Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Tuesday, February 9, 2016

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Do the right thing. It will gratify some people and astonish the rest. - Mark Twain

Racing today:

• February 8 - 12: Tour of Qatar

Upcoming racing:

• February 11 - 14: La Méditerranéenne (Glad to see this. The 2015 edition was cancelled)

BikeRaceInfo's new nutrition science contributor

I'm tickled to write this. Certified sports nutritionist Marcia Homer will be contributing essays to our site about nutrition and other subjects that fall within her substantial expertise. The first one is up, about caffeine and how it can legally boost your performance. I know you'll find the piece informative and interesting.

Tom Bohli Forced to Abandon Tour of Qatar

BMC sent this news:

8 February, 2015, Doha, Qatar: Tom Bohli was involved in a crash in the opening stage of the Tour of Qatar which forced him to abandon the race.

He was transported by ambulance to hospital where X-rays were performed to determine the nature of his injuries.

"The X-rays were completely negative and the medical report shows that he has abrasions on his left shoulder and right knee. Tom was very lucky as it was a bad crash," BMC Racing Team Doctor, Dr. Daniele Zaccaria said.

"We will continue to treat his abrasions and monitor his progress over the next couple of days here at the hotel. In a couple of weeks' time he should be able to race again."

It is a disappointing end to Bohli's Middle East racing program, following his participation at the Dubai Tour. "I really don't remember how the crash happened at all," Bohli explained. "I don't feel too bad. My right knee hurts a bit as I have a small hole there from the crash, but otherwise it is general road rash and cuts. I'm more disappointed than anything to not be able to continue the race, as I was particularly looking forward to the time trial."

Giant-Alpecin racing plans

I found this release in my inbox:

RACE PREVIEW: FEBRUARY 8 - 16: TOUR OF OMAN (2.HC)

Next on the schedule is the Tour of Oman which is now in its 7th edition. The race starts on Tuesday, February 16th and features six stages combining a mixture of sprints, hills and mountains as the Tour of Oman is the most mountainous race in the Middle East, in particular stage 4.

Tom Dumoulin will be at the Tour of Oman

Debuting coach for Team Giant-Alpecin Luke Roberts (AUS) said: "This year the Tour of Oman has been made substantially more challenging with a difficult uphill finish at the Green Mountain climb, as well as a second uphill finish included on stage 2."

"There will be some stages well suited to Søren and Tom [Dumoulin], they have both looked quite sharp during our recent training camp and they are capable of performing well and challenging for stage results. We will take it day by day and we will not set out with a specific focus on the general classification." 

RACE: Tour of Oman (2.HC)

DATE: 16-21/02/2016

COACH: Luke Roberts (AUS) 

LINE-UP: Søren Kragh Andersen (DEN), Tom Dumoulin (NED), Johannes Fröhlinger (GER), Cheng Ji (CHN), Tom Stamsnijder (NED), Zico Waeytens (BEL)

BARDIANI-CSF AT LA MEDITERRANEENNE  

I got this news piece from the team:

One week after the seasonal debut, Bardiani-CSF continues its first and busy race month attending the 42nd edition of La Mediterraneenne (UCI Europe Tour 2.1).

The short stages racing, starting with 7 km team time trial in Banyoles (Spain) on February 11 and finishing in Bordighera (Italy) on Sunday the 14th, will be a new test bench for the #GreenTeam after the encouraging performances at Volta Valenciana and GP Costa degli Etruschi.

Lead by team director Roberto Reverberi and supported by team coach Claudio Cucinotta, eight riders will be at the start on Thursday - from Valencia Nicola Ruffoni, Nicola Boem, Paolo Simion, Simone Andreetta and Luca Sterbini; from Tuscany Stefano Pirazzi, Manuel Bongiorno and Simone Sterbini.

Nicola Boem winning stage 10 of the 2015 Giro d'Italia.

“The main goal we have is continuing our growth and being competitive during each stage” said Reverberi. “We started the season with a positive approach and during this four days race we have the chance to confirm we are on the good way. We have Ruffoni and Simion as leaders for the sprints as well as the right riders to support them and to attack. I expect new signals of improvements, also in terms of results”.

Lampre-Merida reports on the Tour of Qatar first stage

The team sent me this update:

The first stage of the Tour of Qatar, 176 km from Durkhan to Al Khor Corniche, was characterized by the full force wind and a good performance by Sacha Modolo, who confirmed his good condition.

The gusts of wind blew on the bunch from the start and helped the riders to ride at an average speed higher than 50 km/h.

This caused a heavy selection in the peloton, with 21 riders who took the head of the race after 50 km in the stage: Modolo was great in playing in the wind and he succeeded in joining this head group, which had a maximum advantae of 2'

While the bunch was focused on the chase to the head group, a crash occurred and Matej Mohoric got involved in, suffering a broken elbow. The Slovenian rider is in a hospital in Doha and Dr Pollastri, LAMPRE-MERIDA's physician, is evaluating with the local medicians how to organize the best assistance.

The chasing group could not neutralize the gap, so the leading riders sprinted for the victory of the stage.

Modolo was just behind Cavendish when the British rider started the sprint at 200 mt to the arrival, he tried to overcome the formed world champion who reacted and defended his advantage on LAMPRE-MERIDA's rider, who obtained the second place preceding Guardini, Bennet and Kristoff. Kump won the sprint of the chasing group, crossing the finish line in 17th position with a gap of 1'43".

"I'm satisfied for my condition which allowed me to be in the head group when the bunch was broked by the wind, but I have some regrets for not have been able to achieve the big target - Modolo explained - My idea was to anticipate Cavendish, but Mark began the sprint earlier than me, so I could not overtake him.

"I don't want to think about regrets, I prefer to focus on tomorrow stage and to send my support to Mohoric, who suffered an injury in a crash".

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