Two days of the Amstel Gold Race, Andy Schleck has an update on his health after a fracture of the sacrum in June 2010 which ruined the season the winner of the Tour de France in 2010, and his early season winded. "I had the wind in the face, as they say in cycling. But it will turn out, "he told the newspaper including The Daily Luxembourg. The younger of the Schleck brothers did not want much to do with plans for the future. "I do not know when I'll be fine. I do not know if it will be this year or next year. I realize now that it was not possible for me to go from almost nothing at the top level in just six months. For an injury, it's not as if we continued to train. "
The Luxembourger however relied on his partner and his family through this difficult time. "I came out of the tunnel. Now I do not want to dwell on it. I prefer to focus on positive things and there are many. "Starting with a gradual return to competition. Inevitably, his ambitions will be measured in the Ardennes classics. "If I can not even pretend to win one, I'll show me, keep working, see how I am in the race," he says. Andy Schleck said he plans to participate in the Tour of California in May, before making a tough course with mountain reconnaissance stage of the Tour. "Then the Tour de Suisse, national championships and then the Tour de France."
Before deciding against the clock, Chavanel had already slipped into the group of strong men Tuesday in the step of the mountains, which served small rehearsal before the Tour of Flanders. Sunday in the Round, given its history in the event (2nd in 2011) and its current form, it will necessarily runners to watch: "Now I'm going to get. I'm not a favorite of the race, a good outsider but not a favorite. We have a strong group and I hope we will have a strong team for Sunday. "The declaration of the winner is not trivial because Tom Boonen, not starting Thursday morning after tested for two days, will be the leader announced OP-QS, despite a state of uncertain form. "And there will be more competition in the coming days," admits Chavanel, with a thought for
In the absence of great leaders, the Three Days of De Panne had the opportunity to discover new names at the top of the rankings. After a lot of work to Arnaud Démare, the second step of the first and fourth Wednesday again, Johan Le Bon (FDJ) has confirmed his good on Belgian roads and know-how against the clock to hit the fourth final position, a second from the podium. The runner 22 years ago earned its place (taking advantage of the package Dominique Rollin) for the Tour of Flanders.
A week after his failure on Milan-San Remo, Peter Sagan (Cannondale) has learned from his mistake. Nervous and lacking clarity in the final in Italy, the Slovak had missed a great opportunity to win his first classic. About Ghent-Wevelgem, still sharp, he decided Sunday to bend the case alone to clinch the 75th edition of the Belgian semi-classic, which he took second place last year. Aided by his teammate Maciej Bodnar, he placed a particularly effective against, four kilometers from the finish line to part company with twelve other breakaway companions. Eisel, Popovych and Vandenbergh, author of the first banderille few moments earlier, could not follow him to challenge the victory. Fan of the show, Sagan crossed the line and wheeling with a smile. And he signs his sixth win this season. Borut Bozic (Astana) and Greg Van Avermaet (BMC) completed the podium while Matthieu Ladagnous (FDJ), the first French rider took the 6th place.
In a very nervous and amputated fifty kilometers due to weather conditions (183 km instead of 253 km) race, attacks quickly Fuse. From the first kilometers after the start given Gistel, the peloton split ... five, before finding some difficulty unit. As André Greipel, Mark Cavendish tried his luck before entering the rank and cross the line in complete anonymity. Winner of the GP E3 Friday, Fabian Cancellara put ashore during refueling. The Swiss chose to preserve for the Tour of Flanders next Sunday, which will be the main favorite. Other big names expected on the Ronde, Tom Boonen, titleholder may go down in history if successful fourth, also threw in the towel on Sunday after a fall.
François Parisien won Friday the fifth stage of the Tour of Catalonia between Rialp and Lleida (175 km). Canadian training Argos-Shimano beat the French sprint Samuel Dumoulin (AG2R-La Mondiale) and Stéphane Poulhiès (Cofidis). The race was animated by Olivier Kaisen (Lotto-Belisol) and Tristan Valentin (Cofidis). Parties after fifty kilometers in this transition, the two men have long resisted the peloton but were eventually taken less than 15 kilometers from the finish. Andrey Kashechkin (Astana) and Marcus Burghardt (BMC) have in turn attempted a coup before the finish but it is a sprint that victory was played and Parisian French is surprised his opponents.
Daniel Martin (Garmin-Sharp) still leads the overall standings ahead Joaquim Rodriguez (Katusha) and Quintana Rojas (Movistar). Irish took advantage of subsidies an intermediate sprint to earn a few seconds. Bradley Wiggins remains on him at the foot of the provisional podium. Program Saturday's penultimate stage of 179 kilometers between Almacelles and Valls.
After denial for one year, Rolf Soerensen end confessed to doping during his career. "I took EPO periodically during the 90s, he said through a statement Monday. In some cases, I also resorted to cortisone. There is no excuse for what I did, but I felt compelled to do as the others. "
"I will not give any names. No allegations against a particular person. It's not my type, said Soerensen, winner of two stages of the Tour de France, one in 1994 and one in 1996. The only thing I can say is that, as everyone now knows, I was not the only one. "
