Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Friday, January 29, 2016

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Everywhere is within walking distance if you have the time. - Steven Wright

Current racing:

• January 28 - 31: Challenge illes Balears - Volta Ciclista a Mallorca

Coming up:

• January 31: Cadel Evans Great Ocean Race
• January 31: Grand Prix Cycliste la Marseillaise

Warren Barguil has successful operation

Warren Barguil of Giant-Alpecin was a member of the group that was hit by a wrong-way driver while his team was out training in Calpe, Spain, a week ago.

Barguil had a successful operation to repair the broken scaphoid (bone in the wrist) in his right hand. The operation was performed in a clinic in Saint-Grégoire, near Rennes.

The 24-year old Barguil must rest for ten days to avoid any risk of infection.

Warren Barguil leads in a climb in the 2014 Vuelta

Look Cycle takes over wheel maker Corima

This news piece was in Bike Europe:

NEVERS, France – Yesterday, Look Cycle announced that it is taking over Corima; the French specialist in carbon wheels. The acquisition is part of an ambitious growth plan that Look Cycle announced mid-2013. It is aimed at doubling the company’s annual sales to around € 100 million by widening its existing product range through acquisitions and by diversifying into other sectors like tennis or golf.

In a yesterday published press release Look Cycle says it is taking a majority shareholding in Corima. Look Cycle is manufacturing premium sports bikes, (carbon) frames, pedals, cleats and accessories. Corima is specialist in the design and manufacturing of carbon wheels.

The take-over, which is called a strategic alliance by Look Cycle, “will allow both businesses to develop strong, very complementary synergies in the industrial, commercial and Research & Development fields.”

Despite the fact that both companies and brands will retain their independence Look Cycle will soon start offering Corima wheels to its retailer network, states the French maker of premium road bikes.

Click here for the rest of the story

Lotto-Soudal previews upcoming French races

The team sent me this update:

The European cycling year has just started with the Challenge Mallorca, the French season kicks off on Sunday January 31st with GP La Marseillaise. The one-day race in the region of Marseille has three climbs this year (Pas de Couelle, Col de l’Espigoulier and Col des Crêtes), the riders will return to the French city after 145 kilometres.

Maxime Monfort (shown at the 2015 Tour of Poland) will be at the early-season French races.

On February 3rd starts Etoile de Bessèges in the city of Bellegarde. During this five-day stage race, the peloton rides through a hilly landscape and on the last day there is an individual time trial of 11.9 kilometres in Alès.

The first stage is a 153 kilometres long and flat stage which will probably be decided by a sprint. The second day (also 153 kilometres long) has a hillier character, but once the peloton starts with the local laps, the track is once again flat and just like day one, a sprint is the most probable outcome. During the third stage, the riders pass three times on the Col de Trélis, but in the following fifty kilometres the hilly course is replaced by a flat finale like the previous days. The last day before the final individual time trial, the cyclists get to climb the Mur de Laudin three times. The finale of stage four is the ultimate chance for cyclists in a late attack to be the first at the finish line. As mentioned before, the last day there’s the individual time trial, which starts flat but the last kilometre and a half is uphill.

Last year these races were a perfect start of the season for Lotto Soudal: Pim Ligthart won in La Marseillaise and Gallopin and Boeckmans got second and third in Etoile de Bessèges.

Frederik Willems, sports director Lotto Soudal: “I think that the condition of the team is good, but still: training is training and racing is racing. Last year we were in the same situation and we ended up doing really well. The course of La Marseillaise is a little harder this year: they added an extra climb with a technical descent, but the last thirty kilometres stay the same. But we should wait for the first race. We can’t say that we should take control of the race but we have to be sure that we’re not facing unpleasant surprises. Any ways, with Gallopin and the other riders, we have some good chances to do something in the finales.”

“Last year we were everywhere: we won la Marseillaise, then the first stage of Etoile de Bessèges and we were active all the time. Back then we had Boeckmans as our sprinter with us, and we don’t have someone like him with us now. We’ll have to attack more or we’ll wait until the finale where we can try something as a team. I think it’s important to act like a team to get good results.”

Selection Lotto Soudal: Sander Armée, Stig Broeckx, Sean De Bie, Tony Gallopin, Maxime Monfort, Tosh Van der Sande, Jelle Vanendert and Jelle Wallays.

Sports directors: Frederik Willems and Marc Wauters (only Bessèges).

Stages: Etoile de Bessèges:

• Stage 1: Wednesday February 3rd: Bellegarde –Beaucaire (153 km)
• Stage 2: Thursday February 4th: Nîmes – Mejannes-le-Clap (153 km)
• Stage 3: Friday February 5th: Bessèges – Bessèges (152 km)
• Stage 4: Saturday February 6th: Tavel – Laudun l’Ardoise (143 km)
• Stage 5: Sunday February 7th: Alès – Alès (11.9 km) (ITT)

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