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24 August 2006

24 August News ...

Schumacher Wins 2nd Eneco Tour of Benelux

Stefan Schumacher (Gerolsteiner) won the 2nd Eneco Tour of Benelux yesterday in the final moments of the eight-day stage race. As the riders approached the finishing town of Ans, the German, sprinting for bonus seconds to take the race overall, was forced to swerve to avoid a spectator. Schumacher stayed upright, but took out a rider in the process; that rider was George Hincapie (Discovery Channel), the race overall leader going into the final stage.

Hincapie, in the red race leader's jersey, came crushing down to the pavement while Schumacher, racing in the yellow young rider's jersey, kept on sprinting and finished third for the day, be hind Gilbert and Mori. The four seconds the German achieved by winning third place was enough to move him past Hincapie and take the overall race lead and making for a very bizarre race finale.

It was an unfortunate ending for both riders but an example that shows a race is never over until you are out of your kit and have in hand the final flower bouquet.

"The real mistake was that last 100 meters," said Schumacher, who raced superbly all week. "I was a victim myself, I had to avoid the spectator who jumped in front of me, I never had any intention of making George fall. I wanted to sprint for a higher place, and possibly beat Mori."

"The Eneco Tour should have been one of my best victories," added Schumacher. "... But winning like this ruins my pleasure."

Longo Borghini Wins GP Nobili

Paolo Longo Borghini is back to racing. After passing 2005 without a squadra then the first part of 2006 training and working for his uncle's marble company, the 25 year-old won yesterday's GP Nobili in Arona. Longo Borghini, who signed for Ceramica Flaminia in the spring, won the sprint from a small group four and thus will ensure that he rides full time in 2007.

The win was the first of 2006 for Ceramica Flaminia, with whom Longo Borghini will be riding for in 2007. The rider from Asiago (Veneto) will enjoy his win while racing in today's GP Industria e Commercio and the Giro del Veneto on Saturday.

"I am neither a failure nor a champion, but a normal racer," said Longo Borghini after his first professional win. "It was hard to remain without a team but this win is not revenge. Now I am in a good group."

Liquigas riders, Stefano Garzelli and Franco Pellizotti, had a hard day out, and, although controlling the first portion of the race, failed to make a mark in the results. Garzelli, who pulled hard for Pellizotti (finished 5th) in the last 16.8K circuit, said that "it was not a great day" and "in the finale I tried to work for Pellizotti."

Of course Franco Ballerini, the Italian national DS, was on hand and said "the race was very different then how Liquigas raced." Ballerini then noted the excellent work of both the Liquigas Italians but said he expects more in the coming weeks.

Cunego Confirms Season Finale

Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Fondital), fourth in the Giro d'Italia and Maillot Blanc at the Tour de France, has scheduled his season finale. Il Piccolo Principe will race Saturday in the Giro del Veneto, Trofeo Melinda (31 August) and Coppa Placci (2 September), followed by a few circuit races in Belgium.

Cunego's legs showed wear during the Tre Valli Varesine and BiciRace.com thought it was the end of the season for the 2004 Giro champion. Then a couple of days later, the rider from Verona indicated that he would race the Giro del Veneto and, yesterday, confirmed a few more races before he closes out the 2006 season.

Read:
Cunego Will Race On, 18 August
Season Over for Cunego, 17 August

Basso's Father-in-Law Dies

Aurelio Beretta, a former jeweler and Ivan Basso's father-in-law, has passed away at the age of 68. The funeral will be held tomorrow for Beretta in Cassano Magnago, where Ivan Basso and his wife live.

GP Ouest France - Tough French Worlds Tester

Make no mistake, the GP Ouest France is a classic. Now in its 70th year it occupies a special place in the hearts of the cycling mad in western France, but also in the entire cycling world. There have been many French stars rise up to take the title over the past year and also such foreign stars as Kelly, Tchmil, Bartoli and last year, Hincapie.

This Sunday, for its 70th birthday, the GP Plouay kicks the parcours into overdrive. The race will take the same classic parcours, starting and ending in Plouay (western France), but insert an extra five kilometers, making each circuit 19.750K. As well as the usual Moulin, Lézot and Ty-Marrec climbs, the Kerihuel climb has been added to the "Jean-Yves Perron" circuit; a climb of 1600 meters at an average gradient of 6.8%. By the time the riders are on the final of 11 circuits their legs will be fried, and we should see an all-out hard-man win.

Read the rest of our GP Ouest France preview.

GP Ouest France, 27 August (217K), Tough French Worlds Tester
Main Page, Overall Map and Profile, Startlist, Photos
Report and Results, 2005 Results

61st Vuelta a España, 26 August - 17 September
Main, Startlist
Stages and Maps, Key Stages, Overall Map
Photos, The Dust Devil's Daily Wrap
2005 Results

23 August News ...