Ben King has moved from the Trek-Livestrong team and signed with Team Type 1. He is one of six new riders that have joined the ranks of Team Type 1 for the 2011 season. There has been a long-stated goal of Team Type 1 to be in the Tour de France in 2012, and it would seem they are heading in that direction. As a step towards that goal they’re targeting the Giro d’Italia in 2011.
It would appear that the circumnavigation attempt – by bicycle – of Vin Cox has been certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the fastest yet. The Guinness records site has not yet posted anything regarding this, so I’ve not been able to validate this directly from them. However, other third parties such as Road Cycling UK are also reporting confirmation of the time of 163 days, 6 hours and 58 minutes as the new fastest. This bests the previous record holder Mark Beauomont’s time of 194 days, 17 hours. Potentially of interest is the fact that both Vin Cox and Mark Beauomont are both from the UK.
Andy Schleck found himself and fellow Saxo Bank teammate Stuart O’Grady with some unexpected time off recently. Riis has thrown the pair out of the Vuelta a Espana squad for breaking team rules. The rule that was broken: no going out a getting Schleckered at the bar.
US Cycling team Team Type 1 has signed Rubens Bertogliati for the 2011 season.
Bjarne Riis – manager of Team Saxo Bank – may be changing riders faster than some can keep track, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t know how to run a team as a business. His remaining star rider (not to be confused with is new star rider) Fabian Cancellara still has one year left on his contract. Due to this contract, and a couple of comments made by Fabian during the initial round of speculations about the Schleck’s new Luxembourg team, it was mostly assumed that Fabian would remain with Riis for the remainder of his contract.
Folsom, California. Home to Folsom Dam and Folsom Prison. And for three days in September, it is also host to an event covering almost all facets of modern cycling – the Folsom Cyclebration.
Rumors abound. I know it. You know it. And when the Tour de France ends, all cycling fans suddenly know it. Yea – even here at JustAnotherCyclist it is easy to fall prey to a rumor (or two.)
But on the other hand – who can pass on a good rumor.
And what better way to feed a rumor than with a plausible failure scenario. That is exactly what Frank and Andy Schleck are facing with their new Luxembourg team. There are no guarantees that a new team will receive a UCI pro license and actually be able to race in major event. Hell, even if you do get a pro license these days there are no gaurantees that you’ll be able to race – as Bruyneel learned when Team Radio Shack was denied entry into the forthcoming Veulta a Espana.
So the possibility that the new Schleck team won’t get a pro license is very real. So what will the second place finisher in this year’s Tour de France do if that happens? Apparently he and his brother will invoke their fall-back contracts and ride for Team Radio Shack, potentially filling the shoes of the now retired (again) Lance Armstrong.
Well, that’s the rumor at least.
News from the front lines of the Tour of Utah may be a signal of things to come next year:
Currently Leipheimer is riding – not for Team Radio Shack – but for Mellow Johnny’s, while Phinney is riding for Trek-LIVESTRONG. Phinney’s team is a U23 development team – but Phinney has already ridden with Team Radio Shack in pro races this year.
Shall we look to Phinney to take the leadership position at Team Radio Shack in the years to come? Only time will tell. However, while besting Levi in the TT is indeed an impressive accomplishment, the GC landscape in the Tour of Utah shows the larger disparity between the riders. Leipheimer was sitting in first place at the start of the day of the TT, which Phinney back in 101st place, 34’46” behind.
However, Phinney is sitting in second place in the sprinter’s competition, behind Fly V Australia’s David Tanner. A strong track background such as Phinney’s is a huge advantage in sprints and TTs – but the mountains are where stage races are won.
While the final results from Stage 3 have not yet been published, Leipheimer would appear to still be comfortably in first place after his second place TT performance.
The first rounds of the riders set to participate in this years Veulta a Espana are being published. These are not yet the final (read: official) startlists, but…
Since this is still just a preliminary list, JustAnotherCyclist has decided to take a decidedly biased, non-objective stab at illustrating the most noteworthy riders on (and not on) the list. Here goes:
Indications are coming out – as reported by Velonation and others – that Fabian Cancellara will stay with Saxo Bank-Sungard for the final year of his existing contract. There have been several rumor about Fabian’s possible signing with the new Luxembourg team of Frank and Andy Schleck, or of a move to the Swiss BMC Racing team.