Videos

“When he focuses on something, he is almost scary”HTC Highroad directeur Brian Holm has spoken about the winning mentality of Mark Cavendish, saying that when the rider focuses on something, it is ‘almost scary.’ Holm was speaking prior to yesterday’s time trial, which was won by Tony Martin. The team has a chance of taking its second consecutive win today when Cavendish tries to take yet another win on the Champs Elysées. Holm told VeloNation that he believes the victory is possible, and that if he does it, he could set a big achievement. “I am not sure about it, but somebody told me if he wins tomorrow, he would make history as nobody has won three times in a row on the Champs Elysées. I think he can do that,” he said. Holm spoke at length about the rider, giving an insight into his mentality. They have worked together [...]

Says all five objectives met, talks about right approach with DanielsonFor a team which had never won a stage or worn yellow before this year’s Tour de France, the past three weeks have been an almost-unbelievable succession of achievements for the Garmin-Cervélo team. The team time trial victory started things off on the perfect note, putting Thor Hushovd into the Maillot Jaune for several days, then Tyler Farrar and Hushovd took stage wins, the latter nabbing two. Tom Danielson has been racing at the front for the whole race, securing ninth overall in yesterday’s time trial, and the consistent performances of he and the other riders – particularly Christian Vande Velde and Ryder Hesjedal – have earned the American ProTeam a clear victory in the teams classification. CEO Jonathan Vaughters was, as expected, very satisfied after the race against the clock. “It is incredible. We set out the Tour with [...]

Australian declines to comment on sport's doping issuesAfter almost a decade trying to win a Grand Tour, Australian rider Cadel Evans will pull off that achievement today when he rides into Paris as the winner of the biggest one of all, the Tour de France. The BMC Racing Team competitor seized the yellow jersey in yesterday’s final time trial of the race, grabbing the Maillot Jaune after hovering near the top of the general classification for the entire Tour. Whether by accident or design, he missed out on grabbing yellow by slender margins earlier in the race. This kept the pressure off his team, which never had the burden of having to defend the jersey. It rode on the front when required, but the evolution of the race meant that other riders and teams were often those who had to take the bulk of the responsibility. After defending impressively in [...]

Former winner thinks time advantage is not sufficient for Leopard Trek riderHaving won one of the closest ever Tours de France in the final time trial in 1987 (pictured), Stephen Roche believes that Cadel Evans will also come from behind and defeat a specialist climber to win this race. Twenty four years ago Roche overcame his deficit to mountain specialist Pedro Delgado; this time round, Evans will start the final time trial 57 seconds behind Andy Schleck. Roche, who is working on the Tour for Skoda, believes that the Australian will prevail in Grenoble. “I think right from the start Evans has been calculated to be no more than one minute behind Andy Schleck [going into the time trial]. I am sure he feels that he can pull back a minute on Schleck, and he is 57 seconds down,” he told VeloNation in a video interview yesterday evening on Alpe [...]

Father Johnny Schleck concedes Cadel Evans is a stronger time trialist, outcome uncertainWith everything coming down to today’s concluding 42.5 kilometre time trial in Grenoble, Andy Schleck could be part of one of the closest Tours de France in history. He is just 57 seconds clear of Cadel Evans and is expected to finish behind him in the race against the clock, yet insists he should have enough time in hand to prevail and win his first Tour. “I believe I have a good gap,” he said in a video interview after yesterday’s final mountain stage. “We are all tired and tomorrow will be hard for everybody, but I will keep fighting until the line. I am confident that I can keep it.” Schleck was clearly jubilant to take over the yellow jersey. While Leopard Trek directeur sportif Kim Andersen seemed a little uncertain that he would hold off Evans, [...]

Differing moods of confidence in Luxembourg squadGeneral manager Brian Nygaard and directeur sportif Kim Andersen were in different moods at the end of yesterday’s stage to Alpe d’Huez, with the former being upbeat and confident that Andy Schleck can win the Tour de France, while the latter seemed a little more guarded about his chances. Schleck set out with the goal yesterday of taking time out of Cadel Evans, his big rival going into today’s time trial. However despite a very aggressive race to Alpe d’Huez, the two reached the summit together. The Australian consequently starts today’s final time trial 57 seconds behind in the general classification. “I’m extremely happy,” a smiling Nygaard told VeloNation in a video interview at the end of the stage. “I think it is a very long time since we have seen 100 kilometres of racing amongst the favourites. “It was obviously today that Alberto [...]