Video: HTC Highroad's women work on team time trial training this week
World Cup time trial one of goals targeted by team Second in the Open de Suède Vargarda T.T.T for the past three years, the HTC Highroad women’s team is determined to win the World Cup race this season and has taken measures to improve in the discipline. That push to build on the team time trial performance saw the riders get together this week in Büttgen, Germany, working hard over two days to hone their technique and collaboration. Directeur sportifs Ronny Lauke and Jens Zemke plus HTC Highroad technical development manager Lars Teutenberg oversaw the exercise, instructing the women on what to do and providing feedback afterwards. “It was a really good workout. We saw our weaknesses, which we can work on. Our technical director Lars is doing a really good job to sort out those things and improve. I am really confident that that those two days will be [...]
Video: Meyer targeting Giro d’Italia, no Tour de France this season
Australian will support Farrar and Le Mevel, seize personal chancesGarmin-Cervélo rider Cameron Meyer has said that he is building up for a strong ride in the Giro d’Italia, targeting that Grand Tour this season rather than looking at doing the Tour de France. The Australian will head to Italy with the goal of assisting two of the team’s protected riders, and will also seize any chances which come his way during the three week event. “I am on a build-up phase at the moment towards the Giro,” he told VeloNation in a video interview prior to the start of Sunday’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège. “I am going to have a key role to play there in support of Tyler Farrar for stage wins. Le Mevel is showing some really good form here in the Ardennes, it looks like at the Giro he is going to try for GC place. “We will help him [...]
Video: Deignan riding better than last year, but not satisfied with form yet
Hopes to improve prior to Giro d'ItaliaHaving finished a solid 23 in Flèche Wallonne and 44th in the Amstel Gold Race, Philip Deignan had hoped for a good day in Liège-Bastogne-Liège yesterday. However the Irishman told VeloNation right after finishing seven and a half minutes behind the winner Philippe Gilbert that he wasn’t happy with how things went. “I was feeling a lot better in Flèche, so I am not sure what happened today. I just had bad legs, and was hoping that I was going to come round. I figured out pretty quick that when we got to the Cote de Wanne that it wasn’t getting any better,” the Team RadioShack rider said. “I did what I could and hung on, hoping that things would get better, but the inevitable happened when I hit La Redoute and got shelled.” However Deignan is clearly going better than he did in [...]
Video: Frank Schleck encouraged by pre-Tour form, looking forward to ‘barbeque diet’
Leopard Trek rider frustrated by questions about tacticsThe paths of Grand Tour riders and Classic specialists seldom intersect, but it happens each year in the Ardennes Classics. Yesterday Frank and Andy Schleck lost out to Philippe Gilbert, but provided a clear message to their rivals that they are bang on course for a strong Tour, finishing second and third behind the best one day competitor in the sport at the moment. The elder of the two brothers said that he was pleased with where they are at, and of the fact that they contend for both types of races. “I think we can be very, very happy and proud of it,” he told VeloNation in a video interview outside the team bus. “I think we are one of the few riders who can ride the Classics and the Grand Tours. We are very happy about today and about the shape. [...]
Video: Andy Schleck insists nothing more could be done to beat Gilbert
Brothers had no answer to Classic specialistFaced by questions as to why they didn’t attack more in the finale of Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Andy Schleck and his brother were adamant that they did everything possible to try to beat Philippe Gilbert in the final Ardennes Classic. “I don’t think we did any mistakes,” insisted the younger of the two siblings after the race. “Lotto had a lot of pressure on them, they had to ride pretty early. They used good riders early. We tried to isolate him [Gilbert]. I don’t think we could have asked more of the team. Frank and I were together with him but he was not beatable today.” Prior to the race the two brothers had vowed to ride strongly to take the fight to the Classic specialist. They attacked hard on the Cote de la Roche aux Faucons, but the Belgian responded immediately, covering the move. The [...]
Video: Nygaard says Leopard Trek has simply lacked some luck in its Classics campaign
General manager pleased with showing thus far, confident for LiègeThe Leopard Trek team has gone very close to Classics victory with Fabian Cancellara taking second, second and third in Milan San Remo, Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders. A big win is missing, but Leopard-Trek general manager Brian Nygaard feels satisfied with how the team has performed until now. “Assessing the season so far, I am happy with what we have got. I think with a little bit more luck, we would have been sitting here before Liege with a Classic win or two,” he told VeloNation in a video interview. Nygaard was referring to Cancellara’s near-misses, and also to the crash which took he and Frank Schleck out of contention for the Amstel Gold race. “But there is still one to go. Overall, I am very happy with how the season is coming along. We started out by saying [...]