Christian Vande Velde Video Interview: Playing a team role in Fleche Wallonne, building towards Tour
American rider satisfied with how season is goingChristian Vande Velde said prior to the start of today’s Flèche Wallonne that Ryder Hesjedal and Dan Martin were the team’s protected riders for the race. Martin subsequently crashed out, but the Garmin-Cervélo team will put everything behind Hesjedal in a bid to help the Canadian challenge for a top result. “I think they have good possibilities for the podium today,” Vande Velde said shortly before rolling out at the start of the hilly Belgian Classic. He said that he was very satisfied with how his preparations are going in the build-up to this year’s Tour de France; he’s avoided injury, has shown solid form, and is building gradually to what he hopes will be a very big peak. Vande Velde was fourth in 2008 and knows that he is running out of time to tilt at a podium position. If all goes [...]
Jens Voigt Video Interview: Fleche Wallonne and more
German buoyant prior to start of Ardennes ClassicLeopard Trek’s evergreen veteran Jens Voigt was in bright spirits this morning at the start of Fleche Wallonne, saying that his team would try to ride to set up either Frank or Andy Schleck for a strong finish in the race. Voigt was tightlipped – but humorous – about the team plans for the day, but said that the tactics would be chosen in order to best aid the chances of the two brothers. Both have been in good form of late, with Frank Schleck winning the Criterium International and his brother launching a very impressive attack near the end of the Amstel Gold Race last Sunday. He was reeled in inside the final kilometre, mostly due to strong chasing by the Omega Pharma Lotto team of race winner Philippe Gilbert, but it was clear that he is close – or equal to [...]
HTC-Highroad fully behind Cavendish and Goss for Milan San Remo
American ProTeam expecting strong showing in prestigious Classic on Saturday The 2009 winner Mark Cavendish and in-form team-mate Matt Goss have been named as the two protected riders for Saturday’s Milan-Sanremo Classic in Italy, with HTC Highroad expressing confidence in both. Cavendish will be the official team leader, despite having a quiet season start thus far. He has raised his arms just once, winning a stage at the Tour of Oman, and clocked up just one top twenty placing in Tirreno-Adriatico. He was 19th on stage two, 90th on stage three, and outside the top 100 on each of the other stages. However he has said that he is confident that he is on course for a good Milan-Sanremo. Justifying that, he points to 2009, whe he was relatively quiet in the same event prior to winning in Sanremo. However he did nab placings of second and first on stages [...]