Friday, December 31, 2010

Spyns Tours Tour de France Cycling Tour Packages: Samuel Sanchez says Alberto Contador must be at the Tour de France



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Whilst Spyns Tour de France cycling tours, past and present clients, have celebrated Chirstmas and welcome the in 2011 in their respective countries, Alberto Contador awaits mid January and the hearing of his case.  Following are fellow Spainiard Samuel Sanchez' thoughts on Contador and the Tour de France in 2011.

“A Tour without Contador is like Roland Garros without Nadal or Formula 1 without Alonso,” says Olympic champion Samuel Sanchez.  After taking fourth place in this year’s Tour de France, only losing his podium place in the penultimate day’s time trial, Samuel Sanchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) has made the race one of his main targets of 2011. In an interview with biciciclismo.com, the Olympic champion spoke about what he saw as his own chances, and his thoughts on this year’s winner having to miss the race.

“The Tour is the best race in the World,” said Sanchez, “and you can’t compare anything else to it. There are many different factors; every year many of us riders prepare better and are a year older. The route changes every year and it’s always hard; you never know.”

Although 2010 winner Alberto Contador’s case has yet to be decided, the Tour champion’s positive test for clenbuterol may well see him suspended from next year’s race. For Sanchez, the removal of the top favourite for victory would be detrimental to the race, even though it would make it harder for him to win.

“Of the last four Tours he has won the three that he has ridden,” he said, “and so he’s earned his heavily favoured status. Honestly I’d prefer it if he is on the starting line; a Tour without Contador would be like a Roland Garros without Nadal, or Formula 1 without Alonso.”

Sanchez’ 2010 schedule did not include his home Grand Tour, the Vuelta a España, with the Olympic champion opting for the two new Canadian ProTour races ahead of his journey to Australia for the World Championships. Should circumstances treat him differently in 2011 though, Sanchez’ participation would not be out of the question.

“I’ve nothing against it,” he said, “of course I would ride it, but you have to go one step at a time. According to the rumours it will be a very tough Vuelta with new unused finishes. If I go, is to try to win; I was second in 2009, less than a minute behind a great rider like [Alejandro] Valverde, and third in 2007.

“We will have to wait and see how it goes at the Tour and the team has other riders who can do very well,” he added.

With Euskaltel-Euskadi teammate Igor Antón likely to be aiming at the Vuelta, after crashing out in the lead this year, Sanchez will likely throw everything he’s got at the tour.

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.    

Friday, December 24, 2010

Spyns Tours Tour de France Cycling Packages: Cyclists McEwen, Hunter join Armstrong's RadioShack










Spyns Tour de France clients come from various countries, although predominantly from the United States and Canada, they also come from countries such as Australia and South Africa.

No doubt these Spyns Tours guests will be delighted to see both Robbies’ racing for Team Radioshack in 2011!

Veteran Australian sprinter Robbie McEwen and South Africa's Robbie Hunter have signed to race for seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong's RadioShack team in 2011, it was revealed on Thursday.

Both men were part of the Pegasus Sports project which failed to get a ProTour licence for the new season and they opted to change teams.

"The two Robbies fit perfectlyin our group, which is a mixture of experienced and young riders," said RadioShack manager Johan Bruyneel.

McEwen is a triple winner of the Tour de France's green jersey sprinter's classification while Hunter was the first South African to win a stage on the Tour.

"I feel sad for the riders and staff of the Pegasus project, but most of the riders deserve to race at the highest level of professional cycling. I am happy to have been able to offer two of the guys that opportunity," added Bruyneel in a team statement.

"Moreover, we can really use both riders; they are real finishers and winners. They are both very fast and don't need a real sprinter's train to bring them to the last kilometre."

McEwen, 38, said he was delighted with the deal.

"It is a relief that I have secured a contract with Team RadioShack, obviously one of the best teams in the world where I can ride at the ProTour level in what I'm planning to be my last year as a professional," he said.

"When it became obvious that I had to look for another team, Team RadioShack really was my first choice. That's why I contacted Lance. I still believe that I am one of the fastest sprinters in the world."

McEwen has twelve stage wins in the Tour the France, another twelve in the Tour of Italy, plus five wins in the Paris-Brussels.

Hunter, who is 33, said he was looking forward to racing for his new team.

"I am happy to have found a team so soon after the collapse of the Pegasus Sports project," he said.

"Team RadioShack suits me very well. As the team didn't have many sprinters I will have my place over there."

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.    

Monday, December 20, 2010

Spyns Tour de France Trip Packages: Evans to skip Tour 'Down Under'

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Not everyones favorite cyclist.

Spyns Tour de France clients don't seem to be big fans of the Australian but  Vicky Johnstone, Spyns Tours - Head of Reservations, definatley seems to be an admirer of his, this is prehaps because she also comes from 'Downunder'

Former world champion and Tour de France runner-up Cadel Evans will miss next month's Tour Down Under in Adelaide.

The Australian raced with Team BMC earlier this year but has not been named in the team's seven-man squad for the 2011 edition.

2008 world champion Alessandro Ballan will spearhead the team, but there will still be an Australian presence with new recruit Tim Roe set to compete in the race.

The 21-year-old rode for the UniSA team in this year's Tour Down Under and then raced with Lance Armstrong's Trek Livestrong U23 group before signing with BMC.

"Many cycling fans will remember Tim from the 2010 race, where he rode for Team UniSA and came 13th overall in the Cycle Instead Young Rider category, really proving himself as a young cycling talent," race director Mike Turtur said.

"Having spent the past year riding with Lance Armstrong's Trek Livestrong Under-23 Team, it will be interesting to see how Roe has developed as a rider."

The Tour Down Under begins on January 16 and will be raced in Adelaide and regional South Australia.

Team BMC: Alessandro Ballan, Timothy Roe, Kristoff Alexander, Martin Kohler, John Murphy, Amael Moinard, Zahner Simon.

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.    


Friday, December 17, 2010

Spyns Tour de France Trip Packages: Lance to have a strong team 'Downunder'

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Most Spyns Tour de France tour clients love Lance Armstrong or at least admire him, and will be dissappointed he will not be riding in next year's Tour de France.

America's Team RadioShack will send a strong line-up to support Lance Armstrong in his final major race outside the US in the Tour Down Under in Adelaide in January.

Sebastian Rosseler and Jason McCartney will back Armstrong in the tour while three-time Swiss national road champion Gregory Rast and Jose Azevedo have also been included.

"From this line-up, Armstrong will be well supported by a strong squad that has a good combination of youth and experience for his farewell ride," race director Mike Turtur said on Friday.

A cancer survivor and seven times Tour de France winner, Armstrong retired from professional cycling in 2005 but launched his comeback at the 2009 Santos Tour Down Under to promote the efforts of Livestrong, a foundation he set up to create awareness and raise funds for his global cancer campaign.

He also raced in the Tour Down Under in 2010 and declared the 2011 race would be his last major event outside the US as he heads into retirement again.

The Tour Down Under will be race around Adelaide and regional South Australia from January 16-23.

Team RadioShack:

Jose Azevedo, Lance Armstrong, Markel Irizar, Sebastian Rosseler, Jason McCartney, Gregory Rast, Ben Hermans, Manuel Cardoso.

Follow Team Radioshack at the 2011 Tour de France with Spyns Tours.

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.                                                                 

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Spyns Tour de France Trip Packages: I am the best sprinter in the world - Cavendish


 


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Will Spyns Tours package tour clients see Cavendish in green in 2011?  No doubt he hopes so and it seems , he thinks so as well!

Britain's Mark Cavendish insists he is the best sprinter on the planet and fired a warning to his rivals by confessing he is spurred on by a ceaseless need to win. 

The 25-year-old put a sluggish start behind him to enjoy a stellar 2010, winning five stages in the Tour de France before becoming only the second Brit to win the sprinters' green jersey in the Vuelta a Espana.
Cavendish endured a tough start in the Tour de France, crashing on the first stage, but he rallied to finish second behind Alessandro Petacchi in the points classification - taking his tally of stage wins to an impressive 15. After adding to his six stage victories in 2009, it is of little surprise that he considers himself the finest sprinter around. 

"When journalists at the Tour de France ask me if I am the best sprinter, I say 'yes'," he said in the Daily Telegraph. "Everyone thinks that's arrogance, but if they don't ask me, I don't go around saying I'm the best sprinter there is." 

Pre-season preparations were hugely disrupted when he underwent dental surgery. Implored to let his body rest, Cavendish ignored the warnings and he picked up an infection in his gums. His team, HTC-Columbia withdrew him from the Tour of Romandie and then he missed the Giro d'Italia before falling heavily in a sprint finish in the Tour of Switzerland. However, despite his dreadful early-season form, Cavendish's belief never faded. 

"I said in January when I was having problems, that the beginning of my season was ruined," he said. "I said all along, I'll concentrate on the Tour and it will come right. Nothing changed. People wrote me off, but I knew the truth. I certainly didn't do it [win five stages] because people told me I couldn't. I know what I can achieve, I don't need external pressure. I get enough of that from myself." 

Outlining his ambitions for 2011, where he is aiming to win the green jersey in the Tour before triumphing at the World Championships in October, Cavendish said winning was his sole focus.

"I just love to win. Simple. It's a passion for me. Crossing that line first, arms up, it's the fulfilment of everything you and your team have been working for. Boil it down, my job is to get our sponsors' logo on that finishing line. I'm lucky that my job absolutely coincides with everything I want to do," he said.

Join Spyns Tours in 2011 and see the sprint finish live in Paris!

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.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Spyns Tour de France Trip Packages: Contador's lawyers using Gasquet's cocaine defense

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Will we see Contador in 2011?  Spyns Tour de France tour clients certainly hope so!

As much as he does not appear to be a favorite amongst non Spanish spectators, I am sure all Tour de France followers and Spyns Tour de France package tours clients would like to see the champion back again.

Alberto Contador's lawyers are using tennis player Richard Gasquet's successful appeal against cocaine use as part of their own defense for a failed Tour de France doping test.

Contador's lawyer, Andy Ramos, told The Associated Press on Tuesday a decision in cycling's biggest case could come "any day" as the Spanish cycling federation's disciplinary committee determines whether Contador deserves a two–year ban after testing positive for clenbuterol.

The three–time Tour champion says he ingested the muscle–building, weight–loss drug inadvertently through contaminated meat.

Contador's lawyers are using several cases relating to other athletes to highlight that Contador did not voluntarily take the drug. Contador will also lose his Tour title if he is found guilty.

Gasquet avoided a lengthy ban last year after the French player proved he inadvertently ingested cocaine after kissing a woman at a nightclub.

"Not one of the scientists we have worked with has said it couldn't have been anything but contamination," Ramos said in a telephone interview. "The levels are ridiculous — it couldn't be anything else."

Contador's lawyers are also using the case of Dimitrij Ovtcharov, who was cleared of doping by the German table tennis federation in October. The Ukrainian–born Ovtcharov successfully argued that tainted meat consumed in China was the reason for his positive test for clenbuterol.

Ovtcharov turned up an "extremely low" concentration of 75 picograms per milliliter in his sample compared to 50 picograms for Contador. A picogram is one trillionth of a gram.

Clenbuterol is considered a zero–tolerance drug by the World Anti–Doping Agency, which has reserved the right to appeal Ovtcharov's case to the Court for Arbitration for Sport.

The World Anti–Doping Agency and the International Tennis Federation attempt to ban Gasquet for two years was overturned after the Court for Arbitration for Sport accepted his claim that he inadvertently consumed cocaine by kissing the woman in a Miami club hours after withdrawing injured from a tournament last year.

Gasquet did not deny cocaine was in his system but proved it was not intentionally taken while showing no negligence on his own part. He served a 2–month suspension.

Contador is in Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, training with his Saxo Bank team, which is preparing for the 2011 season. Contador also won the Tour in 2007 and 2009.

While traces of clenbuterol have shown up in meat in China, it is rare in Europe. Out of 19,431 samples tested in 2008 and 2009, not one was positive for the drug, according to the European Commission's directorate for health and consumer policy.

For the interest of the sport in general and especially cycling , lets hope Contador is cleared and Spyns tours Tour de France clients can again, watch an exciting battle between the three time Tour de France Champion and his main rivals.

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.


Thursday, December 9, 2010

Spyns Tour de France trip packages: CADEL Evans is in a starkly contrasting position to where he was in almost a year ago.

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The 33-year-old Australian made headlines late last year when he severed ties with former team Silence-Lotto, buying his way out of contract to join team BMC Racing.  To many, the then reigning world champion had taken a big gamble joining the Pro Continental team that was not guaranteed a start at the 
2010 Tour de France.  But the 33-year-old had done his research before making the move and was not surprised when the outfit, who his manager 
began talking to in July 2009, was recently granted ProTour status for the 2011 
season. 

Proving the team was worthy of its wild card entry to this year's 
Tour by placing its leader in the yellow jersey is one of two season highlights for Evans. "Three months before it we were being criticised for not being a worthy team," he said. "To prove our worth and take the lead of the race that was a pretty special moment." The other was winning the seventh stage of the Giro d'Italia covered in mud.  "Brown roads not white roads," Evans quipped.  "We did so much work on course reconnaissance then it all came together in those conditions. They're telling me it's going to be a stage that's going to be remembered for years to come."

Evans will start his 2011 season in March at Tuscany's Strade Bianche Eroica after a race-laden schedule in 2010 that began at January's Tour Down Under and finished at October's Tour of Lombardy.  He plans to enter the Tour de France for "his own personal interest" fresh before possibly returning to the Tour of Spain two years after he was in a box seat to take out the overall what would have been his first Grand Tour victory before a mechanical during the 13th stage cost him valuable time.
"I always seem to have energy left for another Grand Tour it seems in the past years," he said.
"I've enjoyed doing the Vuelta the last few years, apart from the bad luck I had two years ago. Hopefully, by the time it comes around again I would have forgotten about that." The Tirreno-Adriatico, Amstel Gold Race, Fleche Wallonne and Dauphine Libere are also all on the early race program and Evans is confident he can maintain if not improve the form that saw him win Fleche Wallonne this year and wear the leader's jersey at both the Giro and Tour.

Respected cycling coach Aldo Sassi agrees as Evans continues to chase his first Grand Tour victory.  "Some people thought I was already done but my coach, Aldo Sassi, at the start of this year he said, 'For sure three years at this level, for sure'," Evans said.  "That would mean two more good Tours in my mind.  "When you're on the way out to be there as a support role for someone else I'd consider, but while I can be there for the win I want to be there 100 per cent.
"Aldo Sassi says two years and he's rarely wrong on these things so I have confidence in his experience."
Why not join Spyns/TDF Tours and see your favorite rider in action in the 98th Tour de France 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.