The three-day San Dimas Stage Race race will provide a good test, offering up an opening 3.7 mile climbing time trial up Glendora Mountain Road into the San Gabriel Mountains on Friday, followed by a hilly, 84-mile road race covered by 12 laps of a seven-mile circuit. The race concludes Sunday with a fast 90-minute criterium in downtown San Dimas.

“San Dimas will be like the last exhibition game before the NFL season starts. It gives us great preparation for Redlands,” said Team director Mike Tamayo. “Both races open with a climbing time trial that suit guys like Rory (Sutherland) and Chris (Baldwin) well. The route for stage 2 lends itself to a lot of attacks. And with no race radios this year, it will mean that everyone has to be attentive and react quickly throughout the stage.”

The final stage, run on a 1.2-mile, mostly flat course, features two long straight-aways, and breaks have been known to get away and stay away on this course, sometimes affecting the outcome of the overall standings.

“The field for San Dimas should be strong,” Tamayo added. “By the end of it, we’ll have a better idea of what to expect in Redlands.”

Notes
San Dimas will mark the season debut for Andrew Pinfold, Jake Keough and Bradley White.

With the exception of Marc de Maar joining the squad in place of Jonathan Clarke, this will be the roster for Redlands, as well.

The UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team Presented by Maxxis for the San Dimas Stage Race, March 19-21 in San Dimas, CA:

Chris Baldwin
Jonathan Clarke
Max Jenkins
Jake Keough
Karl Menzies
Andrew Pinfold
Rory Sutherland
Brad White

“This will be our first race against top competition with a full, eight-rider squad,” noted team directeur sportif Emma Rickards. “The field looks to be really strong and this will give us a good start, and good preparation ahead of the NRC and Women’s Prestige Series opener next weekend in Redlands.

In Miller, Kiesanowski and Australian Emma Mackie, the team brings three highly experienced riders to the first stage race in the U.S. that won’t have teams equipped with radios.

“Their experience in race situations is critical,” Rickards said. “Without race radios, their knowledge and decision-making will tremendous assets for us.”

Team TIBCO/To the Top will also look to newcomer Rebecca Much to put in a strong performance after taking a stage win and overall honors at the Tucson Bicycle Classic last weekend.

The three-day San Dimas Stage Race opens Friday with a 3.7 mile climbing time trial up Glendora Mountain Road into the San Gabriel Mountains. Saturday offers up a hilly, 56-mile road race covered in eight laps of a seven-mile circuit. The race concludes Sunday with a fast 55-minute criterium in downtown San Dimas, run on a 1.2-mile, mostly flat course, featuring two long straight-aways.

Notes:
Get live updates on the race via Twitter! Just go to www.twitter.com/teamtibco and click on follow. And be sure to follow the team on Facebook as well, at www.facebook.com/teamtibco.

Team TIBCO/To the Top for the San Dimas Stage Race, March 19-21:
Megan Guarnier, USA
Devon Haskell, USA
Jerika Hutchinson, USA
Joanne Kiesanowski, NZL
Emma Mackie, AUS
Amanda Miller, USA
Meredith Miller, USA
Rebecca Much, USA

However more than one of the Isle of Man sprinter’s rivals are aware of his apparent lack of form, and they will be ready to anticipate the kind of move that handed Cavendish a shock, but deserved, victory last year.

In 2009 Cavendish started ‘La Primavera’ as an outsider after what some now believe was a deliberately mediocre performance on the hills of the Tirreno-Adriatico stage race the week before.

But after sailing over the Cipressa and Poggio climbs, Cavendish chased down Heinrich Haussler after the German launched a late bid for the win to claim his first major classics crown, and become the first Briton to win the race since Tom Simpson in 1964.

A year later, Cavendish’s late start to competition due mainly to dental problems appear to have left him short of full fitness.

And although some, including Italy’s 2006 champion Filippo Pozzato, have doubts Belgian rival Tom Boonen won’t count the Manxman out.

“I’d also have Cavendish in the reckoning although he still must improve a bit,” said the Belgian, whose personal favourite is on-form Italian sprinter Daniele Bennati of Liquigas.

Traditionally, Milan-San Remo is settled with a select bunch sprint after nearly 300km of racing, during which the Cipressa and Poggio climbs help deplete the field significantly.

Boonen, the 2005 world champion whose best finish was a third place in 2007, wouldn’t have it any other way: “San Remo is a classic sprint, as simple as that. It is an extremely difficult sprint; it’s hard, very hard.”

However a few non-sprint specialists will be hoping for a different ending.

Katusha rider Pozzato, Fabian Cancellara, the 2008 winner, and emerging Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen will spearhead teams hoping to upset the sprinters’ plans.

And while Pozzato has tipped Boonen, Bennati and Cancellara to be in the running, he practically ruled out Cavendish’s chances in his blog for cyclingnews.com.

“As you’d expect from an Italian and a former winner, I can’t wait for Saturday,” said Pozzato, who admits he was impressed with the way Boonen and Bennati were climbing and sprinting at the Tirreno last week.

“Cancellara also seemed to be coming into form. He kept well hidden at Tirreno but he could be there in the finale and ready to give it a go on the flat road before the finish.”

Pozzato believes this year Cavendish was truly suffering at Tirreno, and added: “You don’t need to be 100 percent to win Milan-San Remo, especially if you’re as fast as Cavendish but even so, I don’t think he’ll be a threat this year.”

Cancellara, of Saxo Bank, will return to the race for the first time since he powered away from a small group in the final two kilometres in 2008 to end Switzerland’s 21-year wait for a win.

Boasson Hagen, of Team Sky, won the last stage at Tirreno and despite San Remo being considerably longer his teammate Michael Barry is confident: “It’s a race we can win and we are going there with a plan to do just that.

“Edvald is in great form and we will ride for him.”

Cavendish’s sports director Brian Holm at Team Columbia, meanwhile, says he won’t be ruling the Briton out.

“I think his chances are more or less the same as last year,” he said.

“He surprised everyone last year and in some ways it looked too easy. We know it’s going to be difficult, but we’ll give it a try.

“I do truly believe he can do it again.”

Photo by: CorVos Pro

“Heinrich has a contusion of the left knee, with injury of the quadriceps tendon,” said Dr. Andreas Goesele, the team’s Chief Medical Officer. “We are performing intensive treatments every day, involving both physiotherapy and osteopathy. At the moment, we do not know when he will return to racing, but the most important thing is that he heals completely. In elite sport you have to be completely fit to perform well.”

“I am glad that we know what the problem is and that it can be fixed. The classics time is the most important part of my season, and I am very disappointed, but I will come back when I am fully recovered–and I will come back stronger. This is just making me more focused,” said Haussler.

“We will miss Heinrich, but we still have a very strong classics team, and we will maintain our focus on these races,” said Sports Director Jean-Paul van Poppel. “In our goal races our riders have to be 100% fit.”

Heinrich Before The Crashes

Photo by: CorVos Pro

“The growth of the Team Type 1 programs increases our ability to achieve our mission—to inspire people
around the world living with diabetes to live full lives,” said Phil Southerland, Team Type 1 Founder and
CEO. “I know that every day this year in some part of the world there is a Team Type 1 athlete training,
racing and inspiring people with diabetes. Our athletes with diabetes turn in amazing results year-overyear
and have started off the 2010 season with great success across the board.”

Already taking podiums in early 2010 races, Team Type 1 has a roster of athletes totaling 66 with a fulltime
support staff of 15.

The Team Type 1 Professional Men’s Team, coached by cycling veterans Vassili Davidenko and Michael Carter, includes a strong mix of veterans (Michael Creed, Valeriy Kobzarenko, Shawn Milne),
sprinters (Eldridge, Ken Hanson and Aldo Ino Ilesic), stage racing specialists (Chris Jones and Davide
Frattini), European talent (Javier Megias, Thomas Rabou and Martijn Verschoor) and an abundance of
promising newcomers (Will Dugan, Alexey Shmidt, Thomas Soladay and Scott Stewart).

Four of the 17 Professional Men’s Team riders have Type 1 diabetes: Fabio Calabria, Eldridge, Megias
and Verschoor. In addition to nine Americans, there are riders from Australia, Holland, Italy, Russia,
Slovenia, Spain and the Ukraine.

Find more information about the Team Type 1 Professional Men’s Team here:

The Team Type 1 Professional Women’s Team will be led by Jack Seehafer and includes a total of four women—seasoned pro Kori Seehafer, Team Type 1 veteran Morgan Patton, and newcomers Jackie Crowell and Mandy Marquardt. Seehafer, Patton and Marquardt have Type 1 diabetes.

Find more information about the Team Type 1 Professional Women’s Team here:

The Team Type 1 Development Team, led by Tim Powell and rider Tim Henry, includes six riders, all of whom have Type 1 diabetes, from three countries. Australia will be represented by Simon Bennett and Justin Morris. From Holland is Olaf Kerkhof. And from the U.S. is Stradford Helms, Matt Brooks and Alex Bowden.

Find more information about the Team Type 1 Development Team here:

The Team Type 1 Elite Team, known for its record-setting victories in the prestigious Race Across America, will be led by three-time RAAM participant, Bob Schrank. The remaining eleven Team Type 1
Elite Team members are Jeff Bannink, Adam Driscoll, Dustin Folger, Lonnie Knabe, Andy Mead, Kyle
Rose, Daniel Scheider, James Stout, Mark Suprenant, Kerry White and Jerry Willis. All Team Type 1 Elite
Team members have Type 1 diabetes.

Find more information about the Team Type 1 Elite Team here:

The Team Type 1 Triathlon Team will be led by athlete/managers Matt Vogel and former Kent State fullback, Tom Kingery. Intent on being a force in the national triathlon scene, Vogel and Kingery will be joined by Nathan Bartells, Patricia Brownell, Laura Ely, Bradford Gildon, Bobby Heyer, Angela Past and
Kevin Powell.

Team Type 2 is in its second year of competition on the national scene. The team is comprised of
athletes with Type 2 diabetes and is focused on the Race Across America. The 18-person squad is led
by team member Tim Dolan, and includes on its roster John Anderson, Bill Arnold, Phil Bruno, Bob
Chaisson, Larry Cleveland, Rob Coburn, Peter Cowley, Jay DeCora, Joe Gerber, Malcom Goggin, Fred
Legrand, Lakshmi Seshradri, Ed Tepper, Mark Thul, Anthony Vita, Dennis Voorhees and Saul Zuckman.

Armstrong, 38, will be replaced by team-mate Fumiyuki Beppu.

“It would have been good to have Lance in the line-up for the start by we prefer not to take any risk,” team director Johan Bruyneel said.

“It would not be very intelligent to let him start in a race of almost 300 kilometres while not being healthy.”

For the 38-year-old Texan, it will be his fourth participation in the event following his appearances in 1999, 2001 and 2003.

Armstrong will also take part in the Milan-SanRemo on Saturday, the first classic of the season

Michael Tomalaris from SBS, was on hand to help introduce the team, as well as Team Owner Chris White, DS
Pat Jonker and Henk Vogels (DS of the Team’s big brother Fly V australia). Several of the Virgin Blue RBS
Morgans cycling team red, white and black Merida bicycles were on display as were the Team’s BMW race
support vehicles as the backdrop for the ceremony.

“Having a Team of Australia’s brightest young stars provides us with not only a deep talent pool but also an
opportunity to mentor and develop the riders as individual athletes,” White said. ”We see the Virgin Blue RBS
Morgans Team as being very successful and at the same time a breeding ground for Australia’s next pro
cyclists.”

Among the 13 riders on Virgin Blue RBS Morgans squad is representation from each mainland state. Pat
Jonker said, “I am looking forward to working with such a young and talented squad. My role is not only to lead the Team ensuring success but also to mentor the riders. The mentoring role is one that I will relish the most.”

The Virgin Blue RBS Morgans Team is well supported by corporate Australia with Virgin Blue, RBS Morgans,
Brisbane BMW, Ausenco, Corpnet, and Bluescope Steel. In addition Merida, 2XU, SIS, and Ascend provide
valuable sponsorship support.

In 2010, the Virgin Blue RBS Morgans team will have the National Road Series, as it’s primary focus. The
National Road Series (NRS) includes racing that commences in March and concludes in October. The NRS
program will see the Team racing in Tasmania, Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and
Queensland. The race program will include around 100 days of racing in 2010.

The full squad includes, Michael Freiberg, Pat Shaw, Scott Law, Ben Dyball, James Hepburn, Peter Thomson,
Cameron Peterson, Mitchell Pearson, Andrew Roe, James Mowatt, Rhys Gillett, Leon Vogels and Chris Pryor.

Alex Rasmussen recently demonstrated excellent condition during Vuelta a Andalucia by crushing the specialists, Michael Rogers, Tony Martin and Bradley Wiggins on the 10.9 kilometer long time trial.
Michael Mørkøv has been on a more challenging road to the big event:

”Since the crash in Rotterdam I have been suffering from pain due to damaged scar tissue on the front of the patellar which is inflamed when I strain the joint. Different doctors have advised me to take four or five days off the bike and it is really frustrating when you really want to refine your condition before the huge event on home ground,” says Michael Mørkøv who has been picked out to do this year’s edition of the Giro d’Italia.

As many other athletes forced to taking a break, Michael Mørkøv is now experiencing a wild pack of endorphins traveling through his body:

“To walk around indoor from one room to another with the World Championships coming up without been able to get on the bike is like being a lion in a cage. However, there is no doubt in my mind that I am in better shape now than during the six-day race in Copenhagen. Alex has shown the whole world what he is capable of right now and with our strength and experience combined, we are ready to defend our title”, says Michael Mørkøv who is in the line-up with Alex Rasmussen in Sunday’s Cholet – Pays de Loire.

At the first sentence in April 2008, the former trainer was found guilty of aiding and inciting the use of doping substances and illegal practice of medicine. But the court reduced the sentence length, which was then fixed to three years in prison to 18 months firm.

The judges did not follow the request of the prosecutor general who had requested three years imprisonment, with a mandatory sentence to exceed the 18 months.

M. Sainz, who portrays himself as a follower of alternative medicine. He immediately said he would lodge an appeal and possibly to the European Court of Human Rights.

“A page claims” (translated from French)
——————-
“It is a conviction that goes against the anti-doping (…) is to believe that everything will change when it changes nothing,” he complained after leaving the hearing.

“There are still prohibited substances that can not detect and punishing a homeopathic practitioner, my assessment is that does not want that alternative medicines introduce the world of sport when it would finally return to exercise this activity more natural than is the case now, “he added.

Asked about the lighter penalty trial that he said it was “not at all” relief. “Even if I had been acquitted, I considered waiting ten years for a decision made unavailable – Because I maintain that the facts are nonexistent – is unacceptable. ”

Mr. Sainz was arrested May 7, 1999 after ten months of investigation and wiretaps. He always made sure that the vials recovered from him did not contain banned substances.

Testimony of runners gathered during the investigation, like those of Philippe Gaumont French or Belgian Frank Vandenbroucke – died in October

2009 – described it as an “evil guru”, “a formidable dopeur” and document verbal agreements providing for a payment of 100,000 francs (15,000 euros) to 200,000 francs (30,000 euros) in case of victory.

The conviction on appeal of Mr. Sainz is a relief and bitterness at the same time (…) because it lasted for very long, “he told AFP lawyer French Cycling Federation, Paul Mauriac .

“It is a page of cycling accident which is being run,” he was still welcomed.