Spyns Tour de France Tours: On top of world, Evans is back into gear

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With only 4 months to go, Spyns Tour de France clients excitedly prepare for thier trip to France with Spyns Tour de France Tours, Cadel Evans, seems to have takes a lighter approach to this years tour, in terms of racing anyway.

He looks to be in form but is he a real contender for this years Tour de France?  We will have to wait until July to see if he can better his two second places at the Tour de France.

Fresh from winning the Tirreno-Adriatico classic yesterday, Cadel Evans has proven he is back among the contenders for this year's Tour de France.

After being among the favourites for last year's Tour, Evans faded badly to finish 26th on general classification; the window of opportunity fast closing for the 34-year-old.

However, yesterday's imposing win over 2010 Tour de France runner-up Andy Schleck proves he is not finished yet.

Evans faces his next big test when he comes up against controversial three-time Tour de France champion Alberto Contador in Spain next week.

Evans rocketed to equal-first on the world rankings yesterday when he held off his rivals in the closing 9.3km time trial to win the seven-day coast-to-coast race in northern Italy by 11 seconds.

The Australian had only raced for two days before tackling Tirreno-Adriatico, but had solid support from BMC teammates Alessandro Ballan and George Hincapie.

The two-time Tour de France runner-up and 2009 world road champion will next test his legs in the seven-day Tour of Catalonia, starting on Monday, where he will race Contador, Carlos Sastre, Denis Menchov, Ivan Basso, Levi Leipheimer, Christian Van de Velde, Vincenzo Nibali and Michele Scarponi.

Only brothers Frank and Andy Schleck are missing from the field with the older brother troubled by a nagging back complaint, while Andy is also struggling with early season form.

He finished a disappointing 41st behind Evans, at 14min 34 sec. Swiss Fabian Cancellara won the final stage of Tirreno-Adriatico.

With a question mark hanging over Contador's racing future as the UCI weighs up grounds for an appeal against the Spanish federation's decision to allow him to resume racing after having tested positive to a banned substance at last year's Tour, bookmakers have yet to frame an early market for the July tour. Evans' win ended a three-year drought in winning a stage race, since the 2008 edition of the Settimana Coppie Bartali.

He heads to Spain leading the world road rankings on a countback from German Tony Martin (HTC-Highroad), who won the Paris-Nice race last Sunday.

"It will be a different style of race (in Spain) with long climbs against a field of climbers," Evans said. "We'll see how I go. My form is not quite there yet, but I won't be too bad in big climbs through Andorra."

Of his rise to the top of the rankings, Evans said: "With the low-key start to my own season, I would not have predicted this, but I might have hoped for it.

"The season has just started, let's have a look at the rankings again in August or September."

Spyns Tours and TDF Tours specialize in Tour de France packages for both riders, non-riders, and mixed tours. Spyns is an active travel company based in Whister, BC (Canada) and Beaujolais France. Spyns offers active holidays to Europe including trips to the 2011 Tour de France. For more information about Spyns 2011 Tour de France tours, please visit http://www.tdf-tours.com/ http://www.spyns.com/ or call 1.888.825.4720.

Spyns Tour de France Tours: Aussie road warriors crank up pace

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Although we are a Canadian Cycling tour operator, we have a number of staff as well as clients who hail from 'downunder'!  No doubt they will be delighted to see the form of some of the upcoming Australian road cyclists.  

THE Australian invasion of world cycling is gathering strength. Yesterday it was Matt Goss who claimed a stage win in the Paris-Nice.

Overnight it was a record 13 Australians lining up in the Tirreno-Adriatico, including Cadel Evans and Robbie McEwen. It looks certain Australian riders will be playing a major part when the Tour de France gets underway in July.

While the Tour is still four months away, Goss yesterday showed in the final sprint after 200km of racing on the undulating roads through Burgundy that Australians can win a major tour.

Many such as Goss boast an excellent record on the track. Others, such as Evans, were hardened by mountain biking. All are proving to be road warriors capable of matching it with the world's best.

Goss's win came just days after Canberra's Michael Matthews opened his first-class account for Dutch paymaster Rabobank with a stage win in Spain's Vuelta a Murcia.

It was Goss's seventh win of the season and it came as no surprise to Geelong's John Trevorrow, the Jayco series director, who has given so many of today's Australian European-based professionals their first start.

"Like O'Grady and others like him, Goss comes to the road with a strong track background as he showed in his bike handling following the carnage in the final metres of yesterday's stage," Trevorrow said. "Ironically the win could just as easily have gone to Heinrich Haussler, another kid from the country in northern NSW.

"When you look around at the make-up of the first division UCI World Tour squads, it is mind-boggling to see the ever-growing number of Australians.

"The proposed Australian GreenEdge team entry next year couldn't be better timed and much of the credit must go to Shayne Bannan's vision at the AIS.

"Bannan has worked wonders with Canberra's Michael Matthews, who has come off winning the world under-23 road race in Geelong last October to win his first race in Europe."

Matthews took out the opening stage win at the Tour of Murcia in Spain, relegating three-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador to 16th place.

Goss, 23, returned to Europe last month after an outstanding domestic summer which included beating Matthews for the yellow jersey at the Jayco International series in Geelong and wearing the ochre jersey for a day at the Santos Tour Down Under in January.

The win in Burgundy yesterday saw him take the race leader's yellow jersey off the Belgian Thomas De Gendt in a field that also includes fellow Tasmanian Richie Porte.

The racing season in Italy stepped up a notch overnight with the opening stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico which saw a record 13 Australians on the start line.

The Australians are: Cadel Evans (BMC), Mark Renshaw (HTC-Highroad), Adam Hansen (Omega Pharma Lotto), Allan Davis, Simon Clarke (Astana), Baden Cooke, David Tanner (Saxo Bank-Sunguard), Mathew Hayman, Chris Sutton (Team Sky), Brett Lancaster, Matt Wilson (Garmin-Cervelo), Stuart O'Grady (Leopard-Trek), and Robbie McEwen (RadioShack).

Why not join a Spyns Tour de France 6 or 7 day cycling tour and watch your favorite Australian cyclist in action in July!  Or, if already in Europe, join one of our shorter 3 day Paris Finish - Premiere or Deluxe Tours, or even, just purchas one of our 'Deluxe Day at the Races' Triomphe Grandstand seats, now available for the 24the July 2011.

Spyns Tours and TDF Tours specialize in Tour de France packages for both riders, non-riders, and mixed tours. Spyns is an active travel company based in Whister, BC (Canada) and Beaujolais France. Spyns offers active holidays to Europe including trips to the 2011 Tour de France. For more information about Spyns 2011 Tour de France tours, please visit http://www.tdf-tours.com/ http://www.spyns.com/ or call 1.888.825.4720.
 

Spyns Tour de France Tours: Ivan Basso takes first win of 2011 at GP Lugano

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Spyns Tour de france clients will be happy that the Tour de France looks like it will be a great race again in 2011!  It looks like Contador is in?  Basso has form, Evans is focused on the Tour de France and don't forget the favorite - Schleck!


Italian Tour de France hope takes the win over Duarte and Visconti

2010 Giro d'Italia winner, Ivan Basso, notched up his first win of the 2011 season today in Lugano. The Liquigas rider topped Colombia's 2008 U23 World Champion, Fabio Duarte, and yesterday's GP Insubrica winner, Giovanni Visconti. Visconti wasn't the only rider who put in two consecutive days of solid results though: Team Type 1's Jure Kocjan managed a 4th place in Lugano following his runner-up spot to the Italian champion on Saturday. For Basso, it's a stellar start to his 2011 campaign, for which he has set his sights entirely on July's Tour de France.

Duarte and Basso separated themselves from a select group of four as the crowning move of a long series of attacks.

The decisive moment of the day came in the race's final climb. Cofidis's talented Estonian climber, Rein Taaramae initiated the proceedings with a powerful attack. Italy's two-time Giro d'Italia winner followed the Cofidis rider immediately and with ease, while behind, it was Italy's National Champion, Visconti, who understood the critical nature of the move and leapt across as well. Geox-TMC super young rider, Fabio Duarte, was the last to jump across to make it four at the front - the winner would come from this quartet.

For Taaramae, it was a little too much too early though, and shortly after starting the move, he had to retreat back to the field, leaving only Basso, Visconti, and Duarte.

While Visconti got most of the attention from his win on Saturday, both Basso and Duarte had shown themselves at the head of the field in the waning moments of the GP Insubrica. Duarte led a late move that survived into the final half kilometer, while it was Basso who countered that move, but couldn't quite get free in the fast finish.

On Sunday, there would be no large group to ruin Basso's chances though. As the final climb continued, Visconti began to struggle. He did everything he could to hold on, but eventually succumbed to the pace being set by the former Tour de France podium finisher and the 2008 Espoir World Champion.

With the original move of four down to two, there was only the final descent to negotiate, which Basso managed with aplomb. In the finishing sprint, the not known for his sprinting prowess Basso, was able to just nose his front wheel ahead of his much younger rival to take a big win to start the season.

Unsurprisingly, Basso had only words for his recently passed mentor and coach, Aldo Sassi.

"This victory is for him," said Basso to La Gazzetta dello Sport. "But I know he wants another win…"

It's not too hard to guess, which race he's talking about.

Spyns Tours and TDF Tours specialize in Tour de France packages for both riders, non-riders, and mixed tours. Spyns is an active travel company based in Whister, BC (Canada) and Beaujolais France. Spyns offers active holidays to Europe including trips to the 2011 Tour de France. For more information about Spyns 2011 Tour de France tours, please visit http://www.tdf-tours.com/ http://www.spyns.com/ or call 1.888.825.4720.

Spyns Tour de France Trip Packages: Contador's lawyer explains ban U-turn

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With just over 4 months to go until the start of the 2011 Tour de France, Spyns Clients may now get to see the always interesting and exciting Schleck/Contacor Duel!  I guess only time will tell.

Alberto Contador's lawyer has told The Independent how his client's suspension has been lifted despite him being found with the banned substance clenbuterol in his system when he won last year's Tour de France after eating contaminated steak.

Andy Ramos said the defence team's default position in the case was that Contador had strayed across the boundaries of anti-doping law without being aware he was doing so. "The [anti-doping] legislation states that a rider is responsible for any banned substance in his body," Ramos says. "But there's a clause that frees him of that responsibility if he can demonstrate there was no intentional negligence. We proved that, and that was the key to his defence. From day one his defence was based around that clause."

The other confusion surrounding Contador's proposed ban was the length, which was just a year, but Ramos explains this "was no more than a prosecutor's proposal". "It was wrongly thought that a year's ban was an actual sentence, and that the Spanish cycling federation was then influenced by political pressure in Spain [to reduce it]. But that proposal was not legally binding."

As for those who believe that a banned substance in an athlete's body is a positive under Wada regulations come what may, Ramos argued "they should read the whole rulebook, not just the article [that states that] and they would find there are exceptions to that rule."

Spyns Tours and TDF Tours specialize in Tour de France packages for both riders, non-riders, and mixed tours. Spyns is an active travel company based in Whister, BC (Canada) and Beaujolais France. Spyns offers active holidays to Europe including trips to the 2011 Tour de France. For more information about Spyns 2011 Tour de France tours, please visit http://www.tdf-tours.com/ http://www.spyns.com/ or call 1.888.825.4720. 

Spyns Tour de France Trip Packages: Evans rules local team 'a bit late for me'

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Although we are a Canadian based Tour Operator that organises tours to the Tour de France, I am an Australian and a self confessed supporter of Cadel Evans!  Will this be his last year, or at least his last chance at yellow in Paris?  We know that Spyns Tour de France clients will get to see Cadel in 2011?  But for how many more years we are not sure. I do however believe that there is a big future in Australian Road cycling.

THERE is little to no prospect of Australia's most iconic modern-day cyclist, Cadel Evans, ever racing for the GreenEDGE outfit that plans to be the country's first Pro team and compete at next year's Tour de France.

While confident that the GreenEDGE project will succeed where plenty of Australian cycling movements have failed before it, Evans has said he certainly will not be a foundation member and can only envisage himself joining in retirement.

There are many in cycling circles who believe GreenEDGE should make a point of luring the 2009 world road race champion, and two-time Tour de France runner-up, from the BMC Racing team he is contracted to until the end of 2012, but GreenEDGE's boss Shayne Bannan specifically ruled out the prospect of buying contracted riders at the official unveiling of the project in Adelaide on Monday.
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''At this point in my career, the Aussie team project comes a bit late for me,'' Evans, who is 34 next month, said from Europe.

''While my national pride says one thing, at BMC we have all committed a lot to get this project going. And I have to say, I'm very pleased with the outcome, and the future here.

''Both Andy Rids [BMC director] and I have committed a lot for me to be here at BMC today. So a team that is building for 2012, might be too late for a rider like me who will be 34 next month. In a coaching or mentoring position, that would be something else. At this point, I might be the right kind of person to fill a role like that, but we will see in the years to come. Certainly, after racing, I want to be involved in cycling. In what sort of capacity, will depend on the opportunities that come my way when the time comes to stop racing.''

Evans signed a three-year deal with BMC before last season that technically - though not necessarily - ties him to that stable until the end of 2012 as a minimum. He joined after spending the bulk of his career riding for Belgian outfit Silence Lotto.

One of world cycling's most recent examples of a big name buy-out was when British-owned Team Sky managed to snare Bradley Wiggins from American-owned Garmin-Cervelo last year. Having Wiggins, an Englishman and cycling superstar, headline the roster of the new team in its debut season was an enormous coup in terms of morale, exposure and sponsorship.

Matt Hayman, an Australian veteran of the professional peloton who will be a target for GreenEDGE given he comes out of contract with heavyweight team Sky at the end of this year, is one who has told The Age at Tour Down Under this week that Evans would top his wish list if he were directing the new Australian team.

A factor in Evans' inclination to stay put is the sense of risk involved in joining a new team that will inevitably experience teething problems. Australian Tour de France stage winner Simon Gerrans, who is out of contract with Sky at the end of this season and an ideal rider for GreenEDGE to build a squad around, expressed similar apprehension this week.

''As an athlete, you do not have a lot of time in your career. A year or two lost for the sake of a team collapse, is very difficult to recuperate,'' Evans said.

''So a rider who only has one, two or three years left to race is better to go with a conservative but surer option and stay in an established team rather than risking losing the last years of their career.''

Still, Evans said GreenEDGE should make a point of recruiting a veteran ''who can be relied on to get results immediately. Robbie [McEwen] fills this role well, Gerrans and [Michael] Rogers would be good alternative candidates,'' he said, subsequently adding Hayman to the list.

Matt Goss, Leigh Howard (HTC-Highroad), Cameron and Travis Meyer (Garmin-Cervelo), Michael Matthews (Rabobank) and Tim Roe (BMC) were the young riders Evans nominated as ideal recruits.

While the flawed Australian Pegasus Sports project managed to sign a champion rider like McEwen, only to fall over when its principal financial backer pulled out, Evans is positive GreenEDGE will succeed, chiefly because of Bannan's involvement. But his first-hand experience of BMC's fight to win a top-division racing licence taught him it is not a fait accompli for GreenEDGE, even if the team does have adequate financial backing and assembles a strong team.

''It is surprisingly difficult getting a start in the Tour de France for sporting, political, financial and cultural reasons,'' he said.

''It's not a sure bet, but … personally, I'll surprised if this GreenEDGE project does not reach the higher levels. Shayne Bannan is a doer, not a talker.''
Spyns Tours and TDF Tours specialize in Tour de France packages for both riders, non-riders, and mixed tours. Spyns is an active travel company based in Whister, BC (Canada) and Beaujolais France. Spyns offers active holidays to Europe including trips to the 2011 Tour de France. For more information about Spyns 2011 Tour de France tours, please visit http://www.tdf-tours.com/ http://www.spyns.com/ or call 1.888.825.4720. 

Spyns Tour de France Trip Packages: Ricco admits blood transfusion caused hospitalisation

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It looks like there is another cyclist that Spyns Tour de France clients will not see in at the Tour de France 2011 - Riccardo Riccò.

Italian cyclist Ricardo Ricco admitted today that a blood transfusion led to his hospitalisation. It counts for the second doping incident with the 2008 Tour de France and will likely lead to at least a five-year ban.

The 27-year-old told doctors; "I did an autologous blood transfusion." According to Italian paper La Gazzetta dello Sport.

The public prosecutor of Modena, where Riccò has been hospitalised since Sunday, said that he will open an investigation.

It is the second doping investigation for Riccardo Riccò in three years. He tested positive for blood booster EPO-CERA at the Tour de France in 2008. The test results were revealed on July 17, after he had won two stages (Super-Besse and Bagnères-de-Bigorre).

Riccò served a 20-month suspension and lost his two stages wins as a result.

Last year, he returned with Italian second division team Ceramica Flaminia as if nothing ever happened, winning five stages in various races and the Tour of Austria overall classification.

He left Ceramica Flaminia at the end of the season when he annulled his contract for a fee of €75,000. He joined Vacansoleil in August and helped the team gain a first division, WorldTour licence with his UCI points.

He began his season a week ago at the GP Marseillaise one-day in France. He was due to start the Tour Méditerranéen stage race tomorrow.

Riccò now faces another Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) and a possible five-year to lifetime ban. The Italian anti-doping tribunal (TNA) issued Italian cyclist Lorenzo Bernucci a five-year year ban yesterday on the recommendation of CONI. Bernucci was caught with drugs in his house, his second offence in three years.

"Riccò's condition, initially critical, is improving," read a medical bulletin last night. "The prognosis, being cautious, remains confidential."

He had felt ill on Saturday after training and told his dad Rubino Riccò that he had a fever of 38°C. It rose to 40°C overnight and was accompanied by abdominal pain. Rubino took his son to the local hospital in Pavullo Sunday morning. Doctors saw Riccò's condition was critical and transferred him to the hospital in Modena.

Spyns Tours and TDF Tours specialize in Tour de France packages for both riders, non-riders, and mixed tours. Spyns is an active travel company based in Whister, BC (Canada) and Beaujolais France. Spyns offers active holidays to Europe including trips to the 2011 Tour de France. For more information about Spyns 2011 Tour de France tours, please visit http://www.tdf-tours.com/ http://www.spyns.com/ or call 1.888.825.4720.  

Spyns Tour de France Trip Packages: Riccardo Ricco hospitalised with fever, apparent kidney failure:

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While Spyns Tour de France clients are keeping fit and healthy whilst preparing for their Tour de France 2011 hioliday of a lifetime, cyclist Riccardo Ricco is in hospital and remains in a critical condition.

 

He was yesterday hospitalised with fever and  apparent kidney failure

Riccardo Riccò was hospitalized overnight in an Italian hospital with high fever and apparent kidney failure.

Details were sketchy on exactly what happened or what caused his illness. Doctors at the hospital of Riccò’s hometown of Modena said Monday in an official communique that the Italian rider entered the hospital Sunday evening with high fever and symptoms of kidney failure.

Officials said Monday his condition was “critical, but improving,” with a “reserved” prognosis.

According to reports in the Italian media, Riccò returned Sunday from a five-hour training ride complaining of high fever, as high as 104 degrees. His father transported him to a local hospital, where doctors immediately transferred Riccò to a larger, better-equipped hospital in Modena.

Vancansoleil team manager Daan Luijkx reported in a team statement that Riccò’s condition is improving: “Riccardo had a fever of more than 40C (104F) yesterday, but today he feels much better. The doctors wanted to keep him there for at least one day to have him under observation.”

Later Monday, the Italian news agency ANSA reported that Riccò’s “state of health, critical to start off with, according to the Nuovo Ospedale Civile Sant’Agostino Estense di Baggiovara clinic, has improved.”

Rubinho Ricco, the racer’s father, said he had suffered a “kidney failure” after a Sunday training session amid reports he could be suffering from kidney stones.

He added his son was conscious and talking while the hospital said it would update the racer’s news Tuesday afternoon.

Riccò, 27, was set to start the Tour Mediterranean this week and race the Volta ao Algarve later this month in Portugal as part of his comeback from a racing ban after testing positive for CERA/EPO during the 2008 Tour de France.

Spyns Tours and TDF Tours specialize in Tour de France packages for both riders, non-riders, and mixed tours. Spyns is an active travel company based in Whister, BC (Canada) and Beaujolais France. Spyns offers active holidays to Europe including trips to the 2011 Tour de France. For more information about Spyns 2011 Tour de France tours, please visit http://www.tdf-tours.com/ http://www.spyns.com/ or call 1.888.825.4720.