Cycling News Roundup, 9 October 2009

Pinarello Bikes for Team Sky, Barloworld ends season in Italy, Columbia-HTC primed for Italian classics, Geniez and Willmann to Skil-Shimano, Bos and Denifl sign with Cervelo, Hushovd intends to defend Green, Ag2r News, Cooke to Saxo Bank, Latham Crit Champion..

Pinarello Bikes for Team Sky
Team Sky has agreed a three-year technical partner deal with Italian Bike manufacturer Cicli Pinarello.

Pinarello, who have been making bikes for more than five decades, will supply the frames, forks, seat posts and headsets to the new professional road team. The announcement brings the first major technical partner to Team Sky and follows the award of a UCI Pro Tour Licence to the team.

Founded in 1952 and based in Treviso, Italy, Pinarello has real heritage in road racing having created bikes for a number of successful professional teams and seen its bikes win the Tour de France eight times.
Announcing the deal, Fausto Pinarello, President of Cicli Pinarello said: “We are very happy with this new partnership. Team Sky’s goal of becoming one of the world’s leading cycling teams, fits with our objective of continuing and growing our presence as one of the world’s leading bicycle manufacturers. We have signed a 3 year agreement and we look forward to a long, prosperous and successful collaboration.”

Dave Brailsford, Team Principal for Team Sky said: “We are thrilled to be riding Pinarello bikes. Joining up with this great producer is a crucial step for Team Sky. With Pinarello we have found the perfect partner to supply and develop an extraordinary line of bikes for our riders.

He continued: “The choice of bike has been a key decision. From the first talks, we found an immediate understanding with Pinarello on what this team is about; performance and perfection. The ways that Pinarello combine their life-long passion for the bike with the latest technology are genuinely inspired. Pinarello are now a fundamental part of the team and will help our relentless efforts to have the best possible tools for Team Sky.”

To date, Team Sky has revealed 16 riders for the new team with more to be announced. Six British riders - Geraint Thomas, Steve Cummings, Pete Kennaugh, Chris Froome, Ian Stannard and Russell Downing – line up with ten international riders; Edvald Boasson Hagen, Thomas Lovkvist, Kurt Arvesen, Simon Gerrans, Juan Antonio Flecha, Kjell Carlstrom, John Lee Augustyn, Greg Henderson, Lars Petter Nordhaug and Morris Possoni.

The initial squad of around 25 riders will be supported by a team of coaches, technicians and support staff drawn from across the cycling world, many of whom work throughout the year with British elite and developing riders. Team Sky will compete from the start of 2010, beginning with the Tour Down Under, and hopes to gain an invitation to next year’s Tour de France.


Team Barloworld looking for success in Emilia Romagna
Team Barloworld ends the racing season this weekend with the Giro dell'Emilia and the GP Beghelli, and Claudio Corti's riders are looking to go out in style.

The Giro dell'Emilia is on Saturday October 10, on a selective 198.2km course that covers the tough San Luca climb, including sections at 18%.

Directeur sportif Valerio Tebaldi will have two strong climber's in the Team Barloword line-up: Mauricio Soler and Chris Froome, who was in the thick of the action on the San Luca during this year's Giro d'Italia. Also in the team are Francesco Bellotti, Carlo Scognamiglio, Diego Caccia, Marco Corti, Gianpaolo Cheula and Paolo Longo Borghini.

Alberto Volpi will be directeur sportif for the GP Beghelli on Sunday October 11. The 195.8km race is on a rolling route that suits riders who have a fast sprint finish, like South Africa's Daryl Impey and Michele Merlo, who recently won the final stage of the Tour of Britain in London.

Also in the team are Soler, Bellotti, Scognamiglio, Caccia, Longo Borghini and Cheula.


Columbia-HTC primed for Italian Classics
Team Columbia-HTC is sending a powerful, experienced squad to tackle the two prestigious Italian Classics held this weekend: the Giro dell'Emilia on October 10th and the G.P. Beghelli on October 11th.

Columbia-HTC's Marco Pinotti, who knows both races very well, says that "the Giro dell'Emilia has the toughest course by far. The first half is flat, but then the hills begin and finally it's got five ascents of a short but difficult climb, and the last time it finishes at the top. It's ideal for the kind of climbers who do well in the Ardennes Classics in April, guys like [Columbia-HTC teammate] Kim Kirchen who've won the Fleche Wallone in the past."

Pinotti says Beghelli, which is flatter, "is a very different race. There's a final circuit with a small climb, but instead of a lone winner, you'll normally get 45 or 50 guys all together and they sprint it out. A break can go, though, and the riders who've gone all out the day before are really tired here, which makes it a bit more complicated to predict. We don't really have a sprinter for these races, so we'll try and break up the race in the finishing circuit and see if a move can get away and stick."

After a strong ride in the World Championships, in which he finished fifth in the men's time trial, Pinotti says he's in good shape even as the end of the season draws close. "I did three or four days' easy training after the World's, but then I started training hard again and I'm still in good shape. I'm feeling good and I'm feeling confident."

Team Columbia-HTC for Giro dell'Emilia (Oct 10th) and GP Beghelli (Oct 11th): Kim Kirchen (Lux); Craig Lewis (USA); Thomas Lovkvist (Swe); Maxime Monfort (Bel); Marco Pinotti (It); Morris Possoni (It); Kanstantsin Sivtsov (Byl).


British cycling and the UCI join forces to develop a worldwide coach education programme
British Cycling and the UCI have signed a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ at the recent UCI Congress in Switzerland to create a worldwide Coach Education Programme designed to standardise and improve coach education in cycling.

The programme will be based on British Cycling’s highly successful UK Coach Education Programme and draw on the expertise of its coach education team. By creating a worldwide coaching network, the programme will help train and develop a core group of international coach educators and help identify coaching talent.

As part of the partnership, British Cycling will help the UCI develop resources for the new programme based on its current coach education materials. British Cycling will also recommend its delivery mechanisms to the UCI, share best practice and deliver a number of coach education courses, including the UCI diploma, at the World Cycling Centre in Aigle.

John Mills, Coaching, Education and Development Director at British Cycling, has been appointed Project Director and will spend 40 days a year at the UCI directing the development of the new coach education programme.
He said: “Our involvement in this project provides a great opportunity to work in partnership with the UCI and to support the development of coach education and coaching around the world.

“This development, combined with the recent appointment of our President, Brian Cookson to the UCI Management Committee puts us in a great position to build on our existing relationship with the UCI.”

“The invitation to join forces with the UCI is further recognition that Britain is not only a leading cycling nation but is also able to make a significant contribution to the development and globalisation of cycle sport.”

The project will be overseen by Frederic Magne, UCI Director of Development and Director of the World Cycling Centre. Keith Flory, British Cycling’s Coaching and Education Manager, will also be part of the new team having been seconded to the UCI for 17 months to manage the development and implementation of the project.

For more information please visit www.britishcycling.org.uk.

Alexandre Geniez signs with Skil-Shimano
Skil-Shimano team management has agreed a contract with major French prospect Alexandre Geniez, who was part of the successful French national squad in the U23 World Championship in Mendrisio.

Geniez is an attack-minded climber who the team management and directeurs sportifs expect great things from in the future. The Frenchman made a conscious decision to join Skil-Shimano, signing a three-year deal with the team. A decisive factor in Geniez’s decision was the professional supervision and support he can expect as part of Iwan Spekenbrink’s team, especially the intensive training supervision outside of and in between races.
Alexandre Geniez, who rode for Velo Club La Pomme Marseille last season, is 21 years of age (born on 16 April 1988) and lives in Marseille. He switched to road cycling two years ago, after three years in mountain biking. Geniez has also studied sports management.

Last season he won four races: the GP d’Ouverture Pierre Pinel, the final classification in the Tour de l’Isard Ariège, the fifth – tough mountain –stage of the Giro della Valle d’Aosta and the fourth stage in the Tour de Moselle.
Geniez also earned impressive second-placed finishes in the Souvenir Vietto-Gianello, in two mountain stages of the Tour d’Isard Ariège and in the final classification of the Tour de Gironde. Other top ten finishes were seventh in the final classification of Giro della Valle d’Aosta and fifth in the final classification of the Tour de Moselle.

For more information on the Skil-Shimano team, visit www.skilcyclingteam.com


Norwegian Frederik Willmann signs with Skil-Shimano
Norwegian Frederik Wilmann will ride for Skil-Shimano as of 1 January 2010. The 24-year-old, born in Viggja on 17 July 1985, was a member of the Joker-Bianchi team in Norway this season. Wilmann is seen by Skil-Shimano as a rider with great potential, especially in the tough stage races. This past year Wilmann has distinguished himself in mountainous stage races.

Wilmann won the French stage race Mi-Août Bretonne in 2009. He also finished third in the final classification of both the Tour de Normandie and the Tour d’Alsace, in which he won the first stage. He finished the French stage race Paris-Corrèze in sixth place, too. Wilmann claimed seventh place in the first stage of the Tour of Ireland. In 2007 he finished ninth overall in the Tour de l'Avenir.

Frederik Wilmann was raised in a cycling family. His father Jostein was a professional cyclist in the 1980s. His wins include the Tour de Romandie and the Setmana Catalana de Ciclisme in 1982.
For more information on the Skil-Shimano team, visit www.skilcyclingteam.com


Skil/Shimano
Team Opts for Pro Continental license procedure
The Skil-Shimano cycling team has taken the conclusive decision to opt for the Pro Continental procedure for the 2010 season. The team is focusing on participating in various races on the Historic calendar and is confident of being able to take part in various Pro Tour races as it wishes.

The team this week informed the UCI and the Licensing Committee that it would not be following the procedure for a Pro Tour license. The team instigated the procedure last July, among other things in anticipation of the new world calendar in 2011 and beyond. The Skil Shimano cycling team is looking forward to that new world calendar of Historic and Pro Tour races with confidence, but would like to receive more details before fulfilling the conditions for a Pro Tour license as early as 2010.
www.skilcyclingteam.com


Cervelo TestTeam: Hushovd intends to defend his green jersey
Cervélo TestTeam rider Thor Hushovd (NOR) is planning to return to the Tour de France next year to defend the green jersey he won in this year’s race. In the past few days some misunderstandings have arisen regarding Thor Hushovd’s goals for 2010, but the Norwegian rider intends to participate. Hushovd and Cervélo TestTeam consider defending that jersey one of their major goals for 2010.

“Winning the green jersey was my major objective for 2009, and 2010 will be no different," said Hushovd. "I love the Tour de France. Given the level of competition for the green, it will no doubt be a great fight in 2010 and I am looking forward to it. I am going to change some things in my program next year, to be also in top form at the Worlds, since next year’s race suits me better than this year’s course in Mendrisio.”

Hushovd will be present on October 14 at the presentation of the 2010 Tour de France.


Cervelo TestTeam: Theo Bos signs with Cervélo TestTeam
Cervélo TestTeam is pleased to announce the signing of the talented Dutch sprinter Theo Bos who has signed with the team through 2011.

The 26-year-old Bos lives in Harderwijk in the Netherlands and comes to the Team with a distinguished track cycling background. He won an Olympic silver medal on the Sprint in 2004 and is a five-time World Champion. He is currently the most successful track cyclist of all time from the Netherlands. In 2009 he sought a new challenge and moved to road cycling. Earlier this season he rode for the Continental Team from Rabobank and achieved his first road victories in races like the Ronde van Noord-Holland and the Omloop der Kempen.

“Theo Bos is an interesting rider and an important person for our team,” said Team Manager Thomas Campana. “We will help Theo take his award winning track process and hone those skills for the road. Our goal was to find another sprinter and in Theo we have found the right rider. As we’ve gotten to know Theo we’ve realized that the mentality of the team and Theo’s are very closely aligned. He likes the way we think and where we want to go, so now Theo is the newest member of Cervélo TestTeam. We are looking forward to have one of the fastest riders in the world in our team next year and help him to become the same qualities on the road like he has on the track.”

“Cervelo TestTeam has proven to be a successful team and with riders like Carlos Sastre, Thor Hushovd and Heinrich Haussler they have also developed a strong base,” said Theo Bos. “On this team I can use the best equipment and they have presented me with a plan where I can develop myself to the level I want to achieve. In the shadow of the big stars on this team they want to build a team around me for the sprints in the Grand Tours.”

“I am looking forward to learning something from Thor Hushovd and Sports Director Jean-Paul van Poppel. I was really impressed with this team’s set-up when I visited their base in Switzerland, The times that I have spoken with Thomas Campana, Team Manager and Cervélo co-owner Gerard Vroomen I saw this really is a life project. It is great, for me, that a team like Cervélo has the faith in me and wants to invest in. And it is now up to me to make it happen and to improve myself, step by step.”


Cervelo TestTeam: Stefan Denifl signs with Cervélo TestTeam
Cervélo TestTeam is pleased to announce the signing of a two-year contract with Stefan Denifl from Austria.

Denifl is one of the most talented riders in Austria. The Fulpmes im Stubaital native is just 21-years-old and has already won the International Thüringen Rundfahrt this year, finished 8th in the overall GC ranking at the Tour of Austria 2009, as well as winning the Austrian National Time Trial Champion title in 2008. The former mountainbiker changed to road cycling in 2003 and and for the past two years has raced for Team Elk Haus-Simplon.

"Cervélo TestTeam is one of the best cycling teams in the world. I visited the team base in Switzerland and what I saw was amazing. Everything is perfectly organized," said Stefan Denifl. "The team have the best bikes with the best parts in the peloton and I like the international mix of riders. It is a great chance and I am proud to be with this team. The most important thing for me is to be a good worker for the team, my time will come soon enough. With this perfect set up I can make a big step forward as a professional.

“Stefan Denifl is a really talented rider and will fit very well in our team with this strong uphill and time trial skills” said Thomas Campana, Team Manager.

Ag2r la Mondiale
Martin Elmiger resumes training
Operated from the iliac artery in July last, Martin Elmiger resumed training during the middle of September. The Swiss is not feeling any pain and it is with pleasure that he is back on his bike for two to three hours per day. He is training and swimming regularly in order to recover as quickly as his physical condition and begin the 2010 season in full possession of his means.

Martin Elmiger:  "The bike was missing and I am happy to start rolling. For now, I train quietly and with the sun and summer temperatures is a real pleasure. I have no more pain and I am really motivated to come back quickly. "

Dimitri Champion Signs with Ag2r la Mondiale
Next season, the team A will include in its ranks the champion of France 2009 race online. Indeed, Dimitri Champion was engaged for two years with the formation of Vincent Lavenu and he looks forward to display his jersey tricolor maillot in 2010.

Comment from Dimitri Champion: "I wanted to stay in France and the project offered me the Ag2r la Mondiale sporting terms and in terms of the evolution of the team I liked. I am happy to inaugurate my French championship jersey in France on a French team. And then I want to make beautiful races on tests such as Paris-Nice or the Tour de France. "

Vincent Lavenu: "Dimitri is a rider who is renowned for his reliability and professionalism. He is able to target specific goals and he has shown at this year's Championships France. Someone who can compete at the highest level and win races in beautiful if all conditions are met. In any case, Dimitri is a reinforcement of choice for the Ag2r la Mondiale."

About Dimitri Champion:
Born 06.09.1983 in La Rochelle (Charente-Maritime)
Size / Weight: 1m79/ 0 kg
Professional since 2007
Pro Teams: Bouygues Telecom (2007-2008); Brittany Schuller (2009)

Ag2r la Mondiale Awarded ProTour License 2010 - 2013
Vincent Lavenu:  "We are very proud to have obtained an extension of our license ProTour for three years, this demonstrates the strength of our case. We thank our main sponsor, Ag2r la Mondiale who has been engaged with us for many years and allowed us to present a strong record. "
www.cyclisme.ag2rlamondiale.com


Team Saxo Bank: Baden Cooke joins team
The 30-year-old Australian will be a profile at Team Saxo Bank in 2010.

Cooke has a wide range of significant victories on his CV, including a green jersey and stage win in Tour de France, stage wins in Tour Down Under, The Peace Race, Tour de Suisse, Tour de Pologne and Tour de Mediterranee.

"Throughout the years I have seen good colleagues become even better and decidedly take a great leap in their careers after a switch to Team Saxo Bank, and I hope I can do the same and enjoy the power and inspiration which is on the team. I have a great deal of respect for the other riders and the sport management and I look very forward to being part of the well-known community on the team”, says Baden Cooke on the one-year contract which came to place through sports director, Bradley McGee.

"Bradley knows me better than anyone within the sport and it is thanks to him I now get the chance to becoming a part of Team Saxo Bank. This year, for my part, has been characterized by bulk and accidents and I am to work my way towards the new season. I hope to be a good support for the team in the classics, and otherwise even create results wherever possible. I still believe that I have my best years ahead of me and therefore I'm very optimistic about my move to Team Saxo Bank”, added Cooke.

“Baden Cooke is a very exciting rider as we can expect really much from . I believe the team can make him develop to a new level and I have no doubt that he would be a definite benefit to our troupe for the classics. He comes with very warm recommendations from Bradley McGee, and I am convinced that he is going to fit perfectly into the team, "said Bjarne

Latham Crowned New Zealand Criterium Champion
Peter Latham of the BISSELL Pro Cycling Team took the win on Sunday at the RaboPlus National Criterium Championship to claim the title of New Zealand’s criterium champion. The day got off to a quick start with an early attack from N.Z. Road Champion, Gord McCauley. Numerous other attacks were chased down by a motivated and attentive field. Latham had support from his BISSELL teammate, Omer Kem, and Te Awamutu club team-mates who did the lion’s share of the work chasing down the breaks.

The day’s aggressive racing gradually diminished the field, and in the final seconds came down to a 15-man, bunch sprint to the finish. Latham was the strongest across the line and powered past second-place finisher, Patrick Bevin, and third place, Mike Northey.

Latham said that his motivation for a big result was a combination of the chance to wear the N.Z. criterium champion’s jersey in his upcoming season with BISSELL and putting on a strong performance for family and friends. Next, he is off to the National Track Training Center in Invercargill and will then join his BISSELL teammates to race the upcoming Sun Tour in Australia and the Tour of Southland in New Zealand.

For updates on BISSELL Pro Cycling year round, visit www.Bissellprocycling.com.

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