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LATEST NEWS: SCHLECK CRACKS THE UCI'S TOP 20
Road Bike Action & AFP
June 21, 2010
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(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Cadel Evans of BMC Racing Team continues his hold on the world number-one slot since the suspension of Alejandro Valverde of Caisse d’Epargne. Evans has an 80-point lead on Philippe Gilbert of Omega Pharma-Lotto.
With the recent completion of the Tour de Suisse, overall winner Frank Schleck is the big mover of the week, jumping from 66th to 14th in the world rankings. Robert Gesink of Rabobank made a notable jump, leaping from 43rd to 18th.
Fabian Cancellara was the only rider to move up in the top 10. He climbed two spots, from ninth to seventh on the basis of his performance at the Tour de Suisse.
The top five in the country rankings remain utterly unchanged, with Spain in the lead by a significant margin.
In the team standings Astana remains on top but Saxo Bank has climbed from seventh to fourth with the team’s performance at the recent Tour de Suisse.
Individual Rankings
1. Cadel Evans BMC Racing Team 384
2. Philippe Gilbert Omega Pharma-Lotto 304
3. Joaquin Rodriguez Team Katusha 300
4. Alberto Contador Astana 260
5. Luis Leon Sanchez Caisse D'epargne 233
6. Tom Boonen Quick Step 216
7. Fabian Cancellara Team Saxo Bank 210
8. Ivan Basso Liquigas-Doimo 206
9. Michele Scarponi Androni Giocattoli-Serramenti Pvc Diquigiovanni 203
10. Alexandre Vinokourov Astana 185
11. Janez Brajkovic Team Radioshack 174
12. Christopher Horner Team Radioshack 164
13. Vincenzo Nibali Liquigas-Doimo 144
14. Frank Schleck Team Saxo Bank 140
15. Marco Pinotti Team HTC-Columbia 140
16. André Greipel Team HTC-Columbia 137
17. David Arroyo Caisse D'epargne 132
18. Robert Gesink Rabobank 129
19. Stefano Garzelli Acqua & Sapone - D'angelo & Antenucci 127
20. Roman Kreuziger Liquigas-Doimo 124
Country Rankings
1. Spain 1,046
2. Italy 820
3. Belgium 745
4. Australia 693
5. United States 496
Team Rankings
1. Astana 624
2. Team Katusha 589
3. Liquigas-Doimo 570
4. Team Saxo Bank 552
5. Team HTC-Columbia 549
Van den Broeck climbs the San Bernardo at the ’09 Tour(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Omega Pharma-Lotto Names Van den Broeck for Tour GC
Jürgen Van den Broeck will get his shot at the Tour de France general classification when Omega Pharma-Lotto lines up at the start next month. The Belgian had a terrific debut last year when the 27-year-old finished 14th while still ostensibly riding support. His best result this season has been fourth overall at the Criterium du Dauphine.
The team’s top ranked rider, Philippe Gilbert, has been left off the roster.
Van den Broeck will be joined by Mario Aerts, Francis De Greef, Mickaël Delage, Sebastian Lang, Matthew Lloyd. Daniel Moreno Fernandel, Jürgen Roelandts and Charles Wegelius.
Boonen at Paris Roubaix(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Boonen Suffers With Knee Problems
While racing the Amgen Tour of California, Tom Boonen crashed and injured his knee. Boonen crashed during stage four of the Tour de Suisse, re-injuring the knee which had already been slow to recover due to cold, wet weather in Switzerland. He says one of the tendons on his left knee is inflamed and that is making pedaling painful.
Boonen skipped the final time trial at the Tour de Suisse and is likely to sit out any further races prior to the Belgian National Championship next week.
Sutherland Three-peats at Nature Valley
Stop us if you’ve heard this story before: Rory Sutherland of the UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis comes into the final stage of the Nature Valley Grand Prix in 2nd overall, a handful of seconds down on the leader. He attacks going into the final lap, gets a gap, holds it and takes the overall title.
If that sounds a lot like the 2009 edition of the Nature Valley Grand Prix, it’s because Sutherland repeated the performance today, rolling to the start line three seconds behind Scott Zwizanski (Kelly Benefits) and rolling across the finish not only with a stage win, but the overall title.
As it had done in every stage of the race, UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis took control of the race late, this time putting seven riders on the front with three laps to go.
“Kelly was under pressure all day,” said Team Director Mike Tamayo. “Early, Jeremy Vennell (Bissell) was off the front, and Kelly had to work hard to keep him in check because he was only about 30 seconds out of the lead. With six to go, Jamis took the front and upped the pace and that started to break things up. They eased off and we took over the front.”
UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis never let go, launching Sutherland off the front heading into the second to last time up the nasty Chilkoot Hill climb, just as they had done last year.
“You have to find the right time to attack, and it just happened that it was thhe same time and place as last year,” Sutherland said. “The team rode fantastic all week. We had a specific plan and goal for each stage and we stuck to it each day, whether it was working for Hilton (Clarke) or me. This was definitely a team win.”
Sutherland jumped off his lead-out and hit the climb hard, with only Luis Amaran (Jamis-Sutter Home) following. Coming over the top of the climb, Sutherland held up just enough for Amaran to get up to him. Just behind, Zwizanski’s teammate David Veilleux tried to cover the move but was gapped off.
“I knew he was motivated to work because he had a chance to move up in the overall as well,” Sutherland said.
The duo worked hard together, with Sutherland driving the pace, knowing he had to finish at least four seconds ahead of Zwizanski to take the overall crown. The chase behind on the final lap was furious. Coming into the final climb up Chilkoot to the finish, the pack was closing in. Sutherland hit it again, opening a gap on Amaran, but more importantly, holding the chase at bay.
He crossed the line three seconds before Amaran, and nine seconds ahead of Zwizanski to take the overall by six seconds.
“This is the first time I’ve won this stage,” he said. “It’s a very hard course, and also one that everyone knows about. To take the win and the overall on this stage is a great achievement. It was quite a nice Father’s Day present.”
Top Sprinter
UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis was on the podium every day of the race. Sutherland’s win was the third stage victory for the team out of five stages (Stage 3 was canceled due to weather). The other two stages, Sutherland posted a 2nd and 3rd place. New sprinter Hilton Clarke posted the other two wins. He took the lead in the Sprinter’s competition with his win at the Stage 2 St. Paul Criterium, solidified it with his win in the Uptown Minneapolis Criterium, and then held it to the line; something he’s shown he’s quite good at.
“Hitlon’s fit in quite well, quite quickly,” Sutherland said. “He’s given us that one little thing we seem to have been missing. He’s shown that he is a great finisher, and when the plan was to work for me the last two stages, he showed he was a great teammate as well.”
De Maar, Schmitt Finish Beauce 3rd and 4th Overall
In the final stage of the Grand Cycliste de Beauce, UnitedHealthcare Presented by Maxxis threw everything they had at the Fly V Australia team of race leader Ben Day in an effort to dislodge him and Move Marc de Maar and Morgan Schmitt up in the overall standings.
When a dangerous nine-rider break including SpiderTech’s Ryan Roth, the best placed rider on GC in the move at 9th overall, it posed two choices for the Team, Directeur Sportif Gord Fraser said.
“We could share the work with Fly V to ensure Roth didn’t leap-frog onto the overall podium and hope for a field sprint with (Andrew) Pinfold,” Fraser said, “or let them burn matches, and hit them with attacks in the final few laps and take a shot of winning the overall. We chose the latter.”
With three laps to go, Chris Baldwin got the fireworks started. The attacks pecked away at Fly V’s workers, with Day and second overall Darren Rolfe losing the services of four helpers by the final lap.
On the last lap, de Maar put in numerous attacks but Day was up to the challenge each time. “At that point, we knew our bid for the overall was over,” Fraser said. “And despite having Morgan, Chris and Marc chasing, we left it a bit too late to catch the break.”
Instead, Pinfold easily won the sprint from the reduced field, taking 7th on the stage.
“I’m very proud of the team’s willingness to sacrifice the battle today to win the war,” Fraser said. “We had a tremendous tour with Marc’s two stage wins and 3rd overall, and another emerging performance from Morgan with 4th overall.
“Andrew’s form is the best of the season and should make him a serious dark horse for next week’s Canadian Championships,” Fraser continued. “Chris showed good leadership and performed well despite serious illness to break some legs today and finish high in the overall at 11th. Max Jenkins provided yet again some key teamwork at critical moments. His form continues to be consistent and improving.”
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