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Thursday, November 2, 2017
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2017 Tour de France | 2017 Giro d'Italia
If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all. - Noam Chomsky
Current racing:
- Oct 28 - Nov 5: Tour of Hainan
Latest completed racing:
- Oct 29: Cyclocross Ruddervoorde
- Oct 28: Cincy CX, Devou Park
- Oct 28: Grote Prijs van Brabant
- Oct 19 - 24: Tour of Guangxi
- October 22: Japan Cup
- October 17: Nationale Sluitingsprijs Putte-Kapellen
- Oct 10 - 15: Tour of Turkey
- October 8: Paris-Tours;
- October 7: Il Lombardia
Tour of Hainan stage five report from race leader Jakub Mareczko's Wilier Triestina-Selle Italia team:
Here's what the team had to say about Mareczko's fourth consecutive stage win:
And we made it 4! Jakub Mareczko and the team Wilier Triestina – Selle Italia celebrate a sensational poker at the Tour of Hainan at the end of a very exciting stage with an emotional finale.
It looked like today’s breakaway had more than a chance when with 5 kms to go the three leaders were holding a 30″ advantage on the pack, always led by our tireless men.
But in cycling nothing is sure till the finish line and so with 350 metres to go, after an impressive job by Eugert Zhupa, the peloton reached the leaders and so #Kuba could show all his power achieving his 4th win in a row.
Tomorrow new chance for the sprinters on the eve of the 7th stage that should shake up the things in the general classification
And here's Mitchelton-Scott's Hainan stage five report:
Mitchelton-SCOTT rode attentively to maintain position on today’s fifth stage of the Tour of Hainan as the attacks flew in the hot conditions and a late catch brought about the sprint finale.
No early breakaway managed to forge clear on the 167kilometre stage despite repeated attacks throughout the opening half of racing. Sam Jenner was part of a 20+ rider move that started to gain time before the peloton ramped up the pace and reeled them in.
It wasn’t until the closing 35kilometres that a group finally managed to make it up the road, as a four-man move pushed on and started to look dangerous, before a universal effort from the peloton made contact with only 300metres remaining.
A crazy sprint unfolded as a large bunch accelerated towards the line with race leader Jakub Mareczko (Willier-Selle-Italia) taking his fourth straight stage win and Jenner the first over for Mitchelton-SCOTT in 37th.
Jakub Mareczko gets his fourth straight stage win.
“Today was a very fast start, it was on from the flag drop,” said sport director Dave Sanders. “The boys covered 51kilometres in the first hour of racing and that first hour was filled with attacks.”
“There was almost some major splits late on and we had to ride to stop a large group going out over a minute that had the potential to cause a real shake up.
“In the end it all came back together for the big sprint and the boys did well to stay up there and keep us within reach on the overall standings as we get closer to stage seven and the all important climbs.”
Fernando Gaviria talks about the 2017 season and his goals
This came from Gaviria's Team Quick-Step Floors:
Fernando Gaviria, the first Colombian in history to win the points classification in a Grand Tour, talks of his remarkable season and future goals.
I want to be the best rider in the world, that is my goal and drive, and to be the best you have to win. I think this is what keeps me motivated to push harder in training and at races over the course of a whole season, especially at times where it is difficult. Anyone who has been involved with professional sport knows it is far from easy to stay and perform at your top level throughout a whole season, both because many things can go wrong and because the difference between winning and losing is often about marginals – at least that is the case in professional cycling.
My season has been quite long this year, starting in January at the Vuelta a San Juan and ending in October at the Tour of Guangxi. What I am really proud of is that I was able to win in the very first and last race I did. Generally, looking back at this season, my second as a pro, I am really pleased with how it all played out, especially having in mind I was out for a while during the season with an injury in my left leg, which wasn't great timing for building up for the second part of the season. However, 14 victories – a double up of last year – including four Giro d'Italia wins and the points jersey is something I am very proud of.
Fernando Gaviria wins stage six of the Tour of Guangxi
I was really focused on doing well at the World Championships and I did a big effort after my injury to get back in condition – a month of hard, hard training – but I wasn't at my 100 percent in Bergen. However, that is also cycling and something you have get over quickly so you can start focus on the next goals.
I have had a great race-program this year and next year I am ready to move up a notch and ride the biggest races. I think I can beat this year, although I am more than happy with the outcome and for all the victories I have enjoyed with the team.
I trained hard for coming into the Giro with the best possible form. I knew I was there but it was my first ever Grand Tour so I didn't know what to expect exactly. After the first victory I was hungry for more and in the end leaving the Giro with a spell in the pink jersey, four victories, the points jersey and a victory and the white jersey with Bob Jungels was an amazing experience. I don't know what the future holds, but regardless of what will happen and what races I might win, the Giro d'Italia will stick as one of my finest display.
Last year as a neo-pro I remember how psyched I was just being on the start line, racing against all these pro I used to see on TV, this year was already very different. I wanted to win with this team in every race I participated.
I still enjoy spending time and training in Colombia. I try to get back to Colombia between races for visiting family and friends and for preparing for the next block on my program. This year, because of my injury, I spent about 150 days in Europe, which is a long time being away from family and friends in Colombia, but when you win and feel at home at the team it makes up for everything. I am really happy with where I am, my teammates are the best!
Now I am back in Colombia where I will stay until the December training camp in Europe. I live with my father and mother in the small town of La Ceja, which is located about 40 kilometers from Medellin, where my sister lives, who is pregnant with a baby boy, so I am soon to be an uncle, which is very exciting! My off-season will be spent with family time and some holidays with some friends before I start preparing for next season, a year I look very much forward to. But for now, I need some rest, both for my body and head, before I start focusing on the big goals of 2018.
UAE Team Emirates announces 2018 roster
The squad sent me this:
Our back tyre is still on the roads of the 2017 season, while our front one is sprinting straight towards 2018.
There are 25 athletes on the 2018 roster: Anass Ait el Abdia, Fabio Aru, Darwin Atapuma, Matteo Bono, Sven Erik Bystrøm, Simone Consonni, Valerio Conti, Rui Costa, Kristijan Durasek, Roberto Ferrari, Filippo Ganna, Alexander Kristoff, Vegard Stake Laengen, Marco Marcato, Daniel Martin, Yousif Mirza, Manuele Mori, Simone Petilli, Jan Polanc, Edward Ravasi, Aleksandr Riabushenko, Rory Sutherland, Ben Swift, Oliviero Troia and Diego Ulissi.
Alexander Kristoff will be riding for USA Team Emirates in 2018
During the reunion, decisions were made regarding the technical staff, which will call on members from 4 different countries to lead the UAE Team: Marco Marzano (Italy), Joxean Matxin (Spain), Philippe Mauduit (France), Simone Pedrazzini (Switzerland), Daniele Righi (Italy), Mario Scirea (Italy), Bruno Vicino (Italy), and Paolo Tiralongo (Italy) on board as assistant sports director.
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