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News :: June 2006

17 June 2006

Oscarito Rocks Suisse

Freire wins the seventh stage, photo: www.ciclismovitamia.it

Spaniard Oscar Freire (Rabobank) took yesterday's Tour de Suisse stage 7 by the horns and produced a stunning win: Bolting free from his escape companions in the final 5000 meters as the peloton loomed. The three-time world champion, in a show of versatility and strength, crossed the line on his Italian Colnago just three seconds ahead of the bunch sprint.

In a move similar to win when Andrei Tchmil won the 1994 Paris-Roubaix, Oscarito surprised the tifosi by bunny-hopping over a traffic island to take a short-cut and drop his companions. The maneuver was a success.

Oscar's comments on his versatility: "The road itself was very dangerous. There were a lot turns and roundabouts in the finale, and because of the rain it was even more difficult. The jump was not too hard, I only had to avoid the car that was passing ... I was happy that I did the finish like that."

The win was a great gift for his wife Laura; the couple is expecting their first child on 11 July, to be named Marcos. "But he will not be a cyclist, because he will be more intelligent than his dad," jokingly said Oscar's wife, Laura, who was in attendance for the stage finish. "Yes, he will be a tennis player or golfer, sports that pay a lot more and aren't so hard."

Oscarito will finish the Tour de Suisse, maybe exiting early, and take his street fighting skills to the Tour de France. "I want to go to win at least one stage and then perhaps point toward the green jersey. ... I have gone to the Tour before with hot form and then crashed in the first stage, and on another occasion showed up with really bad form. So I hope to have good luck this year."

Further encouragement will come from the fact that his contract with Rabobank expires at the end of the year. The three-time World Champion indicated that he has found a home with the Dutch squadra and intends on staying: "We have not yet discussed my contract but I want to stay. It is up to Rabobank."

2006 Tour de Suisse, 10 - 18 June
Main, Overall Map, Photos, Startlist

Bettini with Quick-Step

Paolo Bettini and Michael Rogers, photo: Capture- The-Peloton.com

Yesterday it was confirmed that Paolo Bettini would ride the next two years with Quick-Step. The Italian from Livorno signed with the Belgian formation back in 2003, keeping himself in the guiding hands of Team Manager Patrick Lefevere, the same force behind Bettini's previous squadra, Mapei.

Il Grillo Livornese was tempted by a big budget offer from T-Mobile, where he would have been allowed to have his own squadra for all the northern Classics. But wisely Bettini decided to stick with one of the best Classics teams in the world for his final two years.

"It is true that I was in negotiations with the Germans," admitted Bettini (32). "The things I liked the best was that they wanted me to give them a good representation in the Classics and act in a teacher role to the younger riders. But I thought a lot about the Classics I have won and how much this squadra [Quick-Step] has given me, and I did not feel like changing. In this group there is a camaraderie that exists on the road but also outside of the races."

Bettini started winning the Classics with Lefevere, taking out Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 2000. The Belgian win set il Grillo Livornese in motion: winning Züri Metzgete in 2001, another Liège in 2002 and then the magical 2003 year. 2003, his first year with Quick-Step, saw Bettini win Milano-Sanremo, the Italian Championships, HEW-Cyclassics, Clásica San Sebastián and then the World Cup.

"The 2000 Liège and all of 2003 were the best moments," Bettini continued. "Flanders is still a bet I want to win. I have to complete my collection of Classics. I hope to win the World Championships for my tifosi, even more so than winning the Olympics for a second time. And if, at the end of this month, I can take home the maglia tricolore for a second time than that is all the better."

The signing of Bettini for 2007 and 2008 comes at a cost to Lefevere and the sponsors. It is now likely that budget is tight and there will not be much room to negotiate with the winner of this year's Milano-Sanremo, Filippo Pozzato. Pippo's contract expires with the end of 2006 and his asking price has now gone to another level, making finding a contract a little more difficult.

"Certainly if I went to another team there would have been a lot more budget for Quick-Step," added Bettini in regards to his compatriot. "Lefevere does not have an infinite budget and Pippo has his demands."

Pippo demands are in the range of 1,400,000€. It is now likely that a certain pink squadra is looking to sign the 24 year-old rider from Veneto... Stay tuned.

Paride Grillo is Back

Missing out on the Giro d'Italia due to bronchitis, Paride Grillo (Panaria-Navigare) has returned right back to the front of the battle. Yesterday in stage 1 of the Vuelta Ciclista Asturias, the rider from Como just missed out on victory, being beaten in the sprint to the line by Oscar Grau (Viña Magna).

Discovery Channel's Tour Roster

Lance Armstrong will not be on Discovery Channel's 2006 Tour de France team. Johann Bruyneel closed the door on any speculation that the Texan would make a run at an eighth Tour victory, and instead revealed a squadra that will fight for one of the most dynamic tours in seven years.

The Disco squadra has plenty of strength even if it lacks Signor Armstrong: George Hincapie, Yaroslav Popovych, Paolo Savoldelli, José Azevedo, Egoi Martínez, Pavel Padrnos, Benjamin Noval, Viatcheslav Ekimov and José Luis Rubiera. Bruyneel listed two addition names for reserves: Vladimir Gusev and our Canadian friend, Michael Barry.

"Although 2006 will be my first Tour de France as a director without Lance on the team, I am extremely motivated to have our team continue to be a major factor in this race," noted Bruyneel. "I had a similar feeling in 1999, when we came in as an underdog even though we had strong riders. I am confident that with the team we are bringing that we can have at least one of our riders finish in a top placing in Paris. The road to the Champs-Élysées is difficult and many things can happen."

16 June News ...