Cycling Racing News and Opinion
August 9, 2014

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Matti Breschel Extends with Tinkoff-Saxo

I just got this release from Tinkoff-Saxo announcing the popular Danish rider's contract extension:

Tinkoff-Saxo happily announces that Matti Breschel will stay with the team in 2015. The Tinkoff-Saxo has signed a one-year deal with the Danish rider securing his great talent for yet another year. Matti is equally pleased to continue on the team and looks forward to wearing the Tinkoff-Saxo tricot in 2015.

“It has been my plan to stay with the team and it’s nice to finally being able to announce it. We actually made the draft for the contract in October 2013, but now it's official. I wanted to stay with Tinkoff-Saxo and this contract shows that it’s mutual. I enjoy being on this team, where I’ve spent most of my career”, says Matti Breschel after crossing the finish line on the 4th stage of Tour of Denmark.

Matti turned pro on Team CSC, now Tinkoff-Saxo, in 2005 and has spent his career on the team expect for a two-year stint on Rabobank in 2011-2012. In 2013, the fast Dane with a flair for cobbles and hills returned and has despite crashes in his favored spring classics gained noticeable success with 5 victories the last two seasons. Matti, who is the most successful Danish riders of his generation, aims for further success in 2015 as well as the remainder of this season.

“We’re going to have a really exciting team next season. My clear ambition is to help the team as much as possible, whether it’s by winning stages or supporting my teammates. I believe I can perform throughout the season, but the spring classics are of course on my radar as a part of the season, where I want to race on my highest level. I’m in good shape right now and I want to finish 2014 strongly”, adds Matti Breschel.

Team Manager Bjarne Riis is glad to have Matti on the team for another season and gives his praises to the former Danish champion.

“I very happy to announce that Matti will stay with us in 2015. There is no doubt about the fact that he has a very big talent and real class. He has had some unfortunate years with crashes and injuries. But I know we haven’t seen Matti’s full potential yet. After each injury he has fought his way back and in glimpses we’ve seen what level he actually has”, says Bjarne Riis and continues:

“Matti can perform throughout the season but he’s a rider made for the classics. We will have a very strong classics-team next year and Matti will play a key part. I actually believe that his chances will be bigger with Sagan as team captain in the classics by motivating him and removing some of the attention in the races”, concludes Bjarne Riis.

Matti Breschel in 2013. Photo ©Sirotti

BMC Racing Team Announces Eneco Tour Roster

Rohan Dennis makes his debut for the BMC Racing Team at the Eneco Tour of Benelux.

Race Begins Monday: Dennis was signed to the BMC Racing Team earlier this month in a transfer from Garmin-Sharp. Runner-up in the individual time trial at the Commonwealth Games, Dennis will be joined by past world road champion Philippe Gilbert and six others in the week-long race that begins Monday.

Riders: Marcus Burghardt (GER), Stephen Cummings (GBR), Rohan Dennis (AUS), Silvan Dillier (SUI), Philippe Gilbert (BEL), Daniel Oss (ITA), Manuel Quinziato (ITA), Greg Van Avermaet (BEL).

Sport Directors: Noel Dejonckheere (BEL), Allan Peiper (AUS), Valerio Piva (ITA)

Doctor: Giovanni Ruffini (ITA)

Chief Communications Officer: Georges Lüchinger (LIE)

Staff: Administration: Els Delaere (BEL). Bus Driver: Matt Rompion (FRA). Chef: Jean-Patrick Simonneau (FRA). Mechanics: Landrie Jürgen (BEL), Jean-Marc Vandenberghe (BEL), Glen Vandevyvere (BEL). Nutritionist: Judith Haudum (AUT). Soigneurs: David Bombeke (BEL), Marc Paeme (BEL), Geert Tiebergyn (BEL), Luca Vaiente (ITA).

New BMC rider Rohan Dennis at the start of his ride at the 2013 Elite Time Trial Championships. Photo ©Sirotti

Fernando Alonso Waits on the UCI

I had been wondering what was going on with the ProTour team that F1 driver Fernando Alonso is trying to get off the ground. A short report on the website Sports Business Daily caught my eye. Alonso's manager Luis Garcia-Abad says he cannot "sign any riders until they learn whether or not their licence application has been successful," according to Gregor Brown in Cycling Weekly.

But Alonso is faced with riders not wanting to wait for his team to get approved. Of course they are going ahead and signing contracts now, so Alonso "could be left with nothing."

Garcia-Abad met the UCI's deadline of last Friday to submit the paperwork. But the UCI won't announce the names of the owners of the coveted 18 licenses until October. Despite Alonso's people working on forming the team and trying to make the UCI happy, until and if the license is approved, they, "do not want to offer any contracts.

Word is Alonso has a big bucket of money, perhaps 100 million Euros ($133,000,000 USD) for a five year project from sponsors in Dubai.

Cannondale for RideLondon-Surrey Classic

Here's Cannondale's release for the upcoming RideLondon-Surrey Classic:

Cannondale Pro Cycling will once again find itself in London one month after the finish of the Tour de France's third stage in the same city. On Sunday, August 10, the Green Machine will try to sprint to victory at the Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic, a 192 km road race through the U.K. capital and Surrey Hills.

RideLondon's route is based on the 2012 Olympic Games road race, and the finale is suited for a massive bunch finish which was seen in 2013 and 2012. Cannondale Pro Cycling will put its trust in Elia Viviani, who has had four sprint wins in 2014 as well as Fabio Sabatini who finished fourth in last year's RideLondon race.

"This is my first race after the Tour de France, and I'm really happy it's in London, where I have great memories for the Olympic Games," said Viviani. "August will be an important month in my schedule and the RideLondon Classic is the first step. I want to do my best, especially in view of the USA Pro Challenge, my next biggest goal."

Along with Viviani and Sabatini, team director Stefano Zanatta selected a group of reliable long distance riders - Maciej Bodnar, Kristijan Koren, Paolo Longo Borghini and young rider Alberto Bettiol.

"We expect an animated race and we're ready to play our chances," said Zanatta. "We have two riders able to take a good result in a bunch sprint and our aim is to make it happen. Riders are in good shape and motivated to do well - we just need to stay focused on our goal and to work hard to achieve it."

Elia Viviani wins stage three of this year's Coppi-Bartali week. Photo ©Sirotti

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