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MADRID, March 8, 2010 (AFP) – Seven-time Tour of France winner Lance Armstrong believes, at 38, he has little chance of beating arch-rival Alberto Contador of Spain to win an eighth title this year.

“It would be very difficult. I’m 38, Alberto is 27 and he’s improving every year. I know it, people know it, Alberto knows it,” he told Spanish newspaper El Pais.

Armstrong and Contador were part of the same Astana team in 2009, but their relationship was tense with the American finishing third overall behind winner Contador. Armstrong later left for the US team RadioShack.

This weekend he finished seventh in Spain’s Tour of Murcia, won by Czech Frantisek Rabon.

But the Texan, whose main objective this year is the Tour de France in July, told El Pais he felt he was a “better cyclist” now than in 2009, when he returned to the sport after a four-year absence.

Contador was Tour de France champion in 2007 and 2009.

HTC-Columbia women took first and third place and the Merced Downtown criterium on Saturday. Ina Yoko-Teutenberg won the bunch sprint for the second year running from American Shelley Evans and HTC-Columbia’s neo-pro Chloe Hosking.

“It was nice to be able to pull on the sprint today,” said Teutenberg. “It’s always hard to judge your form before the first race of the season and I’m lacking top-end speed right now so I was a little nervous going into it.

“The girls raced really well to control the race. Kim, Chloe and Evelyn were in every break and did the perfect lead out over the last few laps. It’s also nice that Chloe was able to get on the podium after leading me out.”

After a serious crash with three laps remaining, the race was neutralized for 15 minutes. When the officials restarted the race, they increased the lap count to six. HTC-Columbia controlled the finish.

On the last lap Anderson was setting the pace with Teutenberg on her wheel. Teutenberg let a gap open up forcing other teams to chase. Anderson was caught just before the last corner and Hosking set Teutenberg up for the sprint.

For 19 year old Hosking “it was a good introduction to US racing. I was happy to be able to help Ina in the lead-out and hold on for third place.”

Team Director Rene Wenzel was happy with the team’s second win in two days. “It was a pleasure to see the girls in action today. They all did their job perfectly and when it finishes with a win and a third place, one can only be happy.”

Tomorrow the women line up for the Foothills Road Race.

   
HTC-Columbia women took first and third place and the Merced Downtown criterium on Saturday. Ina Yoko-Teutenberg won the bunch sprint for the second year running from American Shelley Evans and HTC-Columbia’s neo-pro Chloe Hosking.

“It was nice to be able to pull on the sprint today,” said Teutenberg. “It’s always hard to judge your form before the first race of the season and I’m lacking top-end speed right now so I was a little nervous going into it.

“The girls raced really well to control the race. Kim, Chloe and Evelyn were in every break and did the perfect lead out over the last few laps. It’s also nice that Chloe was able to get on the podium after leading me out.”

After a serious crash with three laps remaining, the race was neutralized for 15 minutes. When the officials restarted the race, they increased the lap count to six. HTC-Columbia controlled the finish.

On the last lap Anderson was setting the pace with Teutenberg on her wheel. Teutenberg let a gap open up forcing other teams to chase. Anderson was caught just before the last corner and Hosking set Teutenberg up for the sprint.

For 19 year old Hosking “it was a good introduction to US racing. I was happy to be able to help Ina in the lead-out and hold on for third place.”

Team Director Rene Wenzel was happy with the team’s second win in two days. “It was a pleasure to see the girls in action today. They all did their job perfectly and when it finishes with a win and a third place, one can only be happy.”

Tomorrow the women line up for the Foothills Road Race.

Legnano (6/3) - Nei giorni scorsi si è riunito il Consiglio Direttivo dell'US Legnanese che, oltre ad alcune decisioni di ordinaria amministrazione, ha approvato il calendario della stagione agonistica 2010 (nella foto: Caterina Palmieri Colombo, Angelo Mascheroni e Maria Rosa ...continua
Saturday, March 06, 2010

Une semaine après avoir remporté la dernière étape du Tour d'Algarve, un contre-la-montre individuel, Luis León Sánchez a ce dimanche terminé à la quatrième place de la Classique d'Almeria.

"J'ai pris la décision de participer à la XXVème édition de la Classique d'Almeria afin de ne pas rester trop de temps sans courir avant Paris-Nice qui débutera dimanche prochain et où j'aimerais réaliser un bon prologue d'entrée de jeu ", a expliqué Luis León une fois franchie la ligne d'arrivée d'Almeria.

"Je savais qu'avec les sprinters qui faisaient toujours partie du groupe de tête au moment de lancer le sprint, mes chances étaient très minces mais vu que les conditions de course avaient été assez difficiles dans les dix-quinze derniers kilomètres à cause du vent de face que nous avions du affronter, je savais aussi que cela pouvait jouer en ma faveur."

"J'étais bien placé à l'entrée du dernier virage et j'ai pour cette raison décidé de tenter ma chance même si je savais que ce ne serait pas évident. J'ai finalement du me contenter de la quatrième place, mais je suis néanmoins satisfait de mon résultat et surtout du fait que je me sois senti bien tout au long de la journée."

"C'est maintenant une course très importante qui m'attend avec Paris-Nice où il me reviendra de défendre le titre conquis l'année dernière. C'est avec l'envie de bien faire et super motivé que je me présenterai au départ", a conclu le coureur de Murcie qui a déjà remporté deux victoires au cours de cette saison 2010 qui vient à peine de débuter.