First Edition Cycling News for April 24, 2005Edited by Jeff Jones & Hedwig Kröner Klöden out of L-B-L
T-Mobile's Andreas Klöden has pulled out of Liège-Bastogne-Liège. The news was confirmed by team manager Olaf Ludwig in Liège on Saturday morning, who was quoted on the team's website, t-mobile-team.com, as saying, "Andreas' current form is disappointing. In this shape he is not capable of helping out the team." On Wednesday Klöden dropped out of another Ardennes Classic, Flèche Wallonne, after being prominent in the first half of the race. The exact reason why last year's Tour runner-up is in such poor shape is causing a great deal of speculation within the team. Two weeks ago, Klöden underwent performance tests at the University Clinic of Freiburg, which revealed power deficiencies. A changed training programme was drawn up for Klöden, and after consultation with the team's medical department the German Champion appeared confident that he could ramp up his power output. "Andreas' test results were not so bad actually," said the team's directeur sportif Mario Kummer. "Therefore, we can't really explain why he hasn't been able to find his rhythm." Klöden will now have to take a long break from racing, which rules him out of a planned appearance at the Rund um den Henninger Turm in Frankfurt on May 1. Instead, Klöden will be given the time and space to focus on his preparations for July's Tour de France. Klöden himself is also unable to explain his dip in form: "I am really disappointed. I have been training intensively, and can't quite put a finger on why I can't bring up my performance levels," said Klöden, who will be replaced by the Austrian neo-pro Bernhard Kohl in the last of the season's Spring Classics. In the coming weeks, the stage-race specialist will follow an intensive training programme under the supervision of his coach Thomas Schediwie. "There is still sufficient time between now and the Tour de France. I am convinced that then we will see Andreas at his best," said Olaf Ludwig. Weather for La DoyenneDespite a brief break in the otherwise wet April weather in the last few days, the forecast for Liege-Bastogne-Liege tomorrow is for another damp day. The maximum temperature predicted in the Ardennes is 13 degrees, with a 10-20 km/h SE wind blowing all day. This will be against the riders in the outward leg to Bastogne, and behind them coming home. The rain is expected to hold off for the first part of the day, but later on in the afternoon, it's expected to be overcast with light rain or drizzle. Live coverageCyclingnews will be covering the 91st Liège-Bastogne-Liège live from start to finish. Coverage starts at 10:45 CEST (Europe)/4:45 EDT (USA East)/1:45 PDT (USA West)/18:45 AEST (Australia East). Also see: Preview Edward King stableUS National team rider Edward King was involved in a crash at Unicoi Gap in stage 5 of the Tour de Georgia (see live report) and was subsequently helicoptered to Gainsville's North Fulton Hospital. According to Tour de Georgia medical staff initial concerns about a spinal cord injury proved groundless and King is in a stable condition with no major injuries some bad road rash. The doctors have done a CT scan which is clear. Tour de Georgia stage 4 wrap-up and comments
The riders in the Dodge Tour de Georgia experienced a very tough fourth stage between Dalton and Dahlonega, raced of 214.7 km of very lumpy terrain in bad weather, at times. The break of the day was established on the climb of Fort Mountain after approximately 35 km, when Jose Luis Rubiera (Discovery) attacked and took Andy Schleck (CSC), Marco Pinotti (Saunier Duval), Matthias Russ and Sven Krauss (Gerolsteiner) and Elia Aggiano (LPR) with him. As the thunderstorms rolled in and pummeled the riders, the group rode out to a 2'50 lead, with Phonak controlling the chase behind. Rubiera attacked on Woody Gap with 90 km to go to reduce the group to himself, Schleck and Krauss. The Discovery rider was doing all the work, and left the others on Wolfpen Gap with 38 km to go. But the peloton, driven by CSC, closed it down on the final descent of Woody Gap with less than 20 km to go and the race began anew. The flurry of attacks in the finale resulted in Brian Vandborg (CSC), and Marco Pinotti (Saunier) getting away with 2 km to go, joined by Viatcheslav Ekimov (Discovery) in the final kilometre. But Ekimov didn't have enough to beat Vandborg in the sprint, and settled for second behind the young Dane, with Pinotti third. After being isolated in the finale, Landis finished eighth and kept the leader's jersey.
Brian Vandborg (CSC)
I was suffering quite a bit, actually... I think [Ekimov] was close to dropping me. [Landis leans over to Vandborg and says, "Don't tell him that."] ... In the final corner, we were pretty much side-by-side and luckily I succeeded." "We were focusing a lot on Discovery. We tried to cover the breaks whenever they went. We were trying to be aggressive, but still a little bit defensive because we are still in front of the Discovery team with our two guys."
Floyd Landis (Phonak, 1st GC) "We expected [the pressure from Discovery],. Their strength is the number of guys they have. I imagine tomorrow will be the same thing. I hope Chechu is tired now [everyone laughs, including Chechu]. But maybe he learned his lesson. When he caught me, he said, 'Hey, Floyd, I think I went too early.' [more laughter]...The first hour was controlled more by [Health Net] and we didn't have to do so much. It was too much for our team to control the whole race, so we had to take a little bit of a gamble. Obviously, if Chechu had won the race, he might be the nicest guy here, so I wouldn't feel bad about that. [turning to Ekimov] Sorry, Eki."
Viatcheslav Ekimov (Discovery Channel, 2nd) "The main objective of the team is to win the Tour de France. The Tour of Georgia is very important race for us and for our sponsor. But the team cannot specially prepare for that race...It's the middle of April and summer is a little while away. Those guys are always good in the summer [for the Tour de France]. Myself I just came back from the Classics. I need a break. I gave it up, all, in the Tour of Flanders and Roubaix so I'm still paying the price for that. But I think in general the team is looking good...and we still can play tactics and we're still making the pace in the race. "The group was small...I planned to escape in the last K and so I did. There were still three guys up the road, maybe a hundred meters from our small group. I came across. Jason McCartney gave me good speed to the bottom of the last kilometre. Then I did the sprint the first 500 meters, trying to drop Brian [Vandborg], but it didn't work. I knew this guy was fast in the sprint. My race was done with 500 meters to go [because I hadn't dropped him]."
Chechu Rubiera (Discovery Channel, 23rd)
"During the whole season, I've been riding quite well. But today, even when I didn't win, when I was just sitting in the group at the finish line, I felt really, really well. The whole day I was in the breakaway, most of the time pulling by myself. I'm really confident in a couple of months I can be a little stronger and can do a good Tour [de France]. So I'm really happy. "I agree with Eki. This race is a little bit more with the heart than the legs because we are not ready yet, 100 percent, I would say. Also, I would say it is true, even if I were at my highest level yesterday, I would be far from Floyd because he is a really good time-trialist and yesterday [Stage 3] he did something amazing. In my opinion, I could be a little closer on the GC, but not able to win. [Floyd follows the comment with: 'I told you he was the nicest guy.']
Greg Henderson (Health Net presented by Maxxis, 1st sprints GC) "It was a long day...We started that climb [Fort Mountain] straight after doing the sprint, so I hit the bottom of the first climb pretty much in oxygen debt, ahh, I'm just struggling through as much as I can....My race on the track is 40 minutes! But the legs will come. I should be on good from after this race."
Trent Lowe (Jittery Joe's / Kalahari, Best Young Rider)
"It's amazing, really. What a novelty. I didn't really expect this at all. I didn't come here with any expectations other than to learn and gain something from the race. So, it's really cool to be here today and yesterday and have the jersey. "Towards the end of the race, just for me, it was a matter of covering Saul Raisin and any attacks he made. He did have a few digs. There were a couple of times when I could see it was going to be brought back because [Saunier Duval-] Prodir were on the front really pushing the pace, so it I wasn't really so worried then. But then he had a few more attacks coming into town and I just had to mark those moves. Then it was just a matter of staying on the group. I was just waiting for the kilometres to go down. It was a pretty awful day out there. I was pretty over it by the end. It was definitely the longest stage I've ever raced. Typically, I've had really good form on the mountain bike, but a mountain bike races lasts only two or two and a half hours at most. To come out here for nearly six, it's a lot different " Armstrong struggling
Lance Armstrong (Discovery Channel) was not in the best of spirits following the wet fourth stage of the Tour de Georgia, where he finished 7th at 8 seconds from winner Brian Vandborg (CSC). That kept him in eighth place overall, 1'42 down on his former lieutenant Floyd Landis (Phonak). After the stage, Armstrong commented, "I think it went pretty much the way we wanted it to go. Really freaky weather. We didn't get hailed on, it was a miracle. It went completely black like someone turned out the lights. Then the rain came." Armstrong's feeling was, "Not great. My stomach is bothering me pretty bad." And he wasn't particularly looking forward to stage 5: "With the current conditions, not really." On the Discovery team's performance in stage 4, Armstrong was generally satisfied: "We were aggressive. We were active. We did everything we could to win the race. Unfortunately Eki just got beat by that guy [Vandborg]. We gave it our best, and we will do it again tomorrow." Armstrong also hinted at a Discovery Channel challenge to Floyd Landis' leader's jersey in today's 5th stage. "Floyd is very strong," Armstrong said. "He is the strongest, but he has no team. They can roll on the flats, but as soon as they go uphill, they all drop." Also see:Stage 4 full
results, report & photos Fiedler positiveOne of the top German track sprinters, Jens Fiedler, has had his retirement soured by a positive doping test for amphetamines. Fiedler, who won three Olympic gold medals, retired this year after a long and successful career on the track. But at one of his final appearance races in Manchester on February 26, he returned a positive test. The German Cycling Federation announced the result, adding that when contacted in Mallorca, Fiedler was apparently shocked, and offered the explanation that the amphetamine might have been in some medication that he was taking the week before the meet. "The association takes the opinion of Jens Fiedler on board, but nevertheless sees itself as obligated to inform the public immediately," said BDR president Rudolf Scharping in a statement. "A conscious decision to take an illegal drug is as incomprehensible to the BDR as it is to Jens Fiedler, who at the time of the positive test had long finished his successful career as a track sprinter. Nevertheless, the BDR will act according to the rules, and see to the necessary consequences." For his part, Fiedler stated, "I officially ended my career at the Berlin Six Day race on February 1. Only because of my good contacts with the organisers of the "Revolution Race", I travelled to Manchester at the end of February. Actually I only wanted to give out autographs, but then I let myself be persuaded to start in the sprint race. "I have always fought in favour of the battle against performance enhancing drugs, and I will keep doing that. In my career, I have tested negative 200 times, and now must pay for a baseless folly after the end of it. That is tragic. Now, I only have one thing to say: I would not put the shine of my three Olympic Gold medals and my credibility acquired in many years of competitive sport aside because of a few euros that I could earn in a kermis race." Mountain Bike World Cup begins on SundayBy Rob Jones in Spa
The Mountain Bike World Cup season begins tomorrow at the Spa Francochamps Formula One circuit. Spa, 30 minutes south of Liege, is a new stop for the World Cup, with the cross-country event scheduled to go head-to-head against the classic Liege-Bastogne-Liege. Despite near perfect conditions for the past week, the 6.1 kilometre circuit is still muddy, so tomorrow's predicted rain is likely to turn it into sloppy mess. The race begins on the paved Formula One circuit, with the riders immediately heading up a steep climb. At the top they turn right and head off-road, into a steep, rooty drop-off and then a two-step climb to the highest point of the course (on the first lap, to avoid pileups on the downhill, the riders bypass this section, going right to the top of the climb). After a short traverse along the top, it is up-down, up-down through twisty and root-filled forest terrain, with numerous mudholes to grab wheels and send riders sliding into the trees. Only in the last 200 metres of the lap do the riders pop back out onto the pavement for a final short climb up and through the finish line for the start of another lap. At this point, it looks like the women will do four laps, and the men five. Olympic, World Cup and World Champion Gunn-Rita Dahle (Multivan Merida) is the favourite for the women's race, and will try to continue her unbeaten streak from last season, while Olympic silver medalist Marie-Helene Premont (Rocky Mountain-Business Objects) tries to unseat her. Premont has only raced one stage of a Norba race this season, so she is an unknown quantity, however, new Specialized signing Sabine Spitz reported that Premont looked extremely fit when sighted during training today. Spitz, the Olympic bronze medalist, reports that she is not yet at the top of her game, suffering from a slight cold after some weeks of heavy training. Spitz is using Spa to obtain a better starting spot for Madrid, where she hopes to be on form. Other contenders include Poland's Maja Wsoszczowska (Lotto), Annabella Stropparo (Italy) and Germany's Ivonne Kraft.
The women's field is missing two top names - Alison Sydor (Rocky Mountain-Business Objects) and Alison Dunlap (Luna). Sydor will start her campaign next week at the first World Cup Marathon in Riva, Italy, and join the cross-country circuit the week after in Madrid. Dunlap has stated that she will not be doing any World Cups this year, sticking to the U.S. for her final season of racing. The men's field has some bigger holes. Former Belgian star Filip Meirhaeghe is still serving his suspension for EPO use, Ryder Hesjedal is on the road (racing nearby in Liege-Bastogne-Liege), Roland Green (Kona) is staying in North America, working on regaining form, Sea Otter winner Geoff Kabush (Maxxis) is racing the Tour de Georgia with Jittery Joe's, and the Haro duo of Seamus McGrath and Chris Sheppard are also staying in North America. Despite the missing names, the men's race should be an interesting one. Christoph Sauser (Siemens Cannondale), who ended up winning the World Cup after Meirhaeghe's suspension, starts with the number one plate. The great Belgian hope, Roel Paulissen, will attempt to add another win to his victory at Houffalize last year, while Miguel Martinez (Commencal Oxbow) returns full time to mountain biking. Olympic and world champion Julien Absalon (Bianchi Agios) and Olympic silver medalist Antonio Hermida (Multivan Merida) are both strong contenders, but the favourite, after his strong showing behind Kabush last week at Sea Otter, has to be Liam Killeen (Specialized). Race NotesPatrice Drouin of Gestev, the organization that is taking over the World Cup next year, spoke about his company's plans for next season. A television deal has been signed for the series. While venues have not been finalized, it looks like the World Cup will begin early April on the U.S. west coast, before Sea Otter. A break of a few weeks, then a European campaign, before another swing back through North America. The season will conclude with two World Cup triples (in Europe) after the world championships in New Zealand. This should keep interest higher in the World Cup through the end of the season. Drouin anticipates 8 events for each discipline, with five of the events as triples (cross-country, downhill and 4-cross). PhotographyFor a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here Images by Rob Jones
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