Cycling Racing News and Opinion
August 15, 2014

Back to news and opinion index page for links to archived stories

Stage Races go into the Mountains

The three stage races BikeRaceInfo.com is currently covering should have very different GCs after today. The Eneco Tour's stage five will be a sort of Tour of Flanders with thirteen climbs, including the Kruisberg, Edelareberg, Tenbosse, Muur van Geraardsbergen and the Bosberg.

The Tour de l'Ain's third stage today will have five categorized ascents, including two first-category climbs.

And the Vuelta a Burgos' third stage will have seven categorized climbs, including an above-category hilltop finish.

André Griepel Abandons Eneco Tour

André Greipel abandoned the Eneco Tour yesterday. The previous evening the German champion became ill. He has a throat infection.

Greipel did start the fourth stage hoping the situation wouldn't get any worse. During the stage it became obvious it was pointless to continue. Together with the team doctor he decided to abandon, with the rest of the season in mind. Greipel's next race will be the Vattenfall Cyclassics.

André Greipel at the start of Eneco Tour stage 4, before abandoning. Photo ©Sirotti

Europcar for Vuelta

Europcar announced its Vuelta a España squad:

Natnael Berhane, Jerome Cousin, Dan Craven, Jimmy Engoulvent, Vincent Jerome, Yannick Martinez, Maxime Mederel, Brian Nauleau, Romain Sicard

Lotto-Belisol Vuelta Team:

Sander Armée, Vegard Breen, Bart De Clercq, Jens Debusschere, Adam Hansen, Greg Henderson, Pim Ligthart, Maxime Monfort and Jurgen Van den Broeck

IAM Cycling Vuelta Squad

And, IAM Cycling announced its riders for the Tour of Spain: Marcel Aregger, Jonathan Fumeaux, Sébastien Hinault, Pirman Lang, Matteo Pelucchi, Vicente Reynes, Aleksejs Saramotins, Patrick Schelling and Johann Tschopp

Eneco Tour Stage Four crash

Near the end of the fourth stage of the Eneco Tour, a bad crash took down several riders. Czech champion and former leader Zdenek Stybar was ambulance to a hospital with a neck brace. So far the damage seems limited to facial contusions and a broken tooth but no broken bones or brain injury.

Alexandr Porsev, Russian Road Champion, also went down hard and suffered a broken collarbone. He will undergo surgery at a hospital in Roeselare.

Zdenek Stybar on his way to the hospital.

Back to news and opinion index page for links to archived stories