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Sky News:
Wiggins admits Tour pressure got to him

Bradley Wiggins admitted that the pressure of being a Tour de France contender coupled with the added responsibility of being team captain at the new Team Sky “became increasingly miserable.” In an interview with Sky News, Wiggins admitted things went sideways in 2010: “I was a bit up my own backside to be honest, with regards to trying to be a Tour contender and how a Tour contender should train and be at races. That’s rubbish to be honest, it’s not me. I became increasingly miserable as the year went on towards the Tour, and that reflects in other things, like not wanting to talk to the press and things like that.”

Ekstra Bladet:Riis blasts spoiled young pros

Bjarne Riis blasts what he calls the spoiled attitude among young pros coming through the ranks and says, without sacrifice, all the natural talent in the world will help you win. Riis, who recently confessed his doping past in a tell-all autobiography released in Denmark, tells the Danish daily Ekstra Bladet: “Today, we meet many young people who are so spoiled that they will be ruined before they perform. Many young people today want something before working for it. It’s a huge mistake.”

Het Laatste Nieuws: Boonen to debut in Qatar

Tom Boonen will stick to what works and make his annual debut at the Tour of Qatar, instead of trekking to the Tour Down Under. Boonen has won three of the nine editions of the desert race and looks to return to form this year after undergoing surgery midway through 2010. “What works, there’s no need to change. This is the ideal preparation for the Belgian weekend,” said sport director Wilfried Pieters.

ABC: No end to Contador scandal

The Spanish daily ABC wonders why it’s been five months and there still isn’t resolution in the Alberto Contador doping case.

Saxo Bank-Sungard: Mauduit optimistic despite exodus of talent

French sport director Philippe Mauduit makes the switch from Cervélo to Saxo Bank for 2011 and says the team will field a strong squad despite the departure of several top names for the new Luxembourg project. In an interview posted on the team’s web site, Mauduit expresses optimism for the 2011 season: “The new team is a great mix of experienced riders and young ones. I’m sure that these talented guys will make their mark on the rankings in the years to come. During the camp we saw quite a few guys who have been working so hard for their leaders in the past years now taking the lead and taking responsibility and it’s always good to see cyclists maturing physically and mentally to be able to take such a heavy weight on their shoulders.”

Boonen says he's back and ready to ride. | Ben Delaney photo

Tom Boonen says he’s back on track to be at his best for the spring classics following knee surgery last summer that kept him out of both the Tour de France and world championships in Australia.

Boonen, who turned 30 last month, says he expects to be at full strength in time for the northern classics.

“I feel good. I have the same strength in both legs now,” Boonen told the Belgian daily Het Nieuwsblad. “I started training immediately after the surgery. I was only 14 days off the bike. I’ve really done some hard work to get ready.”

The three-time Paris-Roubaix winner had another rocky season in 2010 despite a strong showing in the spring classics, when he was second in both Milan-San Remo and Tour of Flanders and fifth at Paris-Roubaix. Crashes at both the Tour of California and the Tour de Suisse aggravated tendonitis in his left knee, prompting him to go under the knife for surgery to ease the pain.

The Belgian classics specialist did not rush his return to competition and, after it became obvious he would not be ready for the world championships, he delayed his comeback until Franco-Belge in October.

“I feel no pain at all in my left knee, but when I recently came back to Belgian from Monaco, it started to hurt,” he said. “I think it’s from the cold weather. It’s something that I think will affect me for the rest of my life.”

Boonen said he’s been training diligently to come into the 2011 season ready to be a factor in the spring classics. He’s also been cross-training with boxing to improve his overall fitness. A safari trip to Africa also helped him keep a positive perspective despite the setback, he said.

“I went to Tanzania and Kenya for 14 days and entered a totally different world where the people have nothing but are actually much happier than us. That makes you think,” said Boonen, who traveled to Africa for the second time. “At first, you’re put off by the slums where the shops are, but I found that you can get used to lesser conditions rather quickly. It’s their smile that stays with you.”

He added that his race program going into the spring classics will not change, with a likely start in the Tour of Qatar and the Tour of Oman in January.

“I have no problem staying motivated, even though I am now over 30,” he said. “The goals are the same, to be ready for my time of year.”

Belgium’s most venerable team – Quick Step – secured its future Thursday when a pair of high-rolling investors stepped in to guarantee the team’s financial backing through at least 2013.

Quick Step proudly carries the Belgian banner in the European peloton, but its saviors are a Dutch businessman, Bessl Kok, and Czech investor, Zdenek Bakala, who bought a majority share of the team.

According to media reports in Belgium, team manager Patrick Lefevere will stay at the helm and Quick Step will remain the title sponsor in 2011.

“This agreement will allow the team as well as the people who work for the team to have a guaranteed future even after 2011,” Lefevere said in a team statement Thursday. “From now on we will be able to focus on next season and on building the team for the near future. Our objective, as usual, is to win prestigious awards. Quick Step will stay as the main sponsor for the 2011 season. All remaining partners of the team also confirmed their commitment for next season.”

The arrival of Bakala seems to confirm rumors this week in Europe that cyclo-cross world champion Zdenek Stybar is poised to join Quick Step and make a run at the spring classics. Stybar told Belgian journalists that he has a standing offer and could join the road team as soon as this season.

Quick Step – a Belgian-based manufacturer of floor coverings – stood by Lefevere through a string of scandals including team stars Tom Boonen and Johan Museeuw ever since becoming title sponsor in 2003. Quick Step stays on through at least next season.

It’s the ownership of the holding company behind the ProTour team that’s changing hands. Lefevere said the deals was in the works for “several months.”

Stepping in is Bakala, who, according to media reports, is a self-made millionaire who started a financial services company in the 1990s to help facilitate the sales of the state-run companies in his newly independent Czech Republic. He later invested in the mining industry and has branched out into media operations. It’s not known how much Bakala and Kok paid for the team’s shares.

If Stybar does make the transition to the road, it will be interesting to see how fast he can adapt to the new style of racing. Another cyclo-cross star, Lars Boom, has enjoyed considerable success since switching full-time to the road two seasons ago.

The news comes as Quick Step confirmed its place in the 18-team ProTour league and will be entering the 2010 season losing some of its top riders, including two-time Tour of Flanders winner Stijn Devolder, Spanish scrapper Carlos Barredo, sprinter Wouter Wylandt, and workhorses Kevin Hulsman, Matteo Tosatto and Marco Velo.

Boonen will be on the comeback trail next year from knee surgery in July. Among 11 new arrivals are Gerard Ciolek, Nicki Terpstra and Francesco Chicchi.

Gilbert's stage 19 win at the Vuelta showed he's in top form

A few of the favorites for Sunday’s elite men’s road race championships. The race starts at 10 am Sunday local time, which is 7pm Saturday in the U.S. Eastern time zone.

Philippe Gilbert (BEL) Even before his two stage wins at the Vuelta a Espana, Gilbert was tipped as the perfect man for the challenging Geelong course, which culminates on a slightly rising section that should prove a challenge to most after 262 km of racing. A fairly strong climber with a great finish, the Belgian’s penchant for launching acceleration after acceleration could make the difference on the 15.9 km circuit.

Filippo Pozzato (ITA) Known for his impeccable style and love of fast cars, Pozzato is equally classy on the bike. Despite a relatively barren season, the Italian, a former winner of Milan-San Remo, comes into the worlds with a stage victory at the Vuelta under his belt. Questions remain over the 29-year-old’s chances against such a strong field, but the Italians, despite missing out on the podium in 2009, have been strong in recent years.

Oscar Freire (ESP) If there’s one man who knows how to come in under the radar, it’s Spaniard Freire, who knows how to climb and sprint with the best. Freire had a great start to the season, beating Tom Boonen and Alessandro Petacchi to win his third Milan-San Remo title. It’s been a comparatively quiet lead-up to the worlds, although Freire employed the same discreet approach build-up on his way to rainbow jersey wins in 1999, 2001 and 2003. A fourth win would make Freire the all-time record holder for the number of men’s world road race titles.

Samuel Sanchez (ESP) As Olympic road race champion, Sanchez knows all about coming out on top in races of attrition, and the Spanish all-rounder, who excels on hilly courses, comes into the race having finished a career-best fourth overall on the Tour de France. Race-savvy and cunning, Sanchez could become a last-minute replacement for team leader Freire if the Spaniard is not quite feeling up to the job.

Freire won his third Milan-San Remo this year.

Thor Hushovd (NOR) Known primarily as a sprinter and one-day classic specialist, Hushovd admitted at this year’s Tour de France his sprinting legs have let him down this season. But on this course, with a finale which should suit the powerful Norwegian, Hushovd might just find the motivation to dig deep and hand his country their first ever rainbow jersey. Like Cavendish, Hushovd won stages on this year’s Tour de France and Tour of Spain.

Fabian Cancellara (SUI) After Cancellara’s fourth gold medal in the time trial, the pressure is off the Swiss who knows he can worry a few of the big contenders on the hilly Geelong course. Cancellara was one of the main contenders in last year’s finale, only to miss out on a podium place after burning his powder too early. A non-sprinter and not a climbing specialist, Cancellara’s biggest weapon is an acceleration which, once unleashed, is practically unassailable.

Matti Breschel (DEN) Breschel had a great season in 2009, a year after winning bronze, his first world championships medal, behind two Italians at the 2008 championships in Varese. Although 2010 has been a quieter season to date, the 26-year-old should do well on a course that suits his abilities. An outside bet.

Alexandr Kolobnev (RUS) Strong, versatile and determined in one-day races, the 29-year-old Russian national champion came close to his biggest career victory in April when he finished second at Liege-Bastogne-Liege. Although he has no wins to date this season, the peloton won’t be letting Kolobnev out of its sights in the race’s final laps — he has won silver in the road race in both 2009 and 2007.

Matthew Goss (AUS) Despite the presence of fellow sprinter Allan Davis, Goss has been touted by defending champion Cadel Evans as the Aussie who could bring victory home. A versatile sprinter, the Tasmanian did not win a stage at the Vuelta but was instrumental to HTC-Columbia teammate Mark Cavendish’s three stage wins.

Simon Gerrans (AUS) Gerrans has also been touted as Australia’s team leader, although the Victorian’s plans to hit the worlds in near peak form were disrupted when his Sky team quit the Tour of Spain after a team masseur died. Racing at home will undoubtedly give Gerrans extra motivation, but the 30-year-old might need it at the tail of a season which, on the victory front, has so far been barren.

Edvald Boasson Hagen (NOR) Boasson Hagen is not an out-and-out sprinter but Team Sky’s deadliest weapon in one-day races has an acceleration that is hard to match, and can put it to good use going uphill as well. Boasson Hagen has a total of six victories so far this season, including stage 7 of the Dauphine Libere where, at the end of a tough, rain-hit course, he left the peloton in his wake on his way to a superb solo victory.

Tyler Farrar (USA) Farrar has slowly been making up ground on main rival Mark Cavendish in Europe, and comes to the worlds with two stage wins from the Tour of Spain and having defended his Vatenfall Cyclassics crown in August. The slightly uphill finale could suit the American sprinter more than it does Cavendish, but whether he has the tactical skills, and power, to match the likes of Gilbert and Pozzato remains to be seen.

Sylvain Chavanel (FRA) It’s been 13 years since France won a men’s world road race crown, but in Chavanel France should have a real contender. Chavanel bounced back from massive injuries, including a fractured skull, earlier this season to claim two stage wins on the Tour de France, where he was also the race’s most aggressive rider. Chavanel likes to go on the attack, but he will be marked closely.

Mark Cavendish (GBR) Cavendish has shown time and again this season he is the fastest man on two wheels, at least on the flat. Unfortunately the chances of a bunch sprint, small or otherwise, must be tempered by the fact the road race finale finishes on a challenging uphill section. With a total of 22 climbs on the circuit, Cavendish has a tough task on his hands.

The Schleck brothers, Denis Menchov and Mark Cavendish will lead an all-star cast at the 2010 Vuelta a España, which clicks into gear August 28 in Sevilla.

Vuelta officials are still awaiting word from Tour de France winner Alberto Contador, but he said Sunday “it’s unlikely” he will start the season’s third grand tour.

Andy and Frank Schleck (Saxo Bank), Tour podium-man Menchov and sprinting ace Cavendish are among the confirmed headliners for the Vuelta, which will be celebrating its 75^th anniversary this summer.

Javier Guillén, director general of the Vuelta, said the 2010 edition will have a “magnificent level of participation.”

“We doubt Contador will come. He’s just finished the Tour, which was very hard for him,” Guillén said. “History has shown us that it’s difficult for the Tour winner to come to the Vuelta, even though Carlos Sastre did it (in 2008), something that we’re still grateful for.”

Other big names expected to start include Tom Boonen (Quick Step), Oscar Freire (Rabobank), Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) and Filippo Pozzato (Katusha).

The official pre-race start list will be announced next week.

Quick Step’s Tom Boonen on Thursday underwent an operation on his injured knee that had ruled him out of the Tour de France.

His team said the Belgian champion “underwent an operation to his left knee for a lesion in a pre-patellar band”.

The 29-year-old was involved in a mass crash on the fourth stage of the Tour of Switzerland last month.

And he admitted that the operation had been a last resort.

“Last Friday I started training and the pain seemed to be diminishing,” he said. “On Monday I tried to do 100 kilometers and the situation immediately got worse.

“After consulting with the team’s medical staff and with Dr. Claes we decided to go ahead with the operation.

“I’m calm and confident even though I’ll have to stay off a bike for a while. It’s the first time I’ve faced an injury of this type but I’m ready to work on recuperating as best as possible and get back to racing after observing the recommended recovery time.”

Team doctor Yvan Van Mol added: “After trying to heal Tom’s knee with a series of non-invasive targeted therapies, the operation was a necessary
choice.

“Tom will have to rest for at least three to four weeks before gradually going back to training and eventually getting back into competition. At this time we cannot determine when Tom will be able to return to competition.”

Chavanel's special Eddy Merckx

Quick Step’s Sylvain Chavanel scored a huge opportunity in his stage 2 breakaway. More than making up for the absence of Belgian sprinter Tom Boonen, Chavanel seized both the points leader’s green jersey and the race leader’s yellow jersey in one attacking ride.

And teammate Jerome Pineau scored the polka-dotted climber’s jersey, adding a third feather to the team’s cap. It was a special coup for the Belgian team and its sponsors,  considering the stage transpired entirely on Belgian soil.

Unfortunately for Chavanel and his team, he lost leadership in points and the GC just a day later on stage 3. But team bike sponsor Eddy Merckx had wasted no time capitalizing on the window of opportunity.

“We were in a business meeting just yesterday when our main sales guy called us up and said, ‘Are you watching this race?’” recounted company product engineer Dave Luyckx, on the morning of stage 3. “We said, no, we are not, and he said, ‘You better start watching because it’s going to be interesting,’” said Luyckx. “And then starting at five o’clock we started working on the three frames.”

The company delivered three new frames to the team for assembly in time for the start of stage 3. One was covered in red polka dots, for climber’s jersey wearer Pineau. Another wore yellow paint, for Chavanel to ride as long as he remains in the jersey. The last bike was painted half green and half yellow in honor of Chavanel’s “dual citizenship” in both the yellow and green jerseys for the day.

“We delivered all three frames at 3 o’clock this morning to be able to finish them for the start today,” said Luyckx.

The green honors Chavanel's other jersey. And highlights the unusual tube shaping.

Some teams roll to the Tour de France with solid expectations of what their riders might be able to achieve. For example, Saxo Bank team sponsor Specialized brings a few yellow Tarmac SL3s to France ahead of time. The preparation is based on the fairly reasonable assumption that one of their riders might end up in the yellow jersey, even if only for a few days. Likewise, Trek Bicycles has historically been quick to have specially painted frames ready for team leader Lance Armstrong when he gets close to wearing yellow.

But without Boonen on the Tour course in 2010, Quick Step and Eddy Merckx can be forgiven for not predicting Chavanel’s coup. Fortunately, the company is headquartered in Brussels, just an hour away from the race’s current location, and the team’s EMX-5 bikes are painted in-house.

“We have the decals available and we have the paint available,” said Luyckx. “We had to get the painters back in. They were all having their dinners last night and we said, ‘You have to come over right now – it’s going to be night work. You have to finish these frames by tonight.’”

Luyckx said that his company banded together to make the frames happen and make the most of the rare opportunity. “We’re a very small company; everybody knows each other so we could easily get everyone in motion and start to move things,” he described.

The final flourish to Chavanel’s bike came from The Cannibal himself. According to Luyckx, his company didn’t have an appropriately colored Eddy Merckx signature decal for the green seatstay on Chavanel’s multi-colored machine.

The solution? Mr. Merckx simply autographed the bicycle himself.

Click here for Complete Video Coverage of 2010 Tour