Video: Newly unveiled An Post Rás route given thumbs up by 2013 runner-up McConvey
Irish event to feature 36 categorised climbs and Seskin Hill summit finish The route of Ireland’s toughest stage race the An Post Rás has been welcomed by last year’s runner-up Connor McConvey, with the Synergy Baku Cycling Project rider saying that he believes the eight day race will make for a big spectacle and also a worthy winner. “It is quite different to some of the [past] Rás routes. There are the first few usual hard stages, including stages around Kerry, then up until the stage on Seskin which is going to be a real key part of the race.” He referred to stage four as being particularly testing, due in part to the ten categorised climbs which will feature. “Doing 190 kilometres on Kerry roads with a few climbs and stuff – there mightn’t be anything major in terms of climbing [compared to European ascents – ed.], but it [...]
Santos Tour Down Under: Greipel notches up first win of the season as Gerrans reduces gap to Evans
WorldTour race building up towards exciting finale; Old Willunga Hill to be crucial to outcomeHaving clocked up fourteen stages in the race in the past, André Greipel today grabbed Lotto Belisol’s first victory of the season when he placed first in Victor Harbor at the end of stage four of the Santos Tour Down Under. The big German rider had a relatively uncomplicated sprint, coming off the wheel of team-mate Jurgen Roelandts and then speeding in well ahead. Roelandts was able to hold on for second while Elia Viviani (Cannondale) came from a long way back and passed former race leader Simon Gerrans (Orica GreenEdge). The significance of that was Gerrans would otherwise have picked up a time bonus to go along with those he scooped in the intermediate sprints earlier in the day. Those earlier efforts saw him reduce his deficit to ongoing race leader Cadel Evans (BMC Racing [...]
Santos Tour Down Under: Evans returns to top form with dominant display on Corkscrew Hill
BMC Racing Team rider roars into race lead after solo victoryCadel Evans gave a clear reminder of the ability which earned him a world championship jersey plus the 2011 Tour de France title when he roared to a super solo victory on today’s third stage of the Santos Tour Down Under. The Australian showed well on the first two stages but still found himself thirteen seconds behind day one winner Simon Gerrans (Orica GreeneEdge). However the BMC Racing team rider was far stronger than his younger compatriot on today’s climb of Corkscrew Hill, jumping hard off an effort by Richie Porte (Sky) and going over the summit approximately seventeen seconds clear. Gerrans caught Porte before the top and led the two man chase, but Evans was too strong and held them off on the 7.5 kilometre run in to the line. They were picked up by the chasing group and [...]
Santos Tour Down Under: Ulissi powers home ahead of Gerrans and Evans, jumps to second overall
GC contenders continue to show their hands early onSurprising race contenders Simon Gerrans (Orica GreenEdge) and Cadel Evans (BMC Racing Team) with a perfectly timed burst on the far right side of the road, Diego Ulissi won the uphill sprint to the line in Stirling at the end of stage two of the Santos Tour Down Under. The Italian Lampre-Merida rider thundered in ahead of Gerrans, Evans, Francesco Gavazzi (Astana), Robert Gesink (Belkin), Richie Porte (Team Sky) and the other riders in the 97 man front group, notching up his first win since the Giro dell'Emilia last October. “I’ve never believed in my chances to win this stage because I had the impression that Simon Gerrans was by far the strongest,” said the 24 year old after the 150 kilometre stage from Prospect. “I thought he’d be unbeatable but I managed to beat him thanks to the help of the [...]
Gerrans takes early advantage with stage win in Santos Tour Down Under
Australian champion profits from tough finale to outsprint GreipelHe’s been trying to mimic the buildup and results of his superb early season in 2012, when he won the Australian road championships, the Santos Tour Down Under and then Milan-Sanremo. Simon Gerrans remains on track thus far, today netting the opening stage of the Australian WorldTour race clad in the white, gold and green national champs jersey he won earlier this month. The Orica GreenEdge rider took advantage of the Menglers Hill climb with twelve kilometres to go, with that ascent putting many of the race’s sprinters out of the back, and also profited of the slightly uphill drag to the line. He remained tight on Andre Greipel’s wheel when the multiple stage winner drove for the line, then nipped past him inside the final 100 metres to grab the stage. Garmin-Sharp rider Steele Von Hoff took third out of the [...]
Live broadcast – Belkin Pro Cycling team presentation
Dutch squad’s management and top riders lay out goals for 2014Heading into year two of the project, the Belkin Pro Cycling team will today detail its ambitions for the 2014 season at its team launch at the Nederlands Instituut voor Beeld en Geluid in Hilversum. The WorldTour squad evolved out of the structure of the Rabobank squad and, after several months as Team Blanco last year, unveiled a new sponsorship in the form of Belkin. It had a solid first season, netting 38 wins including Bauke Mollema’s stage seventeen victory in the Vuelta a España. The team ended the season on a high note when it clocked up all nine stages plus the overall in the 2.HC Tour of Hainan. Watch the presentation below [click video to start], and come back later for more from the launch.