News
Degenkolb claims Giro stage win
John Degenkolb won the fifth stage of the Giro. The Team Argos-Shimano rider travelled to Italy with one main goal: a stage win. In the fifth stage with finish in Matera the German succeeded in his mission.
In a rather bizarre final Degenkolb claimed the victory. After a pile-up in the last corner had shattered the bunch, Marco Canola was all alone on the straight end to the finish. Thanks to a long and powerful effort Degenkolb arrived just in time to overtake the Italian and obtain the win.
“My lead-out man crashed along with some other guys," said Degenkolb of the hectic finale. "There was one guy in front. I looked back and there was just Viviani behind. Then I went full gas to the finish to catch the Bardiani rider. In the end I couldn't see, I was so empty. It was a great job from my team. We had the confidence and we took the responsibility. It was really hard in the end. It would have been not that hard but I had to suffer a lot to get to the finish today."
Marcel Kittel wins Scheldeprijs for the second time in a row
Marcel Kittel has successfully defended his title in the Scheldeprijs. The German Team Argos-Shimano rider defeated three-time winner Mark Cavendish and Barry Markus in a bunch sprint.
Last year Kittel also triumphed in the Belgian town of Schoten.
Blanco leader Theo Bos hoped for a short finish, but finished only eighth.
Marianne Vos: 'This one counts'
Marianne Vos was overjoyed with her victory in the Tour of Flanders for women. It was the first win for the Dutchwoman in Flanders. "That this is my first one, gives much satisfaction", Vos said.
"I may be Olympic and world champion and have won some cyclo races, but this is Flanders. That counts."
The Rabobank-Liv/Giant rider was the strongest of a breakaway of four. "It didn’t feel like I was the strongest of the four of us, but I knew I could win by a sprint. Longo Borghini was not the biggest competitor, Johansson and Van Dijk were, I had to keep an eye on them. I did everything to make it a sprint. I didn’t have another choice.”
Durbridge wins Sarthe time trial
Orica-GreenEdge rider Luke Durbridge has won Wednesday’s second ride of the second stage of the Circuit Cycliste Sarthe. The Australian triumphed in a 6,8 kilometer time trial.
Bob Jungels of RadioShack finished second in the same time. Durbridge’s teammate Cameron Meyer recorded the third time.
With his time trial win Durbridge is the new overall leader.
Nacer Bouhanni claimed the win in Wednesday's morning sprint stage.
Kittel gives new PRO saddles 1st WT victory!
German sprinter Marcel Kittel (Argos-Shimano) took stage two of Paris-Nice with an uphill finish. As Kittel was unable to sprint in the first group on Monday, he seeked for revange after a 200km stage from Vimory to Cerilly. Cannondale rider Elia Viviani was second just before Leigh Howard of Orica-GreenEdge.
Marcel Kittel is riding one of the new PRO Saddles; Turnix, the PRO Vibe handlebar and seatpost and the super strong PRO Vibe Sprint stem to handle his huge forces..
Sven Nys World Champion Cyclecross
Last Sunday Sven Nys took his second World title in his career in Louisville.
Vos again World Champion Cyclecross
Marianne Vos has for the fifth time in a row secured herself of the world title cyclocross. In the American city of Louisville the Dutchwoman remained minutes ahead of Katherine Compton and Lucia Chainel-Lefevre who took silver and bronze.
Sanne Van Paassen finished fifth. Ellen Van Loy was the best Belgian with a ninth place.
For Vos it's already her tenth world title. She was twice crowned as global best on the track, six times in the field and twice on the road.
Slagter records first victory for Blanco
Tom Jelte Slagter has on Thursday afternoon (local time) in the third stage of the Tour Down Under recorded the first victory for the Blanco Pro Cycling Team (formerly Rabobank). The Dutchman also did excellent business for the overall victory.
On the awkward arrival in Stirling Slagter kept big names like Matthew Goss (Orica-Green Edge) and world champion Philippe Gilbert (BMC) behind. They finished second and third.
In the general classification Slagter is now second, five seconds behind leader Thomas Gerraint. In the battle for the youth jersey, the 23-year-old Dutchman leads. The Tour Down Under ends Sunday.
Team Argos-Shimano on the new PRO-saddles in 2013
Team Argos-Shimano will ride the new PRO-saddles in 2013. Check out this movie and see an impression of how the Pro's choose their new saddle and a short background story of the developing process from the PRO-engineers!
Rabobank becomes Blanco Pro Cyclingteam
Until the team finds a new head sponsor the former Rabobank cycling formation, will ride under the name Blanco Pro Cycling Team. This the formation announced in press release on Thursday.
Richard Plugge will be the new general manager of the team. The Dutchman was communication manager at Rabobank and will take over Harold Knebel’s position at December 31.
First and second for GT Factory Racing in Asia Pacific Downhill Challenge
Dan and Marc, both part of the PRO/Shimano sponsored team GT Racing, triumphed in Cikole, West Java yesterday despite the wettest conditions that either of them has ever raced.
Asia’s No.1 Downhill Race was part of the country’s 6th Annual bicycle day and attracted an ecstatic Indonesian crowd.
Dan’s 2012 season has focused on the new discipline of Enduro, culminating in a win at Superenduro Pro 6 at Finale Ligure, the climax of the Enduro season. His Asia Pacific victory has particularly pleased the fans as it represents his first Downhill podium since his catastrophic neck injury in 2010.
Sven Nijs wins again the Koppenbergcross
Last Thursday Sven Nijs won again at the Koppenbergcross, his ninth win of this race!
DI2 seatposts coming up, PRO R&D is working on the last details!
First DI2-ready seatpost samples arrived @ PRO R&D. After a double check with the 2D drawings some small adjustments to be done, but the system works already very nice! Only 6 to 8 grams additional weight to the seatpost, but the overall weight reduction of internal vs external is about 20 grams. Needles to say that hiding the battery gives a nice and cleaner appearance.
Vos finally has rainbow jersey back
Marianne Vos has on Sunday for the second time in her career become world champion. After winning in 2006 and finishing second five years in a row, the Dutchwoman now has the rainbow jersey back. In Southern Limburg Vos clearly was the strongest after eight laps on the 16.1 kilometer long circuit.
At two laps before the finish Vos placed an attack on the Cauberg which got her in a leading group of five, including her teammate Anna van der Breggen. Together the two kept the pace high, allowing Vos two place a deadly attack on the final ascent of the Cauberg.
Van der Breggen finished fifth. Rachel Neylan (Australia) and Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy) took silver and bronze.
