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LATEST NEWS: ROAD BIKE ACTION NEWS SEPTEMBER 5, 2008
Road Bike Action & AFP
September 5, 2008
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Sastre Signs With Cervélo
Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre confirmed today that he has quit the Danish CSC team to join Canadian outfit Cervélo. The 33-year-old Spaniard has spent seven years with CSC but has opted to ride for the new Canadian outfit for next season. "Everything in life has a beginning and an end, and for my future I want to find a new motivation to enjoy cycling," Sastre said on his personal website. "This is one of the most important reasons why I decided to join the Cervélo project." Sastre went on to say that the move is not motivated by money. "It must be made clear that throughout my career, the financial aspect was always secondary," Sastre said.
CSC team director Bjarne Riis said: "Obviously I would have liked to keep Carlos but I respect that he has several objectives to achieve with his new team."
Sunderland Following Sastre To Cervélo
Like Sastre, team CSC-Saxo Bank director sportif Scott Sunderland is also leaving the team at the end of this season to become sports manager at the new Team Cervélo.
Sunderland stated that he had very much enjoyed his four years at CSC, but that it was time to "pursue a further growth in my career, I have been blessed, or maybe cursed, it's how you look at it, with a restless and adventurous nature and especially since our Tour de France victory, I have felt an increasing urge to move on to different challenges, get off the beaten track once again."
Bahamontes picks Contador for overall Vuelta victory
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Spanish Legend Federico Bahamontes Weights In On Vuelta Favorites
After a week that served as a warm-up, the Vuelta España will on Saturday hold its first mountainous stage in the Pyrenees, which will force the three Spanish favorites for victory to show their hand. Alejandro Valverde of Caisse d'Epargne, 2007 Tour de France champion Alberto Contador of Astana and Carlos Sastre of CSC-Saxo Bank stand in third, fourth and fifth place in the overall standings.
Valverde is ahead of the other two Spanish favorites but has yet to face Saturday's tough climbs. "What you should not do is what Valverde has done, which is to try to win all the stages," said 1959 Tour de France winner Federico Bahamontes. "If you want to win the Vuelta, you can't waste your strength at the beginning." On the other hand Bahamontes had praise for Sastre, "Just as at the Tour, he has saved his strength and is waiting for his chance."
However, of the three Sastre has the most time to make up and Bahamontes tips Contador to put in the best performance in the mountains. "Contador is a great climber who is surrounded by a great team, he is the most serious contender," he said.
Not surprisingly Astana boss Johan Bruyneel agrees that Contador is in the best shape to face the Pyrenees having missed the Tour this year. "He will make the difference in his terrain, the mountains,"
France's Sylvain Chavanel of Cofidis who took the overall lead on Wednesday has vowed to fight to keep the leader's golden jersey. "I will try my utmost to defend the lead on the mountain stages this weekend. It's the leader's jersey of a major Tour and you must respect it," said Chavanel, who is the first Frenchman to wear the jersey since Jackie
Durand in 1999.
A total of 167 riders remain in the race, as there have been only four withdrawals so far: Staf Scheirlinckx and Maryan Hary of Cofidis, Ricardo Serrano of Tinkoff and Aurelien Clerc of Bouygues Telecom. Last year's champion, Russia's Denis Menchov, is not participating.
Barredo is out of the Vuelta with a broken scphoid
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Barredo Out Of Vuelta
Carlos Barredo of the Quick Step team won't take the start tomorrow of the 7th stage of the Vuelta España. The x-rays that he took this morning confirmed a micro-fracture on his right scaphoid.
"Together with the medical staff of the team I decided to not to risk further injury” said Barredo. “The next stages are very hard and I cannot ride in this condition. It's a shame, I'm in very good shape otherwise and participating in the World Championships was one of my dreams”. The Barredo's right hand has been immobilized with a plastering. The Spanish rider will have to rest for 2 weeks.
Boonen OK
After yesterday's crash, the Belgian rider was treated this morning by the team physiotherapist Joris Van Roy, and will start the Vuelta’s 7th stage.
"Tonight I didn't sleep well” said Boonen, “I couldn't find the right position because of the scrapes, but it's pretty normal after a crash like that. I was afraid that my back could have serious problem but fortunately the mobility of my back has not be compromised. I rode my bike this morning for two hours without any evident problems. I approach the Pyrenees with more optimism."
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