Contador has been awarded the prestigious Gazzetta dello Sport-Fausto Coppi Prize
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Gazzetta dello Sport-Fausto Coppi Prize To Contador
With his double win in the Giro-Vuelta, Team Astana's Alberto Contador has won the fifth edition of the prestigious Gazzetta dello Sport-Fausto Coppi Prize for 2008. The 26 year old Spaniard from Pinto took the award ahead of Tour De France winner Carlos Sastre and Italian World Champion Alessandro Ballan. Contador was only the third rider to take the Giro-Vuelta double after Eddy Merckx in 1973 and Giovanni Battaglin in 1981. The Astana man toted up 103 points to win the Gazzetta dello Sport-Fausto Coppi Prize and will receive the award in early 2009 from La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Zabel on the Six-Day track
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
Zabel: 200+ Wins and Still Counting
Although he hung up his road bike after Paris-Tours in October, Erik Zabel is still wrapping up his career on the track. This weekend, Zabel and his partner Leif Lampater took a win in the Christmas GP track omnium in Dortmund, Germany, giving the German great his 212th overall career win. Zabel will race at the upcoming 45th edition of the Six Days of Bremen from January 8-11, then close his career in his hometown Berlin 6-Day from January 23-27. In 2009, Zabel then will work with Team Columbia to help develop their sprinters as well as work with Germany's Canyon Bicycles in product development and mentor their Young Heros junior squad, where his son Rik races.
Stuey O'Grady on the way to Roubaix glory in 2007
(Photo: Roberto Bettini)
O'Grady Leads Team Saxo Bank in Tour Down Under
Australian two-time winner Stuart O'Grady will lead Denmark's Team Saxo Bank in next month's Tour Down Under, organisers said Monday. 35 year old O'Grady, who won the inaugural Tour Down Under in 1999 and again in 2001, has ridden in the Tour de France since 1998 and won the gold medal in the madison at the 2004 Athens Olympics. "Stuart has won the Tour Down Under twice before and I know he will hit the race hard, looking to add a third title to his crown," TDU race director Mike Turtur said.
O'Grady, who had a strong 2008 season after recovering from serious injury in 2007 after a terrible crash in the Tour De France, will be joined by fellow Australian rider Matthew Goss and German Jens Voigt. Dane Frank Hoj will also make his return to Team Saxo Bank after previously being a member of the Danish team in 2004. O'Grady will find seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong at the Tour Down Under, where the American is making his return to professional cycling with the Astana team in the Tour Down Under in Adelaide, Australia January 18-25, 2009.
Team Saxo Bank / Tour Down Under: Stuart O'Grady, Jens Voigt, Nicki Sorensen, Kasper Klostergaard, Matthew Goss, Frank Hoj & Anders Lund.
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