International cycle briefs June 2020 - Ciclo21

International Cycle Briefs June 2020 - Cycle21 Latest news

Ciclo21 Cycling Portal

in Featured, International, News INT30/06/20200

Ciclobreves 2019 / January 2020 / February 2020 / March 2020 / April 2020 / May 2020 /

June 30. "The first time in hell," Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Fenix) commented through his Instagram profile, a post accompanied by the image of him rolling over Arenberg, the most iconic stretch of Paris -Roubaix. The triple cyclocross world champion, and one of the great favorites for the next classics campaign, makes it clear that he is conscientiously preparing his debut in El Infierno del Norte (October 25). The Dutchman completed a 106-kilometre training session on the roads and cobblestones of the French event with his teammates Tim Merlier and Jonas Rickaert. June 30. RCS Sport delivered the last invitations today. Therefore, for the Strade Bianche, the first classic of the renewed UCI World Tour calendar, will have the already confirmed presence of Alpecin-Fenix, Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec, Arkéa-Samsic, Bardiani CSF Faizanè and B&B Hotels-Vital Concept, maintaining the wildcards assigned prior to the Covid19 crisis. Circus Wanty-Gobert was already sure, as the Belgian formation was the second best ProContinental team last season. The same six ProCont teams. they will also be at the start of Milan-San Remo.

Milan-Turin (August 5): Alpecin-Fenix, Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec, Arkéa-Samsic, Bardiani CSF Faizanè, Circus-Wanty Gobert, B&B Hotels- Vital Concept, Gazprom-RusVelo and Vini Zabù KTM

Gran Piemonte (August 12): Alpecin-Fenix, Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec, Bardiani CSF Faizanè, Circus-Wanty Gobert, Gazprom-RusVelo and Vini Zabù KTM

Lombardy (August 15): Alpecin-Fenix, Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec, Bardiani CSF Faizanè, Circus-Wanty Gobert, Gazprom-RusVelo and Vini Zabù KTM

Tirreno-Adriatico (September 7-14): Alpecin-Fenix, Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec, Bardiani CSF Faizanè, Gazprom-RusVelo, Total Direct Energie and Vini Zabù KTM

Giro d'Italia (October 3-25): Androni Giocattoli-Sidermec, Bardiani CSF Faizanè and Vini Zabù KTM

June 30. Professional cycling will return to Portugal next Sunday, July 5. Continental and club teams will return to competition in the Portuguese Cup, with a 22-kilometre timed reopening test in Sangalhos, Anadia. The test will take place with improved sanitary security measures compared to what was usual before of the Covid19 pandemic. Fans will not have access to the areas reserved for the start and finish, with contact between runners and elements outside the "caravan" restricted. Advice for the aficionado.30 June. Thomas De Gendt traveled with his entire family, by car, from Belgium to Spain to start a new training session prior to the concentrated season that awaits him. He left his home for Calpe, 1,800 kilometers without spending the night. De Gendt has never been with his family as much as in recent months and for now he will continue to be that way with his wife and children. In Spain, De Gendt can prepare as a likes. "I want to be at 95 percent of my best shape by the beginning of August and I want to maintain that state for three months." He will return to competition in the Tour of Poland (August 5-9), then there is the Tour of Wallonia (August 16-19) and then he hopes to peak in the Tour de France and later the Tour of Spain ignoring the classics and without waiting for a call from their team for the World Cup in Switzerland. "They have forgotten about me all these years, why would it be different now?", he commented on the matter in an extensive interview in Sporza (in Flemish ). June 29. On August 8 we will know if Philippe Gilbert (Lotto) becomes the fourth cyclist capable of winning the five Monuments and entering history together with his compatriots Rik Van Looy, Eddy Merckx and Roger De Vlaeminck. Although there was no doubt about it, Milan-Sanremo appears as one of Gilbert's first dates after the restart of the season. He himself has released his full schedule via Twitter. The Belgian will start at Strade Bianche and will ride Milan-Turin in preparation for La Classicissima before being seen in the Tour de Wallonia and traveling to the Tour de France. After the gala round, Phil will focus on the classics with Liège, Fleche Brabant, Amstel Gold Race, Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.29 June. Promoted by Luuc Eisenga, 325 professional riders have supported an initiative aimed at demanding changes to the CPA, the cycling union chaired by Gianni Bugno. This high number of signatures, achieved in just 48 hours, comes in a year of enormous job uncertainty within the cycling community, with several teams having applied an ERTE to their workers and others having negotiated significant salary reductions. In addition, the letter has an important follow-up in the women's peloton, which is considered underrepresented in the organization. From the CPA, its general secretary, Laura Mora, has acknowledged receipt of this request and has assured that “we ask you to define on behalf of whom you speak and to send a written request for evaluation by our steering committee. There are many runners who participate with our group, and many appreciate what we do”.29 June. The Deceuninck team has announced the death of Jo Alaphilippe, father of one of its main stars: Julian Alaphilippe. In the brief statement, made public via Twitter, the group does not give further details about the causes of death and requests respect for the Alaphilippe family's desire for privacy. For its part, the Belgian team organizes an altitude training camp between July 6 and 23, in Val di Fassa on Passo San Pellegrino, in Italy. Based in the center of the Dolomites, the area offers a perfect mix of terrain with climbs over 2,000 meters, as well as longer, flatter areas around 1,000 meters, where you can work with TT bikes and the team's sprinters. . Among them will be Remco Evenepoel, Julian Alaphilippe and Sam Bennett. Various procedures will be put in place to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, and all staff and riders attending will need to be screened before traveling or immediately upon arrival.28 June.The UCI will not alter its plans to hold the elite men's time trial of the World Road Championships coinciding with the last day of the Tour de France, leaving former world champions Tom Dumoulin and Tony Martin, or their Jumbo-Visma teammate Primoz Roglic, out of contention for the title, according to Wielerflits.nl . The UCI Road World Championship calendar has remained unchanged despite a massive reorganization of the Grand Tours,the classics and other major races until the end of the season in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic lockdown. Wielerflits has received confirmation from the UCI that the men's time trial, which clashes with the final stage of the Tour, will not be moved. Taking place in Aigle, Switzerland on September 20, the same day as the final stage in Paris, the men's individual time trial will force many of the best riders to make tough decisions. June 28. Deceuninck-Quick-Step continues to shore up the team for 2021. Veterans Dries Devenyns (36) and Iljo Keisse (37) have extended their contract for one more season with Patrick Lefevere's men, after Yves Lampaert already extended his commitment for two seasons last friday.28 june. After the concerns about the Colombians, now it is the American runners who fear that they will not be able to return to Europe. After an article in the New York Times, doubts are raised that Brussels will not include the US in the list of countries from which flights will be accepted with the full reopening of international borders scheduled for July 1. In fact, the European Commission would like to prevent the access of non-EU citizens to the US since the country led by Donald Trump still has an epidemiological rate of more than 100 new cases per 100 thousand people against the average of 16 in Europe. If a handful of runners stayed in Europe in March or managed to return on time given the authorization that is currently in force in some states like Italy, most (as well as staff members) are still at home . If the Brussels decision is not binding on individual states, many believe a coherent and common decision by EU members is needed. Therefore, it is not impossible that even the nations that now authorize entry may make different decisions in the coming days, also taking into account that the pandemic in the United States at this moment seems to be far from over, with numbers still very high. and growing again in some states.28 June. As revealed by L'Equipela, an investigation that had begun in France to determine if there had been a corruption pact at the highest international level, involving riders, teams, sponsors and cycling authorities, has been closed with a final sentence denying the use of aid mechanical except for the known case of the Belgian crosser Femke van den Driessche in 2016. "In 99% there is no engine, it is in the peloton", commented Jean-Christophe Peraud, president of the special commission appointed by the UCI in the investigation. of mechanical doping in professional cycling. However, the controls will continue in competition, with the UCI commissioners who will continue to check all the bikes before and after each race, as was the case until now. June 28. Nicki Sorensen had already admitted to doping early in her career. The former Danish runner, who retired in 2014 after spending most of his career with the CSC team (which became Saxo Bank and then Tinkoff), once again recalled his relationship with doping on his country's TV2 television channel. : «I am embarrassed by what happened. At the time I felt a bit like a victim, but it was my choice. Professional racers told me that was the way it was. That was the only way, so I made the difficult decision to jump on the bandwagon.” Since his sporting retirement, Sorensen has worked as a sports director at Tinkoff. Aqua Blue Sport -both currently missing- and Israel Start Up Nation, where he currently works. According to him, despite his doping past, he still has his place in high-level cycling, in particular to show young people that there is an alternative to the path he chose: "Some may ask: 'What is my place? today?. As sports director?' I feel I can show young people that doping is not the right solution." June 28. Janez Brajkovic, fourth this Sunday in the Slovenian Time Trial Championship, spoke about the race on her Twitter account, certifying the deficiencies in the sanitary measures agreed after the Covid19 pandemic. "It's good to be able to resume the competition in Slovenia, but it would have been better to carry out some security measures during the competition, there were none." June 28. Danish Mads Würtz Schmidt has renewed his expiring contract with the Israel Start-Up Nation. The 26-year-old will stay in the new WorldTour squad for two more years, remaining in the Israeli structure until the end of 2022. After his professional debut in 2017 with Katusha-Alpecin, Würtz Schmidt was part of the transfer last winter after the merger with Israel Cycling Academy.«During the first concentration in Mallorca, I realized that I had joined a super professional team. The way they all worked together convinced me I was on the right team.” Wynants during the 2018 Tour of Flanders / © RVV27 June. The Belgian Maarten Wynants has signed a renewal agreement with Jumbo-Visma for which he will remain active until April 11, 2021 or, what is the same, until Paris-Roubaix that same year. Later, he will hang up the bicycle after 18 years as a professional and will join the team's technical team. Wynants, who in all this time has not tasted the honey of victory, was going to leave the competition at the end of this year, but the extraordinary circumstances of 2020 They have made you change your mind. "I don't want to leave it this way", he assured. Patrick Lefevere June 27. "May what happened this week in tennis serve as a lesson for us." Patrick Lefevere, general manager of Deceuninck-Quick Step, calls on the world of cycling so that the restart of the calendar does not give rise to situations such as those created by the exhibition tournament organized by Novak Djokovic, of whom the Belgian maintains that "I think he did it with good intentions, but he has shown that, without the right rules, it is clear that things go wrong". The head of the team of, among others, Remco Evenepoel and Julian Alaphilippe, confesses that "my worst nightmare is that the resumption of the races in July lead to new contagions”. Sven Nys, defeated by his son

27 June. The historic Sven Nys ended a training outing with his son Thibau completely broken, something to which the high temperatures that Belgium is registering these days contributed. After the start, Thibau immortalized the moment with an explicit photo and, jokingly, wrote: "he likes to train with me."

That Thibau Nys is in good shape was evident last Sunday when he prevailed at the Battle of Balenberg and defeated Mathieu van der Poel, Laurens Sweeck, Toon Aerts and Eli Iserbyt.

June 26. Jasper de Buyst, the Belgian Lotto player who trained in a group in the Ardennes, does not trust the effects that he would have riding in a peloton in a world affected by the coronavirus pandemic. «In the race you will have to think about the whole situation at the beginning. But in a pack of 150 riders it is impossible not to be in contact with each other's snot. If you think about it and you want to avoid it, you shouldn't be competing. As a high level athlete, you are always afraid of getting sick. But I realize that now I have a little more mysophobia than usual. In each race we will be at the start with a very anxious and nervous peloton. There will be riders who will compete for a selection, for a contract and to highlight the sponsor. We will have a very nervous group in each race”, says the 26-year-old rider to the sporza website. Jasper de Buyst © Lotto June 26. Peter Sagan will debut this year in the Giro d'Italia (from October 3 to 25). To celebrate, RCS Sport and the BORA-hansgrohe broker have decided to develop a very particular communication project, which will be revealed every Thursday starting today and will have four episodes, plus an "extra". Sagan will discover the beauties of Italy by demonstrating in photos and videos how expert he has become in Italy and in Art, Music, Cooking, Fashion and more. The first episode portrays him among the splendid rooms of the Pinacoteca di Brera, in Milan. June 26. Yves Lampaert will stay at Deceuninck-Quick Step for the next two seasons. The Belgian has extended his contract with the discipline of Patrick Lefevere until the end of 2022. «I am satisfied with the extension of my contract. It's nice to feel that Lefevere and the team trust me. It definitely gives me an extra boost for the rest of the season. Now I can go to the next races with a free spirit. I have a special bond with this team and I am proud to be one more wolf of the pack”.26 July. In a press release issued this Friday morning, the French Cycling Federation (FFC) decreed that cycling activities could resume as normal. "After having examined the provisions contained in the Decree of June 21, 2020, which modifies the decree of May 31, 2020, which prescribes the general measures necessary to deal with the Covid-19 epidemic in the context of the health emergency, the FFC indicates, to date, that cycling activities return to normal conditions of practice." This announcement means that the rule of ten cyclists in a peloton as a maximum limit is no longer valid, nor is it It is the rule of the distance of two meters between each person. However, the gestures and protocols developed by the FFC must always be respected. As a reminder, the French federation had already authorized a few days ago the resumption of the competitions held in the form of a time trial. And therefore, now it is in a peloton where they will be able to shoot.

June 26. TrackPiste. The coronavirus control measures at sporting events in Switzerland have been appreciably relaxed this week, with the relative instructions emanating from the Federal Council also being simplified. Hand hygiene and distancing remain the main protective measures. influencing to a great extent individual responsibility.

The following measures come into force for sporting events:

Since last Monday, sporting events hosting up to 1,000 people are authorized.

Competitions with up to 1,000 participants are also possible, as long as there is no mixing between spectators and athletes and their coaches

Organizers must ensure that the maximum number of people potentially in contact does not exceed 300, for example, by dividing the space into different sectors.

It is not allowed to mix these groups of 300 people. If a distance of 1.5 meters cannot be guaranteed between people within these groups, the FOPH recommends the use of a mask.

However, if the use of a mask is mandatory during an event and/or if the distance (1.5 meters) can be observed throughout the event, separation into groups and collection of personal data is not necessary.

More information26 June. El Leñero presents an intimate chat with a sports legend, Nairo Quintana, the first Latin American to be champion of the Giro d'Italia and also winner of the Vuelta a España, in addition to occupying the Tour de France podium three times. One of the best cyclists of the world today refers in the interview to his beginnings, takes a tour of his career and gives his opinion on the imminent future in this season where his main objective is the French round. But, in addition, the Colombian is very concerned about the young people who want to follow his path and the proposals that come to them at such a young age. Interview by Óscar Restrepo, Víctor Hugo Peña and Mario and Emanuel Sabato. June 25. Winner of two stages and yellow jersey for thirteen days, Julian Alaphilippe was the great sensation of the last Tour de France. , although he declared that he would not return to the Grande Boucle to fight for the general classification, the French cyclist published through his social networks a photograph at the top of the Col de la Loze, the final climb of the 17th stage of the next edition. "Another great day at work. A holy finish at the top of the Col de la Loze,” said Alaphilippe, who is concentrating in the Alps with teammates Dries Devenyns and Bob Jungels.Sean Yates, new coach © Nippo-Delko-One Provence25 June. The Nippo-Delko-One Provence team has acquired the services of the British former cyclist and trainer Sean Yates, who has joined the French structure to reinforce the Performance Department. A professional between 1982 and 1996, his track record includes two stages in the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España (1988). After his retirement, he led the Linda McCartney Racing Team, the first British team to compete in the Giro d'Italia, and later served as coach for some of the best World Tour teams: CSC (2003-04), Discovery Channel (2005-07) , Astana (2008-09), Sky (2010-12) and Tinkoff-Saxo (2015-16). In the Nippo-Delko he will coincide with the Spanish cyclists José Manuel Díaz Gallego and Delio Fernández and with the sports director Gorka Gerrikagoitia, as well as several assistants. June 25. The Volta a Portugal will not be held from July 29 to August 9 due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic that is also affecting the neighboring country of Spain. And at the moment there are no defined dates, although on June 11 [see news below] the alternatives for the end of August or September were noted, coinciding with the Tour de France. The Portuguese public television radio (RTP) -which has the broadcasting rights- has advanced the news of a race that had already suffered casualties on its route from the municipalities of Viana do Castelo and Viseu, concerned about the effects that the passage of the test caravan. In this sense, the mayor of Viseu, Almeida Henriques, said that “I told the Volyta organization that I did not feel comfortable receiving it in the usual way. We suggest a postponement." However, it had already received the approval of the General Directorate of Health of the Government of António Costa. A piece of news that represents a huge setback for Portuguese cycling and its teams and riders –many Spanish– who may see their continuity and the collection of their salaries in question. June 24. The Boels-Dolmans team, which will change its current name to SD Worx next season, has announced the signing of the young British promise Anna Shackley (19 years old) for two seasons until the end of 2022. Track specialist and current champion from her country in the points and team pursuit modalities, she joins the already confirmed names of Anna van der Breggen, Chantal Blaak, Jolien d'Hoore, Amy Pieters, Christine Majerus and Lonneke Uneken.24 June.The CCC team has decided that it will not take advantage of the next few weeks to organize a concentration in height as other squads are doing. Jim Ochowicz's team has decided to give their cyclists freedom to design their own work plan. Thus, the Olympic champion, Greg Van Avermaet organized his own altitude training with a group of colleagues and will head to Italy in the second half of July to face, from there, the Strade Bianche. June 24. The runner Marion Sicot, suspended after testing positive for EPO in June last year, has announced that she has filed a complaint for sexual harassment against Marc Bracke, manager of the Doltcini-Van Eyck Sport team, in which she was a member. According to the runner's account, Bracke asked her, in October 2018, to send him photos in her underwear so that he could check her weight weekly. "He told me that he would delete them afterwards, but I can't know for sure." The French woman made various conversations held between the two parties available to justice and assured that she had given up taking prohibited substances to regain her boss's favor.