First of all,Pozzato won the first stage of Driedaagse De Panne-Koksijde (is this the correct name?) and E3 Prijs Vlaanderen.Will he manage to win the Tour of Flanders this year? Well,if he does I'll probably have to post a photo of him here on this blog,so you'd better prepare yourself to what could happen on Sunday ;)
And then,talking about Tour of Flanders,here's a little start list taken from Cyclingnews's website:
Quick Step:Devolder,Boonen,S.Chavanel,Tosatto (strong team,isn't it?)
AG2R La Mondiale:Elmiger,Pineau,Rosseau,Hinault (isn't it funny to read those last 3 names one after the other?)
Astana:Bazayev,Iglinsky,Rast.
Silence-Lotto:Gilbert,Hoste,Lang,Van Avermaet,Van Summeren (pretty strong team as well).
Bouygues Telecom:Pichot.
Caisse d'Epargne:Garcia Acosta,Ivan Gutierrez,Lastras,Rojas Gil.
Cofidis:Duque,Usov,Duclos-Lassalle.
Euskaltel:Koldo Fernandez,Andoni Lafuente.
Francais des Jeux:Geslin,Sulzberger.
Fuji-Servetto: Capelli (Yip de do da day!!),Nardello.
Garmin-Slipstream: Cozza,Farrar,Frischkorn,Maaskant (watch out!),Sutton,Tuft.
TEAM SAXO BANK:Arvesen,Bak,Breschel,Cancellara,Hoj,Kroon, Klostergaard,Ljungqvist.
Colnago: Bert De Waele (is he a relative of Tim?).
Topsport Vlaanderen: Goddaert,Kristof Van De Walle.
Barloworld:Caccia,Calcagni,Hunter,Longo Borghini,Scognamiglio.
Cervélo:Haussler,Hushovd,KlierLancaster.
Skill-Shimano:Lemoine.
Vacansoleil:Cooke,Leukemans.
Vorarlberg.
Will Hair Gel Man win sunday's race or will someone beat him? We'll discover it between some days...(me hopes in a surprise by Capelli,Langeveld or Maaskant...Your hopes?)
Funny interview with Jens Voigt:
Recently I've found this interview with Jens Voigt.I think it's a very strange one and that some questions would be perfect to be asked to Pozzato,but not to Herr Voigt of Voigtland.To encourage you to read this interview,here's the first (I'm not joking,it's really the first) question that the interviewer asked to the winner of 5 Criterium International:
At the AMGEN Tour of California, one thing that I noticed is that your skin just glows from your fitness. You don’t look like the usual 37 year old, you look like you are about 25.The thing is, I have been riding for forty years and my skin shows a lot of premature skin aging. I wonder what you put on your skin to protect yourself. You are out in the sun 6-7 hours a day, what is it that you guys do?
If you'd like to read the rest of this interview,here's the link: http://uscyclingreport.com/content/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1422&Itemid=1 .The second part of the interview is on this other link (and is ALL about AMGEN Tour of California): http://uscyclingreport.com/content/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1425&Itemid=38 .
News about Saxo Bank:
Talking again about Saxo Bank:Karsten Kroon will be the leader in Ronde van Vlaanderen.In fact Fab Fab is not in good form yet and so Kroon will be the sole leader at the race."We have to count on Karsten Kroon in the Ronde," said ds Michaelsen. "Matti Breschel is not yet on his best form. Kurt-Asle Arvesen won last year in Harelbeke, but now it's a little different. He'll be turning his wheels to get some racing kilometres into his legs, I think."About Fab Fab:"He knows the course and can add a ton of experience to the team. He is a rider who looks beyond his own ambitions. If he's not great, he hasn't got a problem putting himself at the service of a teammate who has a winning chance. Like two years ago in Paris-Roubaix, where [Stuart] O'Grady won." And here's what Kroon said: "I can dream of victory, although I know that it will be immensely difficult. If I'm on the podium in Meerbeke I will be overjoyed. The amount of spectators and their enthusiasm make it the most beautiful course! There is nothing that matches climbing the Kapelmuur with the best. It gives you goose bumps on your arms. Even if it rains and the wind blows – it makes the whole thing just more heroic.Last year, we had the wind in our sails. It just flowed, from Tirreno to the Tour to the Olympic Games. You have to know when to enjoy it, but also realise that it can't always be like that.I think it's great that Bjarne Riis reacts very calmly now that it's not going so well. I don't understand Silence-Lotto at all. Already after Kuurne [on March 1 - ed.] they panicked. That's not the way to go with a team."
"The difference with last season is big," Michaelsen said. "We're not so happy with it, but that's just the way it goes in life sometimes. ... Patience is the word of order..."
Again about SB: here's an article http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=/tech/2009/news/03-30 about the bikes that the riders will be using during the Northern Classic.
Latest doping news: CONI has requested a 2 years ban for Valverde.
Photos: 1st and 3rd photos by AFP;photo 2 (Voigt) by Celia Cole.
I think I'm your only reader who's "psychologically sound" enough to handle the image of Pozzato because I survived looking at his "new" site. Ha?
RispondiEliminaWaaa! You must be some kind of super hero to survive such a hard proof!! What's your secret?
RispondiEliminaIt's all about wearing safety goggles to prevent the eyes from burning.
RispondiEliminaThanks for the advice! I will use it if Hair Gel Stallion wins Tour of Flanders (even if I don't hope so...)!
RispondiElimina