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June 03, 2004
Brioches La Boulangere to end sponsorship
Procycling.com | Pro Tour costs force Boulangere out of the sport
More bad news for Joseba Beloki: the sponsor of his team has decided to exit the sport after the 2004 season. Apparently, the increased roster that would be required to contest the UCI Pro Tour, beginning next year, would lead to an increase in sponsorship costs of around 40 percent, which the baking company decided not to spend.
"Of course the objective of the UCI Pro Tour is to provide sponsors with greater marketing potential, but that is beyond what is needed by our company with our smaller needs. It is consequently impossible for us to continue with this great adventure."BLB’s decision provokes a number of questions, primarily whether team manager Jean-René Bernaudeau has another sponsor waiting in the wings. If not, the question then arises about the future of the team’s talented roster of riders, particularly Joseba Beloki, who only joined the French outfit this year, Sylvain Chavanel and Didier Rous.
Posted by Frank Steele on June 3, 2004 in Joseba Beloki | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Beloki fitness update
www.cyclingnews.com | Euskal Bizikleta Stage 1
Joseba Beloki finished 79th, 7:17 back of the stage winner, at Stage 1 of Euskal Bizikleta yesterday.
In another story, cyclingnews quotes from an interview with Marca (in Spanish) that Beloki may be resetting his sights:
Though he still speaks of the 2004 Tour, he acknowledges that his role as a favourite is no longer justified."I'm optimistic (for the Tour), but I don't have any illusions," Beloki told Marca. "If I'm not back for the Tour, I will be for the Vuelta. Of that I have no doubt."
Posted by Frank Steele on June 3, 2004 in Joseba Beloki | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Leipheimer on his Tour prep
Bike.com | Levi speaks about his vacation
Levi Leipheimer of Rabobank has got to be looking for redemption, after going down with a broken pelvis in the 2nd stage of last year's Tour. He took 8 days to go home to California in May, but now he's back in Spain prepping for the Dauphine Libere and the Tour de France:
The next race for me is the Dauphine and I'm looking forward to the time trial on Mt Ventoux. I have only raced up it once, in the Tour two years ago. I have always dreamed about doing climbs like Ventoux, it is a spectacular site. The climb itself can be torturous with the heat at the bottom where it is very sheltered and can be like an oven. Then the wind at the top can stop you dead in your tracks. I hope to do well there.
He's got a few kind words for Tom Boonen, who won Tuesday's stage of the Tour of Germany.
Posted by Frank Steele on June 3, 2004 in Levi Leipheimer | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Van Heeswijk takes Wachovia opener
VeloNews | Wachovia week: Van Heeswijk breaks off Lancaster win
At the first race of the Wachovia Cycling Series Tuesday, US Postal's Max Van Heeswijk showed his mettle in classics-style road races, taking a win with an attack on the race's final climb, ahead of Francisco Ventoso of Spain and Fred Rodriguez of the US.
The day's other big story was CSC's Bobby Julich. The resurgent American flirted with a heroic victory, charging off the front near the end of the 11th lap, and staying there until there were only three miles left in the race. Alas, Julich was reeled in at the top of the feed zone climb in Lancaster County Central Park, then shot out the back, settling for a distant 38th before disappearing into the host hotel.
Next up is a race Thursday in Trenton, New Jersey, leading up to the USPro championships on Sunday.
Posted by Frank Steele on June 3, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
