Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Saturday, January 26, 2019
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2018 Tour de France | 2018 Giro d'Italia
Know thyself? If I knew myself I would run away. - Goethe
Current racing:
- January 26-27: Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
Upcoming racing:
- January 27 - February 3: Vuelta a la Provincia de San Juan
Latest completed racing:
- January 15 - 20: Santos Tour Down Under
- January 13: Down Under Classic
- January 1: GP Sven Nys
- December 30: Superprestige Dieghem
- December 28: Azencross
- December 26: Heusden-Zolder cyclocross
- December 23: Namur Cyclocross
Lotto-Soudal to ride Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race
The team sent me this preview:
It is almost time for the Lotto Soudal riders to leave Australia behind but before they do so, there’s still one race left on Sunday 27 January. The Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race will only be organised for the fifth time but has already become part of the WorldTour. During the 160 kilometres long race sprinters, climbers and rouleurs each have a shot at the victory. A lot will depend on how the race unfolds during the hilly local laps in Geelong. Caleb Ewan hopes to battle for the victory. Sports director Mario Aerts talks about Lotto Soudal’s race plan.
Caleb Ewan will lead Lotto-Soudal at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race. Sirotti photo.
Caleb Ewan: “It’s definitely a race that we can win if the conditions are right. If it’s a race where everything goes to plan for me - and the other sprinters - it can end with a reduced bunch sprint. If that’s not the case, it can turn into a super hard race with maybe a climber winning. Obviously, the conditions and the way other teams race is out of our hands but I think we’ll give ourselves the best possible opportunity and then we’ll see how far into the race we can go. Hopefully it is going to be a little more negative than agressive racing.”
Mario Aerts: “Our plan is to deliver Caleb to the finish line in the best possible position. Of course, the race itself but also the weather conditions will decide if we will achieve that objective. The Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race is a race where Caleb can start with less pressure. Contrary to the Tour Down Under, where Caleb in the first place, hoped to get a win. But of course, a nice result is always welcome.”
“Previous editions have been won by strong fast guys (McCarthy, Arndt, Meersman) as well as punchers (Kennaugh). We know that Caleb can do well on a hilly course, he’s proven this last week and also last year. So we are confident about that. Our team also won’t have to take all the initiative. We won’t control a semi-Classic from start to finish. We will do everything to bring Caleb well-positioned in the finale and then we will have to hope for the best!”
Line-up Lotto Soudal: Adam Blythe, Caleb Ewan, Thomas De Gendt, Carl Fredrik Hagen, Adam Hansen, Tomasz Marczyński and Rémy Mertz.
Sports director: Mario Aerts.
Bardiani-CSF gets invites to big races
The team sent me this:
The most awaited event by Bardiani-CSF is now officially scheduled. The #GreenTeam will be at the start of 2019 Giro d’Italia, which will start on May 11 from Bologna and will end on June 2 in Verona, thanks to the wild card granted by RCS Sport. In addition to the Corsa Rosa Bardiani-CSF received the invitation to ride first monument classic of the season, Milano-Sanremo (March 23), and Tirreno-Adriatico (March 13-19). The three races are included in the UCI World Tour calendar.
Bardiani-CSF can thus celebrate its seventh participation in seven years of activity (the same for the Classicissima) while for Bruno Reverberi the record of participation reaches 37 in 38 years as manager. Numbers of absolute importance, as well as the count of successes (27 stages won and six shirts), which make the Reverberi sports group a unique reality in the world cycling scene.
Bardiani-CSF will be at Milano-San Remo, Tirreno-Adriatico and the Giro d'Italia.
"We have never hidden that Giro d'Italia has always been out biggest calendar in the season, as well as the chance to attend the most important races in Italy, Milano-Sanremo and Tirreno-Adriatico above all” said Bruno Reverberi.
"Year after year, cycling becomes more and more global and the competition for a wild card is getting closer and closer. Since 2013, thanks to the support of Bardiani and CSF, we have embarked on a new path, based not only on results but also on a project dedicated to young people. In a constantly evolving cycling, we are strongly convinced that our choice is the best for a team like ours. The call of RCS, which we thank, is the best certificate we could receive “.
The confirmation of the wild cards arrives on the day when the #GreenTeam ended its fifteen days training camp in Spain. The return to Italy is scheduled for tomorrow. The official debut has already been announced and scheduled for February 12 at Colombia Tour, followed by the Italian one at Trofeo Laigueglia on the 17th. The other races that complete the first part of the racing season will be confirmed soon.
Movement for a Credible Cycling will meet with World Anti-Doping Agency March 12
The MPCC sent me this:
In its European premises, The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) will host a meeting with a delegation of the Movement for a Credible Cycling (MPCC). This meeting will take place on 12th March 2019.
On the 24th of October last year, the General Assembly of the Movement for a Credible Cycling (MPCC) sent an open letter to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and to its President Sir Craig Reedie. The members of our movement reckoned that the WADA’s lack of action concerning a certain number of issues caused a lot of a damage on the whole world of sport, and question the very basis of the international rules and regulations.
For several years now, MPCC has been asking for multiple measures to be considered by WADA and its president: the prohibition of tramadol, new rules on corticoids use, standardization of WADA’s rules and processes across all sports and disciplines. But above all, MPCC demanded that in all circumstances, WADA fulfil its primary goal, which is to defend and protect the clean athletes.
Soon enough, WADA answered to MPCC. This quick response showed that MPCC is now viewed as a major player in the fight against doping, which deserves consideration and attention from the international bodies.
Even though the content of WADA’s responses confirmed several differences of opinion with the Movement, MPCC is grateful to see that WADA opened a dialogue and gave some answers to the questions raised by the members of our movement. As a consequence, WADA invited MPCC to an official meeting that will take place on March 12th in Lausanne.
On this occasion, MPCC intends to represent its members to the best of its ability, as they are representative of cycling as a whole. As of today, MPCC has 621 members including:
- 7 World Tour teams - 20 Pro Continental teams - 9 Continental teams - 5 women teams
- 337 professional riders - 196 professional staff members - 6 agents - 8 national federations
- 9 organizers - 8 sponsors of cycling - 16 supporters
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