Cycling News Roundup - 6 January 2009
Team News, In Memoriam Giovanni Bianco, Cyclocross Videos, Giant Italia, Lance
Ahead of Schedule, Florence Worlds 2013 Bid, Worst Day of the Year Ride, Grand
Prix Insubria, Adventure Corps Camp - Death Valley
Happy New Year from Jirina Scucková (Cze) CK Lucas Frames Blsany
Caisse d'Epargne - Roster for Australia
Mathieu Perget Replaces Nicolas Portal in Tour Down
Under Squad
Riders: Mathieu Drujon, Imanol Erviti, Pablo Lastras, Oscar Pereiro, Mathieu
Perget, José Joaquín Rojas, Luis León Sánchez
Director: Neil Stephens.
In Memoria - Giovanni Bianco
Giovanni Bianco the father of pro rider Marco Bianco of the L' Arcobaleno -
Carraro Mtn Bike Team from Torino, Italy died shortly after the a watching his
son compete in Belgium on December 28th.
Marco's parents Giovanni and Anna followed him everywhere in their
personal 'Marco Bianco-camper' supporting Marco in his race. Marco races a lot
in Belgium. He starts in the big cyclocross races in Europe.
Marco Bianco warms up in front of his Marco Bianco Camper.
Photo © Karen Lambrecht
L' Arcobaleno - Carraro: "A new bereavement affects us closely,
suddenly last night in Belgium was the passing of Giovanni Bianco. the
father of Marco.Si, it is a very sad news, because it takes away the smile, I
had just written yet another good result of Marco up in Belgium, another
prestigious podium, assisted in the race by his father and mother Anna. I say it
becomes more difficult, and we are close to Mark and Anna, people of great heart
that we mourn as a large heart that has suddenly stopped beating."
The Daily Peloton would like to extend our condolences to Marco Bianco, his
mother Anna, friends and teamates in their loss of a great man and supproter of
cycling.
Florence 2013: the challenge has been launched
there has been the official announce of the candidature of the Tuscan chief town
to host the World Championships in 2013.
Eugenio Giani, Michele Bartoli and Gabriele Sola to compose the organizing
commitee with the support of Alfredo Martini, honorary president
15th December 08 The challenge: to achieve the
right to host the 2013 World Championships. An impressive objective for a city
and a region that boast an extraordinary cycling tradition. On these foundations
the candidature of the wonderful Tuscan resort has been made official in the
morning in Salone dei Dugento, Palazzo Vecchio, in the heart of Florence.
Florence 2013 Organizing Committee
In the presence of the president of the Italian cycling federation, Renato di
Rocco, and of many others guests, among the others Andrea Bartali and Roberto
Poggiali – the first anticipations have been revealed. The promoting commitee is
headed by the sport councillorship of Florence municipality in the figure of the
town councillor Eugenio Giani, and it will include a sportive association,
titled FI2013, that will support the candidacy for a second time, the organizing
activities of the World Championships. A project that has been immediately
shared by Michele Bartoli, ex cycling champion and Gabriele Sola, managing
director of the World Championships “Varese 2008” and marketing and
communication responsible of World Championships “Verona 2004”.
Immediate support came from Alfredo Martini who agreed with
enthusiasm for the proposal, and to take up the honorary presidency of the sports association. Matteo Renzi, president of Florence Province and Fabio Incatasciato,
mayor of Fiesole have already guaranteed their support.
“World Florence is a project that has all the credentials to assert itself as
an important promotion of the Florentine territory and, more in general, Tuscan
and national”: said an enthusiastic Eugenio Giani. “Today we are here to
show a team that has all the credentials to take to Florence a great event that
our city lacks for many years”.
Gabriele Sola echoed his words: “The World Championships in fact represent,
after Tour de France, the “two wheeled” event that has the largest following in
the world. The television images of the important event are seen in over than
100 Countries with an audience that has been measured at 450 million
viewers. The competitions, that take place in the space of a week, involve over
than 700 athletes coming from about 60 Countries. The media operators are 1,400
and, in all, the official accredited ones are 6.000. The public, during the
week, is more or less 600.000 people coming from all over the world. An enormous
potential - explained Gabriele Sola.
Imagine Piazza della Signoria, in the thriving heart of the social life and
seat of the municipality with the majestic Palazzo Vecchio, an ideal setting for
the opening ceremony of the irisated week. The stadium of athletics Luigi
Ridolfi, the gymnasium and the military house and Nelson Mandela Forum should
host the organizing offices, the media centre and the expo area and
hospitality”.
The technical aspects of the Florentine adventure were explained by Michele
Bartoli, a member of Tuscan cycling. “Florence and Fiesole have the charm of
ideal backgrounds for hosting an exciting race.. The time trial course is still
under study, the course of road race has been already defined in its main
aspects, with Viale Paoli as departure and arrival point of all races, for a
challenging and spectacular circuit, that alternates with a quite technical
stretch and with large curves to steep roads with gradients over 10% and that
make it an interesting route from a tactical viewpoint”.
As Alfredo Martini says, “it will be impossible to say no to Florence”. The
historic ex Italian National selector and winner of the prestigious Stella d'Oro
al Merito Sportivo (Gold Star of Sporting Merit) in 2004 got involved
immediately: tomorrow he will make a first inspection of the parcours
between Florence and Fiesole.
Cyclocross Video Links
Watch Eric Carter's Cyclocross: An Hour in Hell
made at during the Cross Crusade in Oregon and other videos at:
http://crosstube.net/ More cyclocross videos links can also be found at
http://ccx.nathanspear.com/ including
many of the European Cross races.
Mountain Bike
Giant Italia Team
GIANT Italia has renewed its partnership with GIANT Italia Team for the 2009
sportive season. The official agreement signed on January 31rst at the end of
the season. GIANT Italia srl and the MTB International Team GIANT Italia
Team have defined a common strategy for the promotion of the brand GIANT.
Team manager Gianfranco Bechis with Italian Giant Distributor.
Giant brand’s promotion in the Off-road contests will become even more
ambitious, as well as the goals of the Team managed by Gianfranco Bechis, who
will be at the starting line, first of all considering all the results collected
last year: 2 athletes at the Beijing Olympic Games, 2 podiums at the World Cup,
1 general title got at the UCI Marathon World Cup, 1 podium at Roc d’Azur, 1
Cross Country National Title and many other international results, with 2
victories at the Challenge Internazionali d’Italia XCO and 1 victories at the
Challenge Coupe de France VTT.
GIANT Italia Team will take part to many international competitions, as it
did last year: UCI Cross Country World Cup, Continental and National Cross
Country and Marathon Championships, International Challenges (Bundesliga,
Internazionali d’Italia and “ex” Swisspower Cup.
GIANT Italia Team will be completed soon, but the partnership with the Elite
Ivan Alvarez Gutierrez has been already officialised. The Spaniard biker will
compete with GIANT Italia Team for 4 years.
“Only a few athletes of GIANT Italia Team will take part to the training
running off in Cote d’Azur from 10 to 21 January, then all the bikers will start
a second training period in Sicily, from 5 to 23 February, to define all the
technical aspects, waiting for the first competition of the season: Muretto di
Alassio Marathon” Gianfranco Bechis explained by phone. First of all, GIANT
Italia Team will complete and send all the documents to affiliate at UCI
(International Cycling Union) with a main goal: to enter in the final UCI Top10
MTB Teams. Other interesting news concerning technical partnerships and the
promotional strategies will be revealed soon.
Revolution 23 - Cycling MBEs Roll out for Revolution
With cycling featuring prominently in the New Year’s honours the start list for
Revolution on January 10th will now welcome
new Members of the British Empire Ed Clancy, Geraint Thomas, Jason Kenny and
Victoria Pendleton as well as Paralympian Sarah Storey OBE who will feature in
the elite women’s racing.
Pendleton is riding in her only Revolution this year and for just the second
time in the UK since Beijing providing a rare occasion to see the first lady of
cycling competing on home turf. The Olympic Sprint Champion will feature in a
sprint omnium and will have plenty of opportunity to show her speed across five
rounds including a 200m Time Trial, two Sprints, a Keirin and a 500m Time Trial.
Hoping to get a slice of the action will be the very talented Anna Blyth and up
and coming star of the future, Jess Varnish as well as guest Spanish sprinter
Helena Casa Roige.
In the men’s events, one of the highlights of the evening is set to be the
1km Madison Time Trial. Ed Clancy and Steven Burke have dominated the event this
season inching ever closer to the record of 54.549 set by Chris Hoy and Arnaud
Tournant at Revolution 20 in 2008. At the last Revolution on December 6th Burke
and Clancy clocked 54.666 and are confident they can go even faster. They will
face a new challenge at Revolution 23 with Jason Kenny teaming up with Geraint
Thomas. Clancy, however, is not threatened by his new rivals, saying:
“I know that Jason (Kenny) wants to get amongst the action and has teamed up
with Geraint. We’ll show them who is boss and put them in their places. We
should get close (to the record) and last time were only a few hundredths of a
second off. It’d be good to beat them and set a new record.”
A Revolution regular, Clancy continued, “I’ll be doing them all again this
season, it’s a great night. I’m sure I’ll be coming back for years to come.”
Revolution 23 is sold out but highlights will be available to watch on
www.channelm.co.uk. Tickets for the
Revolution on 21st February are selling out fast and can be purchased from
www.cyclingrevolution.com.
The Cycling Revolution - Revolution was
created in 2003 by Face Partnership and the Manchester Velodrome to provide a
new style of cycling event in the UK, a style that would increase spectator
appeal and change the way people think about the sport. With the creation of an
action packed alternative race programme featuring international road and track
stars presented with a slick, modern style the Cycling Revolution was born. The
racing is fast and the atmosphere is electrifying with music and lighting
effects creating a superb night of entertainment for cycling and non-cycling
fans alike.
Grand Prix Insubria - Varese, Italy
The Grand Prix Insubria, competition for professionals, will take place on
February 28 and will be joined in the role organizational Society Cycling
Alfredo Binda and Velo Club Lugano. The professional event on Saturday February
28 will be held in conjunction with the Grand Prix of Lugano, scheduled Sunday
March 1, two days a leading international cycling in Varese in the Canton Ticino
and some of the big names of international cycling.
A 172 kilometers parcours, departing from Como and finish at lake of Lugano.
A course not too demanding that leads the riders over much of the
route along the roads of the province of Varesed at the World Championships in
Varese in 2008, and honors two great champions: Alfredo Binda and Luigi ganna.
In the central part of the race the riders, in fact, pass on the world circuit
Varese of last September and the native country of the two cycling hero:
Cittiglio and Induno Olona ..
Ultra Racing
2009 AdventureCORPS Calendar
Applications to compete in the 2009 Badwater Ultramarathon and the 2008 Furnace
Creek 508 are currently being accepted. For Badwater, this is the only time to
apply. For The 508, perspective racers may apply now if they need to know this
far in advance, or they may apply in the first ten days of June. Info here:
http://www.badwater.com/reg.html
and
http://www.the508.com/entry/index.html
2009 Calendar
Adventure Corps Camp - Death Valley 2009 Kick Off
What better way could there be to burn off the holiday blubber and lay a solid
foundation for a great new season of cycling, while enjoying Mother Nature's
Greatest Sports Arena? Held Saturday, February 21 through Wednesday, February
25, 2009, the original CORPScamp features five days and 300 or more (or less)
miles of epic, one-of-a-kind cycling in and around Death Valley National Park.
We have been producing events here since 1990 and we never tire of sharing one
of the world's most dramatic, inspiring, and unusual landscapes. From desert
flowers to snow-capped mountains, we'll see it all by bicycle. Bring a camera or
nobody will believe your stories!
CORPScamp Death Valley is designed as a multi-day lifestyle adventure - five
days of fantastic cycling and outdoor adventure in an otherworldly place - and
the camp is only as difficult as YOU want it to be. Most days, participants can
make their daily mileage any number they want! We're not timing everyone and
we're not keeping score, so please don't be put off by the name - CORPScamp is
only as hard core as you want to make it! If you love cycling and want to get
away from it all and enjoy the company, and insights, of fellow cyclists, then
you will enjoy CORPScamp Death Valley!
With a field limit of just 75 riders, the event is already over half full, so
if you would like to join us, we encourage you to sign up soon.
Info here
SKS USA presents Worst Day of the Year Ride in
Portland, Oregon
SKS USA is the presenting sponsor of the 8th annual Worst Day of the Year Ride
to be held in Portland, OR on February 15, 2009.
The ride, held around the date of Oregon's worst weather ever recorded (in
1933) features an 18-mile urban tour and 40-mile challenge route in one of the
world's top cycling cities. The 3,000 participants will enjoy five stops along
the route for warm drinks, snacks, soup and brew. This quirky urban ride has
quickly become an annual tradition in this bicycle friendly city and cyclists
participate rain or shine. An estimated 1,500 participants will arrive at the
event in costume to be awarded a free SKS X-Tra Dry fender.
The Worst Day of the Year Ride benefits the Community Cycling Center, a
non-profit founded in 1994, whose goal it is to broaden access to bicycling and
its benefits through hands-on programs, volunteer projects, and neighborhood
bike shops, and whose belief is that the bicycle is a tool for empowerment and a
vehicle for change. For more information, see
www.communitycyclingcenter.org
Supporting sponsors of the event include: Bike Gallery, Bike N' Hike, REI,
Wentworth SubaruCity, Gorge Delights, Nossa Familia Coffee, Laughing Planet
Cafe, Lucky Lab Brewery, Spud and ORbike. Worst Day of the Year Ride is
organized by Good Sport Promotions and more information can be found at
www.worstdayride.com
SKS Germany, founded in 1932, is a
member of the Scheffer-Klute Group (1932-2008), Sundern/Sauderland, Germany. SKS
is maker of the popular Xtra Dry & Raceblade fenders and original Rennkompressor
floor pump. SKS also distributes pocket tools and chainguards worldwide. SKS is
marketed in the U.S. by SKS USA, located in Olney, Ilinois.
Lance Ahead of Schedule
By Chris Carmichael
Twenty-five watts in two weeks. Lance Armstrong is gaining fitness so fast that
his maximum sustainable power output improved 25 watts from an informal test in
late November to a test in Austin, Texas a few days after he returned from the
Astana team camp in Tenerife, Spain. One of the biggest questions I had going
into this comeback was whether Lance’s body would adapt to training the way it
used to. Well, the improvements I’m seeing are roughly equal to what I saw
before he retired. Neither age nor three years out of professional cycling seem
to be slowing him down. In fact, he’s improving so rapidly that he’s ahead of
schedule. Initially I thought the short timeline between Lance’s announcement
and his return to ProTour competition would make it difficult for him to be in
decent shape for racing, but now I’m actually having to back him off a bit so
he’s not too fit too early.
That doesn’t mean you should expect him to go to the Tour Down Under in
Australia and win in dominating fashion. He’s going there to train and while
he’s ahead of where I expected him to be right now, he’s still near the
beginning of a trajectory that should see him start the Tour de France in
optimal condition. He’ll do well in Australia, but keep in mind that the primary
purpose of that race is to get back into the groove of elite-level road racing
and all the off-the-bike routines that come with it.
The biggest impact of his rapid progression has been a constant shifting of
his schedule. Originally, we were going to go to Napa, California, a week or two
following the Tenerife camp for 7-10 days of big-mileage training. The testing
in Austin showed that wasn’t necessary and would have provided too great a
training stimulus. So Lance got to stay at home more, which is always a good
thing because it means more time with the family and that leads to a happier
Lance. Just as with any athlete, the more “normal” Lance’s life is (in terms of
the daily balance of kids, training, foundation work, friends, etc.), the better
he trains.
Over the past few weeks, Lance has been doing more back-to-back volume,
meaning he’s been doing three-day blocks of 4-, 5-, and 6-hour rides. The
intensity is steady and reasonable, right now he’s averaging between 200-230
watts for the duration of those rides. The idea behind the three-day training
blocks is to build the kind of endurance needed to compete in stage races. It’s
one thing to ride three long days in a week, but separate them by an easy
recovery rides or days off. It’s another to ride four hours one day, recover
overnight and then go out and put in five hours at the same intensity the next
day, and the next. Physically, these blocks induce a lot of training load (more
than you could reasonably accumulate in one ride), which in turn leads to
adaptations that improve the ways working muscles utilize fuel. Psychologically
they help riders get into the routines that will sustain them through stage
races: good eating habits, proper recovery techniques, going to sleep early,
etc.
Around Christmas/New Year's, Lance traveled to Kona, Hawaii for more training.
He went out there he can continue putting in the miles, and I’m going to put him
behind the motor for some motorpacing as well. With the Tour Down Under coming
up quickly, a few hours of race-pace training behind the motor certainly
wouldn’t hurt - well, at least it won’t hurt for me. Here's what his pre-Tour
Down Under training looks like:
December 29-31---3-day training block
3-4 hours daily at endurance pace staying below 315watts, climbs at 340-380watts
January 1: Recovery ride
Jan 2-4----3 day training block
Day 1: 4 hours at endurance pace staying below 315watts, include 1hr at Tempo
power, 350-380watts, low pedal cadence during Tempo (60-70rpm).
Day 2: 4 hours at endurance pace staying below 315watts, include 2-3
10-minute MuscleTension Intervals at 45-50rpm, uphill at 350-400watts with
8-10mins recovery between intervals.
Day 3: 4 hours at endurance pace staying below 315watts, include 1hr at Tempo
power, 350-380watts, low pedal cadence during Tempo (60-70rpm).
January 5-6: Recovery rides
Jan 6-8----3 day training block
Day 1: 5.5 hrs with 3 climbs of 15-30minutes at 380-420watts, last 60mins behind
motor for leg speed.
Day 2: 4.5 hours with 2-3climbs late in the ride of 15-30minutes at
380-420watts, last 60mins behind motor for leg speed.
Day 3: 4 hours at endurance pace with 2 climbs of 15-30minutes at
380-420watts, last 60mins behind motor for leg speed.
January 9-10—recovery rides, maybe on the TT bike
Day 1: Recovery ride
Day 2: Recovery ride
January 11: Possibly an Ironman test on the TT bike??
January 12: Depart for Australia?
Click here to comment
on the article
http://www.trainright.com
- Discuss this race and the sport with other cycling fans from around the
world on the Daily Peloton.com
Forums and Chat Room.
- Sponsor the daily peloton &
advertise your product - contact
us.
- Do you have a passion for cycling and a yen to write? contact us.
| 
