoing emergency surgery Thursday to remove pressure to his brain caused by an erupted hematoma. The surgery was successful in saving Raisin from death, but there is still pressure on his brain and some minimal damage, although major brain damage was avoided.

Thursday, when doctors induced the coma due to a brain hemorrhage, there were two subsequent interventions. The first intervention relieved some of the pressure, and the second cleaned parts of Raisin's brain to avoid future damage.

Saul Raisin remains in a coma in Angers, France, and the medical experts are reporting that the two to four days are very important for the American's improvement. Please keep Raisin in your thoughts.

Read:
Saul Raisin is in Stable Condition, 6 April
Crash-Fest in Sarthe: Raisin, Lancaster, Dominguez and Farrar, 5 April

No Semi-Stages for Finale of Giro

There will not be two split stages on the last day of this year's Giro d'Italia. When the 2006 route was presented last November in Milano, it was revealed that the final day (28 May) would be a split stage: A moutain crono to Madonna del Ghisallo (11K) and an afternoon stage from Lecco to Milano (116K).

Thursday the Giro race organizers, RCS Sport, dashed the semi-stage proposal. The final day will now be one stage, which will start from Museo del Ghisallo and finish, after 140K, in Milano. The start was selected to honor the building of the new cycling museum to house the articles which can no longer fit in the Santuario della Madonna del Ghisallo.

Note that the UPTC (UCI ProTour Council) does not approve of the semi-stages out of concern for the rider's health. Even though it is called a "semi" stage the riders have to prepare just the same, with double warm-ups, showers, etc. It is also an extra strain on the team staff, who has to prepare items, like food and bikes, twice.

Read:
Santuario della Madonna del Ghisallo Closed, 19 January
ProTour Council Says No to Semi-Stages (and Ghisallo), 16 November
2006 Giro d'Italia Route Unfolded, 12 November

7 April News ...