BiciRace.com :: News :: April 2006

News :: April 2006

19 April 2006

Schleck and Kroon Backed by Basso

Ivan Basso will go into today's Flèche Wallonne, and Sunday's Liège-Bastogne-Liège, as a support rider for CSC teammates Karsten Kroon and Fränk Schleck. Il Varesino has his eyes on Grand Tour victories, the Giro and Tour, the first of which is only 17 days away.

"Flèche and Liège are two races of passage, I have to go strong on Plan de Corones and on the Mortirolo," explained Basso (28). "In CSC, besides me, we have Schleck and Kroon to go for victory. My goal will be to stay at the front. I am not able to think to be competitive with attackers like Bettini, Rebellin or Boogerd on such a fast and steep climb like the Mur de Huy."

Yesterday Basso had a look at the Giro d'Italia prologue course, a 6.2K run through Seraing. "It is tough and beautiful. There is a climb of two kilometers that is completely straight... You will need a lot of force."

Team CSC for la Flèche Wallonne: Ivan Basso, Karsten Kroon, Peter Luttenberger, Carlos Sastre, Fränk Schleck, Nicki Sørensen, Christian Vande Velde and Jens Voigt.

Read:
Basso in Belgium Racing and Reconnoitering, 18 April

The Killer Returns to Flèche

Di Luca in Condition, photo: BiciRace.com

The Killer will be a little less deadly this year in la Flèche Wallonne, the reason is that he is focusing his season on the Giro d'Italia, starting 6 May. Danilo Di Luca (Liquigas), with number 1 on his back as last year's winner, will still be a heavily-marked man and one to watch as the race approaches the famed Mur de Huy.

"I am will not be super like last year, but my form is good," said Di Luca. "My condition is going well after the Vuelta al País Vasco. In the last few days I have been at my home and training on the Passo Lanciano, where I recorded in one of my best timed tests."

Liquigas for Flèche: Danilo Di Luca, Patrick Calcagni, Kjell Carlström, Stefano Garzelli, Matej Mugerli, Vincenzo Nibali, Luca Paolini and Alessandro Spezialetti.

Read:
Liquigas ready with Paolini, Garzelli and Di Luca, 14 April

La Flèche Wallonne, 19 April, 202K, The Mur de Huy Classic
Main Page, Overall Map, Zoom, Profile, Startlist
Report and Results, Photos
2005 Results

Liège-Bastogne-Liège, 23 April, 262K, The Ardennes Classic
Main Page, Overall Map, Profile, Startlist
Report and Results, Photos
2005 Results

Luca Mazzanti Strikes in Trentino

Mazzanti Takes Opener, photo: Giro del Trentino

Luca Mazzanti (Panaria-Navigare) struck in the final meters of the 30th Giro del Trentino, taking the stage one victory and the GC lead. After a wet and dicey final five kilometer descent, the 32 year-old out-foxed Ratti and Cunego.

"First Emanuele Sella had a go, and then it was my turn," explained Mazzanti. "I took advantage of Cunego, starting my sprint at 300 meters, and I think I won well. ... This victory is for my wife, Susi, who will give birth to our baby in October."

The four-stage race continues today with a 174.8K run from Castello Tesino to Cles. Mazzanti will wear the leader's jersey and has a good chance of keeping the lead after passing one of the hardest stages in a strong fashion.

13 Plan de Corones Switchbacks Named

Plan de Corones (2273m), photo: RCS Sport

Organizers of stage 17 of the Giro d'Italia have named the 13 switchbacks of the Plan de Corones, the mountain finish for the 133K stage on 24 May. Over the feared 16.9K the riders will climb 1261 meters, 7K of which is "sterrato" (gravel road), before reaching the finish at 2273 meters.

In order, from 1 to 13 'tornati', the switchbacks on the climb will be marked with the past Giro champions: Belloni, Girardengo, Brunero, Binda, Guerra, Valetti, Bartali, Koblet, Coppi, Nencini, Gaul, Anquetil and Pantani. This should provide the climbers inspiration as they grind their way up one of the hardest climbs of this year's Corsa Rosa.

Read:
Simoni Scouts Plan de Corones, 19 November

Georgia Starts with Michaelsen CSC Win

The 4th Tour of Georgia started yesterday with a win by Team CSC's Lars Michaelsen, and marked a successful streak by the Danish team, after wins in Paris-Roubaix and Amstel Gold. The Dane, a past winner of Gent-Wevelgem, out-gunned his fellow sprinters on the finishing circuit in Macon after 207.4K of racing.

"I used to be a good sprinter, but now I'm 37 years-old and I can pull one out of the hat now and then, but it's not that often though," said the stage winner Michaelsen. "... Coming into the last kilometer, I knew it was a matter of hitting the second to last corner in the right position, and of course, the last corner and the line. ... And on this circuit the two last corners are so important, and that is one of my specialties."

"I'm very happy, it's always nice to win and it's always difficult to win and for me it's still very nice to have the confirmation. Even with my age, that I can be competitive in this game and it's very nice," finished the Dane, who will wear the yellow leader's jersey in stage 2.

Today the race continues with a 186.9K stage from Fayetteville to Rome. Big changes in the GC will have to wait until Thursday's stage 3 time trial, a 39.9K test finishing in Chattanooga.

2006 Tour of Georgia, 18 - 23 April
Main, Overall Map, Photos

18 April News ...