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LATEST NEWS: CONTADOR ADMITS HE WILL STAY AT ASTANA
Road Bike Action
August 31, 2009
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(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)
Speaking to the network Telemadrid, Alberto Contador has
admitted that he is resigned to staying with Astana for the 2010 season. Citing
his current contract with the team, Contador said that while he had many
offers, he would finish his contract with the team.
When asked about the possibility of riding on a new team
created by Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso, Contador said that building such a
team takes time and preparation must begin well in advance of the season. Contador also said that despite the tension with Armstrong,
some member of the Astana team and staff behaved “very well.” He added, “Other
people, not so well.”
Of the upcoming World Championships in Mendriso, Contador
said he had no plans to compete.
Fedrigo winning a stage at the 2009 Tour de France
(Photo: Yuzuru Sunada)
Fedrigo to Lead France at Worlds
Team director Laurent Jalabert has selected Tour de France
stage winner Pierrick Fedrigo to lead the French team at the upcoming World
Championships at Mendriso, Switzerland. Fedrigo will be joined by only five
riders due to France’s current position in the UCI ranking of nations.
Fedrigo’s teammates will be Sylvain Chavanel, Thomas
Voekler, Christophe Le Mevel, Dmitri Champion and Christophe Riblon. Jalabert
noted that while he would have liked to name many other riders to the squad
each man selected has his full confidence. He added that it is important to
develop confidence in a leader before race day.
 Ballan in action at the 2009 Tour de France (Photo: Yuzuru Sunada) Ballan to BMC?
Current World Champion Alessandro Ballan has announced his
intention to race for the Pro Continental BMC team for 2010. This follows six
years with the Lampre team, where Ballan began his career in 2004. Now 29,
Ballan says he wants to learn English and see the new world.
Ballan’s participation in the sports biggest events could
come into jeopardy due to BMC’s second-division status. It depends on wild-card
invitations to Classics such as the Tour of Lombardy, which Ballan has cited as
a goal. He would likely spend the majority of his season in the United States,
rather than Europe.
Cunego Extends With Lampre
Damiano Cunego has renewed his contract with Lampre for the
2010 season. Cunego won both the Amstel Gold race and the Tour of Lombardy in
2008 in addition to taking second place at the World Championships, behind
teammate Alessandro Ballan. This year he won two stages and the overall
classification of the Coppi and Bartali and finished in the top ten of all
three Ardennes Classics.
Cunego will lead the Italian team at the upcoming World
Championships. |
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