T-Mobile to 2008, GB riders to Langkawi, Cummings, Dierckxsens, Zabel, Scarponi, Ofoto/Sierra Nevada Releases DeCanio, Quick-Step Sponsors Tours TV Coverage, RAGT Semences 2005, 26th Vuelta Independencia, Nature Valley GP, Wendy's International, Ofoto/Sierra Nevada Releases DeCanio

T-Mobile to Continue as Sponsor

The mobile service provider T-Mobile has extended its sponsorship of professional cycling for another two years up to 2008. The announcement came from Martin Knauer, marketing director at T-Mobile Deutschland, during the presentation of the T-Mobile Team in Bonn on Monday.

A successful 2004 season has played its part in encouraging T-Mobile to extend its sponsorship of the team up to 2008 - last season the magenta squad won the team prize in the World Cup and Tour de France, Andreas Klöden clinched the runner-up spot in the Tour, Steffen Wesemann won the Tour of Flanders, Jan Ullrich triumphed in the Tour de Suisse and Erik Zabel collected a World Cup silver medal.

The riders have been worthy of the trust placed in them and shown themselves to be ideal ambassadors and opinion shapers for our international brand, is how Knauer qualifies the decision. A truly international cycling team dovetails perfectly with our communications strategy and helps the Group increase awareness worldwide, argues Knauer.

Only just back from a two-week training camp in Majorca, the teams 27 man roster, which features riders from eight countries, was presented to the public in the T-Mobile Forum in Bonn on Monday morning. Also presented were the new joint-management team of Walter Godefroot and Olaf Ludwig, as well as sporting director Mario Kummers team of sporting managers.

The 2005 roster includes six new faces: Olaf Pollack has joined the team from Gerolsteiner as an additional sprinter alongside the evergreen Erik Zabel, while the two Spaniards Oscar Sevilla (from Phonak) and Paco Lara (Costa de Almeria) have been recruited to strengthen the team in the climbing department. The team also signed three up-and-coming riders, who will be keen to make their mark on the pro scene: Bas Giling (Netherlands), Bernhard Kohl (Austria) and Marcus Burghardt.

Spearheading this mix of sprinters, classic and tour specialists are top stars Andreas Klöden, Jan Ullrich, Alexander Vinokourov and Erik Zabel.

The ProTour poses a major new challenge for the 27 riders two more riders than last year. After two weeks hard training in Majorca were now glad the seasons getting underway, said team manager Walter Godefroot, who will be sending part of the team to races in Majorca and Qatar as early as the start of February.

Weve got both experienced professionals and ambitious young riders in our ranks and have created the perfect platform for repeating the huge success of 2005. We want to delight our fans with our determination and passion, said Godefroot with conviction.

The focal point of the season is the Tour de France, which this year includes two stages in Germany. Once weve got all our top performers on board, we'll certainly be up there with the best of them in the Tour, predicted Olaf Ludwig who since the start of the year has been co-managing the Bonn-based team alongside Godefroot. Godefroot is set to withdraw, at his own request, from team management responsibilities in 2006. Olaf is the perfect successor for me. By signing him up to become manager we've paved the way for a bright future", said the Belgian.

Besides the Tour de France, the spring classics and the Deutschland-Tour are critical to the sporting managements plans for this season. To meet the additional requirements the ProTour (30 races) places on the team, an additional sporting manager has been signed up in the shape of Valerio Piva. The 46-year-old Italian will assist sporting directors Mario Kummer and Frans van Looy in their work. The upshot: the riders are surrounded by a professional support team comprising 34 staff. In addition to managers and sporting managers, experienced doctors, physiotherapists, mechanics and other support staff are also on hand.

Heading into the new season the riders already have quite a few kilometres of base training in their legs following the two week camp in Majorca. All that hard work at the camp has not only built up the riders stamina and endurance, but it will also go some way to easing the plight of the victims of the Asian tsunami disaster: for every kilometre that Jan Ullrich & Co. clocked up on the island between January 8 and 23, T-Mobile is donating 50 cents to the tsunami appeal. The mobile service providers total contribution from this initiative stands at 30,000 Euros.

Watch for our separate T-Mobile team presentation.

Four Members of Recycling Team Represent GB in Tour de Langkawi

"Rob Hayles, Paul Manning, Chris Newton and Dean Downing flew out to Malaysia on Sunday 23rd January to represent Great Britain in the Tour De Langkawi.

The four riders have just returned from a week's training in Lanzarote in preparation for the Tour. The four recycling.co.uk / MG X-Power / Litespeed riders will be combining with Kristian House, Tom White and Julian Winn to make the Great Britain squad complete.

The team includes Olympic Team Pursuit silver medallists Paul Manning, Rob Hayles and Stephen Cummings and with Panaria featuring the Australian duo of Brown and Lancaster it could be a case of Olympic Team Pursuit final revisited .

Chris Newton took part in the very first Tour de Langkawi in 1996, when he became winner of the King of the Mountains Polka Dot jersey. However the race this year has a far more imposing line up than the first edition, so it will be interesting to see how the British boys do and whether they can continue their track success on the road.

Chris Newton. Courtesy Recycling team

Steve Cummings Start to Season Delayed

As we reported earlier the Landbouwkrediet-Colnago team had announced that its team for Tour de Langkawi. The lineup of Verstrepen, Van de Walle, Van Landschoot, Verheyen, Renders, Habeaux and Sijmens did not include Steve Cummings, who had been expected to ride. British Cycling, however, report on the reason for his omission:

Olympic silver medallist and recent World Cup Gold medal winner in Manchester Steve Cummings (23) has had a slight setback to the start of the season with his new top professional team Landbouwkreiet-Colnago. A standard UCI medical test found an abnormality, an ectopic heartbeat, not a very unusual occurrence, but one that always has to be investigated further. This meant that he had to spend a day in hospital and had to have cathetrization (the insert of catheter's in his groin, in this case to scan his heart thoroughly.) This of course left him very sore and was told by his doctors not to ride his bike for five days. However the good news was that after the advanced tests he was confirmed 100% okay.

The recovery time he needed meant he has to miss the Tour of Langkawi, which he was meant to ride with his new team. Steve's debut will probably the Etoile de Bessages in the South of France at the beginning of February. Steve was upset but relieved of course and still can't wait until he can race again, on the road. He said, "I have never felt so keen as I have this year to start racing and especially after starting of with a win (a World Cup Gold medal on the Track at Manchester).

"I couldn't wait to start with my new team. To miss Langkawi is a big disappointment but one I have to swallow. My first race with the team should now in France in about twelve days but I wish it was(under normal circumstances) now.) I have worked so hard and was feeling fantastic but you have to learn to get over these setbacks, don't you."

 
Steve Cummings. Courtesy Sport and Publicity.

Dierckxsens Finale in Tessenderlo

As we previously reported Ludo Dierckxsens has a six month contract with Landbouwkrediet, and is determined to go out in style . Following his final appearance in the Belgium Championships a farewell criterium has been organised in his honour in the Belgium town of Tessenderlo.

Erik Zabel – More Trouble with Animals

Footage of Erik Zabel’s encounter with a horse has entered the realms of legend – it seems animals follow “Ete” around, this report from T-Mobile:

Erik Zabel hasn't been having it easy recently: last October the T-Mobile sprinter broke a heel bone after falling from a ladder at his home. On Saturday, the last day of the training camp in Majorca, he fell victim to another freak incident, suffering minor injuries to the face and arm.

The cause of the accident was a stray dog, which ran into the middle of Zabel's training group catching the sprinter in full flight and sending him crashing to the tarmac. Team doctor Lothar Heinrich was on hand to examine the sprinter and fortuntately no serious damage to Zabel was reported.

Heinrich: "It looked worse than it actually was. The cheek wounds didn't require stitches. Erik is just lucky to emerge from this with only small cuts, bruising and a bit of a fright. This won't interfere with his training plans."

Scarponi Eyes Giro

The latest Liberty Seguros sign up, Michelle Scarponi, has yet to make his competition debut with his new team, however, he’s already training with the colours he’ll be defending over these next two seasons.

At the beginning of December it was officially announced on the team webpage, that the Italian rider from Domina Vacance, Michelle Scarponi age 25, had been signed up. He’s the 10th reinforcement for Liberty Seguros in this 2005 season and one of the main trump cards for the Giro d’Italia, in which he will compete with all the guarantees.

Although he won’t make his debut in official competition with Liberty Seguros in January, as he hasn’t be called up for the Tour Down Under starting tomorrow or that of Langkawi, starting on the 28th; he’s already worn the team jersey on the road and on a bike as we can see from the photograph.

The signing of Scarponi has been one of the team’s main reinforcements, since he’s one of the most promising Italian cycling talents. He made his debut in professionals in 2002; and since then he’s ridden with Acqua & Sapone, where he won the Lombardy Week, and in Domina Vacance during 2003 and 2004. With this latter team he achieved 5 triumphs: one stage in the Giro de Abruzzo, one in the Peace race, two in the 2004 Lombardy Week and one in the international week. He’ll be riding with Liberty Seguros for at least these two forthcoming seasons.

 
Scarponi. Courtesy Liberty Seguros Team.

Ofoto/Sierra Nevada Releases Matt DeCanio

SAN FRANCISCO (January 24, 2005) – Principal Sports Management Group LLC, which operates the Ofoto/Sierra Nevada Professional Cycling Team, announced today that it has released team member Matt DeCanio for undisclosed violations of team policies.

Ofoto/Sierra Nevada Marketing and Media Relations Manager Josh Kadis commented that, “Matt’s release was not simply because of statements on his websites. Our decision was based on Matt’s numerous and blatant violations of contractual agreements and disregard for team policies that all team members have agreed to abide by.”

Kadis added, “Our program has a very strong anti-doping stance, but also a strong stance on how team members are to represent our program. Matt was unwilling to respect agreements that he made voluntarily with team management.”

Quick-Step to Sponsor TV Coverage of Major Tours

Quick-Step will co-operate with France Télévisions and Spanish broadcasting station TVE in 2005, sponsoring the “Tour de France” on Flemish VRT.

“Just like in the past few years, Belgium has intentionally been chosen for the television medium in general, and as far as Flanders is concerned, for the VRT in particular”, claimed communication and sponsoring manager Philiep Caryn, who was clearly excited about this nice deal, because there’s more: “Quick-Step will not only been seen on TV and on billboards during the months of July in the Tour de France, but also in May in connection with the Giro d’Italia and in August/September in connection with Spanish Vuelta, Quick-Step will sponsor the live TV broadcasts”.

The brand name Quick-Step will be seen by billboards before and after the broadcasting of each stage in the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta. Furthermore, the brand name Quick-Step will appear on the TV screen in every announcement spot.

“Quick-Step doesn’t just sponsor the live TV broadcasts of the most important cycling tours in Belgium. Quick-Step has also the past 6 years been very active abroad. With French TV station France Télévisions, there have already been close cooperations since 1999 in connection with live TV broadcasts of cycling races. Quick-Step doesn’t only sponsor these live broadcasts, but also various programmes preceding these broadcasts as well as the summaries which are seen on TV in the evening. This will happen again in 2005”.

Quick-Step has also been working together with Spanish TV station TVE for years by billboard sponsoring during the Tour of Spain in August and September. For this purpose, Quick-Step rider Juan Miguel Mercado will – just like in 2004 – be “summoned”. Mercado is the Spanish Quick-Step rider who won a stage in last year’s Tour de France.

In 2005, Quick-Step will enter its seventh year as an international cycling sponsor. After 4 years as a co-sponsor with cycling team Mapei-Quick-Step, Quick-Step is now entering its third year as a main sponsor.

The international strategy of sport sponsoring contributes to the realization of some company goals, being to substantially increase the already existing name reputation of Quick-Step both on the national and international field and to further emphasize the quality image of the Quick-Step brand.

The combination of sport sponsoring on the one hand, and the national and international ad campaigns on TV, radio, newspapers and magazines on the other hand, make Quick-Step a strong international quality brand.

Because Quick-Step is present in more than 110 countries, it makes sense that its team is an international one, with riders from many countries.

RAGT Semences-MG Rover Steps Out in Red and Green

The 2005 line-up of the RAGT Semences cycling team was presented to journalists at the Maison du Sport. Officially registered in theprofessional continental cycling category, the new team has a youthful new spirit.

Alain Fabre, Chairman of RAGT’s surveillance council was first to speak. Then it was over to Claude Grand, who is taking over from him as CEO of the company Gazons de France, one of RAGT’s subsidiaries involved in putting the this year’s team together. 

All in all, Alain Fabre congratulates the arrival of RAGT in the domain of professional cycling: "The values dear to cycling are very close to those in the world of farming. How is it possible not to feel emotionally involved when you consider how much importance we attach to effort, tenacity and courage, topped with a great sense of sacrifice. We’re very positive both RAGT Semences road potential and for our agricultural clients in the field. I’m persuaded that 2005 will be every bit as fulfilling as 2004."

After these wishes and expressions of commitment, the team’s sporting staff addressed the gathering. Serge Barle general manager started off, followed by William Schroo, marketing director, Jean-Luc Jonrond, cycling director, Julien Jurdie and Pascal Duez, assistant cycling director, all of whom affirm their commitment to lead the team to its best possible level in accordance with its abilities and the calendar of events.

Professional continental cycling teams such as RAGT Semences take part in a large number of competitions nationally, but also in Italy, Germany, Belgium or Switzerland. A calendar almost identical to that of last year. As the right to enter international Pro Tour competitions was dependant upon receiving a wild card, the Red and Greens are aware of the stakes.

The team has been given a youthful injection with the arrival of seven new riders, including four Belgian cyclists, all from the Elites 2 category. RAGT Semences has announced an offensive outlook for 2005. By way of information, keep a look out for these newcomers: Emilien-Benoit Bergès, Hubert Dupont, Sébastien Minard for the new French riders and Xavier Hérinne, Kevyn Ista, Olivier Kaisen, Guillaume Lernould for the new Belgian blood. Apart from that, Jean-Luc Jonrond is flattered by the arrival of Benjamin Levecot, giving him the opportunity to get his career off to a new start. Nicolas Dulac had entered the Rubicon in August 2004 and is also one of the most promising elements on board.

Serge Barle: "We have every reason to be very hopeful indeed given how close-knitted the group is. With this sort of potential at our fingertips, we’ve got a fine challenge on our hands."

Experienced riders by the likes of Eddy Seigneur or Christophe Rinero, and Guillaume Auger will be providing the moral and pedagogical structure for the team.

RAGT Semences will be hitting the road on Tueday 1st February at the start of the Grand Prix d’Ouverture "La Marseillaise" before continuing with traditional events in the shape of the Etoile de Bessèges, Tour Méditerranéen, Tour du Haut Var, Critérium des Espoirs, Classic Haribo.

RAGT Semences 2005 is up and running! Keep up with the happenings of the RAGT Semences – MG Rover professional cycling team on: www.ragtcyclisme.com.

RAGT Semences -MG Rover for 2005

Emilien-Benoît Berges
Nicolas Dulac
Hubert Dupont
Xavier Herinne
Kevyn Ista
Olivier Kaisen
Guillaume Lernould
Benjamin Levecot
Sébastien Minard
Eddy Seigneur
Christophe Rinero
Nicolas Reynaud
Ludovic Martin
Roman Luhovyy
Yoann Le Boulanger
Renaud Dion
Eric Berthou
Guillaume Auger

Newcomer Sébastien Minard. Courtesy Patrick Pichon for RAGT Semences©.

26th Vuelta Independencia Nacional Republica Dominicana

The 26th Tour of the Dominican Republic will set off February 18th and run through to February 27th 2005. In addition to the traditional local teams that will compete, the following teams have been invited: USA, Kazakhstan, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Mexico, and the regions of Guadalupe and Martinique. For the first time a French team is slated to compete as well. The Kazakh team will be defending its title.

This race celebrates the national independence of the Dominican Republic, and first lady Margarita Cedeño de Fernández will be the honorary president of the race. The race is not listed as part of the UCI Americas calendar.

The race will run over nine stages, a total of 1187 km, with two days of split stages and two time trials, beginning in the Olympic Velodrome of Juan Pablo Duarte in Santo Domingo on February 18th.

Stages

Prologue: Velodrome Center Olympic 1 Km. (Individual Time Trial)
Stage 1:  Santo Domingo-La Roman 114 Km.
Stage 2: San Pedro de Macorís-Santo Domingo 135 Km.
Stage 3: San Cristóbal-Barahona 163 Km.
Stage 4: Barahona-Bani 127 Km.
Stage 5a: Santo Domingo-Bonao 80 Km.
Stage 5b: Bonao-San Francisco de Macorís 90 Km.
Stage 6: Moca – Mao 132 Km.
Stage 7a: Mao-Piedra Gorda  22 Km. (Individual Time Trial)
Stage 7b: Santiago de los Caballeros-Jarabacoa 85 Km.
Stage 8: La Vega-Santo Domingo 115 Km.
Stage 9: Santo Domingo Circuit 122 Km.

Palmares

1982: Jesús Antonio Agudelo Gómez (Colombia)
1983: Salvador Ríos (México)
1984: Jesús Antonio Agudelo Gómez (Colombia)
1985: Gustavo Angel Pardo Moreno (Colombia), 18 23 12
1986: Angel Noé Alayón (Colombia), 22 45 42
1987: Marino García (Rep. Dominicana), 26 28 00
1990: Fernando Correa (Venezuela)
1991: José Vicente Ávila (Colombia), 22 15 33
1992: Omar Alirio Trompa Rodríguez (Colombia), 25 09 44
2000: Alexis Omar Méndez A. (Venezuela)
2001: Manuel Enrique Guevara Reydtler (Venezuela), Lotería del Táchira, 26.53.31
2002: Maxim Iglinskiy (Kaz), Kazajastan, 29 03 52
2003: Gregorio Ladino Vega (Colombia), Fénix-Baninter, 32.13.06
2004: Maxim Iglinskiy (Kazakhstan) 29.03.52

Nature Valley Grand Prix Names New Host Cities

Stages Added in Downtown Saint Paul and Mankato

January 24, 2005 – Minneapolis, MN: Representatives from the Great River Energy Bicycle Festival announced today that they have chosen St. Paul and Mankato as new locations for the prologue time trial and the first full stage of the Nature Valley Grand Prix. The Nature Valley Grand Prix, which will take place on June 8 – 12, is part of USA Cycling’s National Racing Calendar. It’s ranking of 2.2 makes it one of the top five stage races for men and top three for women in the country.

The Saint Paul Riverfront Time Trial will be held on June 8 along the banks of the Mississippi River in St. Paul. The start and finish of the race will be located in downtown Saint Paul near the Science Museum of Minnesota adjacent to the newly opened Upper Landing Park. This event is being produced in partnership with the City’s Parks and Recreation Department.

“Bringing a major professional sporting event like the Nature Valley Grand Prix to St. Paul is a coup for our city,” says St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly. “Our goal is to make bicycling the favorite pastime of St. Paul, so the Great River Energy Bicycle Festival is a perfect fit.”

Mankato, a city of 45,000 with a strong bicycle culture located 75 miles Southwest of Minneapolis, will host the first full stage of the Nature Valley Grand Prix. The Mankato Road Race will start in downtown Mankato, then travel through five neighboring cities that have asked to host hot spot sprints. The race will finish on a challenging circuit that passes through the City’s downtown during a community festival.

“The City is very excited about hosting the Great River Energy Bicycle Festival and its Nature Valley Grand Prix”, said David Schooff, president of the Greater Mankato Convention and Visitors Bureau and Chamber of Commerce, which is helping to organize the event. “Two front page articles have already appeared in the Mankato Free Press and over a dozen community groups have called in to ask how they can get involved.”

The Nature Valley Grand Prix attracts top cyclists from all over the world. Riders who attended in 2004 included eleven-time World Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist Jeanne Longo from France, 2004 World and Olympic Champion Sarah Ulmer of New Zealand, past World Champion Barbra Heeb of Switzerland, 2000 Olympic Champion Marty Nothstein from the US and Tour de France veteran Henk Vogels of Australia.

Other stages of the event will be held in Red Wing, downtown Minneapolis and Stillwater. The Red Wing Road Race will add a finishing circuit this year, allowing spectators to watch the final racing strategies unfold. Each day of the event will also include a full expo with booths, food, entertainment and other family oriented activities. For more information visit www.MinnBikeFest.com

Proceeds from the Great River Energy Bicycle Festival will benefit programs at Children’s Hospitals and Clinics in Minneapolis and St. Paul, the largest children’s health care organization in the upper Midwest.

About Great River Energy--Great River Energy is a non-profit electric cooperative providing wholesale electric energy and related services to 28 distribution cooperatives serving nearly 1.5 million people in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Headquartered in Elk River, MN, Great River Energy is the second largest utility in Minnesota and the fifth largest utility of its type in the country.

About Nature Valley--Nature Valley, the brand that created the granola bar category in 1975, brings variety to healthy, active consumers looking for wholesome and great-tasting snacks. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Nature Valley is part of General Mills, a leading global manufacturer and marketer of consumer foods products.

About USA Cycling--USA Cycling is the national governing body of the sport of bicycle racing, and lists the Nature Valley Grand Prix among the country’s top ten stage races on its National Racing Calendar.

Wendy's International New Name

Ohio's Wendy's International Cycling Classic now to be called the Global Living Tour de Grandview

Due to significant interest on the part of racers and spectators alike, the community of Grandview Heights is once again returning its classic 3-day cycling race to its rightful place. Today, that return was made possible with the help of a new title sponsor: Global Living, a home furnishing company headquartered in Grandview Heights.

Mayor Ray DeGraw, members of the Grandview Heights/Marble Cliff Area Chamber of Commerce, area residents, representatives from Global Living and Race Director J. Baumeister of Tenspeeds Production met to make the announcement.

"When racers come to the Grandview Heights event this year, they are going to see how supportive this community is of this event." stated Mayor DeGraw. J. Baumeister added, "Although discussion about events are ongoing, I can say that riders and teams are not going to want to miss the event this year. We have a lot of new blood in the event and they have some very exciting plans for 2005".

Those plans include a new circuit race that the event organizers think will add a lot to the event, an increased prize list that will remain equal for the pro men and women's events, and increased media exposure (TV, radio & print). Information will be posted at: www.Tenspeeds.com.  

The Global Living Tour de Grandview will be held on June 17-19, 2005. This event will continue to be on the American Criterium Championship Series, the Country's premier criterium series now in its third year. Global Living is located on Grandview Avenue, in an elegant, modern structure designed to its specifications. In addition to an array of classic and eclectic home furnishings, it is also home to Bellisari's Restaurant and To Muse Gallery, and will soon feature a day spa. Global Living is owned by Ray Graves and Jeff Johnson and is managed by Charlene Evans.