Pieter Henning

Team Barloworld is continuing its innovative recruitment drive for 2008 after the huge success of this season. Team Manager Claudio Corti has decided to continue his strategy of bringing talented young riders to the team and is naturally pleased to have two African riders in the 2008 line-up because the team is sponsored by Barloworld, a major South African company. African cycling has huge potential and this has been shown in recent year thanks to Barloworld riders Rob Hunter and the promising John-Lee Augustyn. In 2008 two new riders will wear the red and white Barloworld jersey, with South Africa's Daryl Impey and Kenya's Chris Froome joining the team. Both are young rider who have already shown their ability and obtained interesting results in smaller professional teams. Daryl Impey was born on December 6 1984 and will be 23 in three months time. He joins Barloworld from the MTN Microsoft team and particularly impressed at the Giro del Capo stage race by winning the prologue and a stage. He is fast and strong on the flat as his size (1.81 metres) and weight (70kg) confirm. Christopher Froome was born in Nairobi (Kenya) on May 20 1985 but currently lives in South Africa. This year Froome won a stage in the Giro delle Regioni, a prestigious stage race in Italy, and a stage at the Tour of Japan. He also won a silver medal at the 'B' world championships in the time trial held in New Zealand. He is an eclectic rider who has also done well in mountain biking. "Cycling needs to find new faces and new talented riders and that's our strategy at Team Barloworld. We're convinced that by inserting talented young riders in our already successful team, we can continue to achieve even more excellent results in 2008," Team Manager Claudio Corti said.

Bliiiiiksem! That's like 12 bike lengths!

I don't mean to be rude, so my apologies in advance for if it comes across that way, but how on earth is it that you can't figure this one out... Here's a hint - A South African girl recently finished second in the World Road Championships for junior. Certainly you must've heard about it...

Jason's ?Phen2007-08-17 05:57:34

Hi guys, need some details on the race - Distances and start time? Thanks

You could probably earn more than the average SA pro by waitering at Mugg & Bean regularly, but being a small time SA pro provides you with the opportunity to work yourself up the ladder. I gather the guys on MTN/Microsoft get decent salaries, and the guys on Barloworld cannot receive less than a certain minimum wage that applies to Pro Continental teams (I think something like 26 000 Euro per year). I've heard that Robbie earned R4 million per year at Phonak (not sure if this was accurate or not).

Italian cycling pays the ultimate tribute to Ryan - Wynand de Villiers << BackThursday, August 02, 2007http://www.cyclingnews.co.za/images/Features/Articles/CoxRyanPhSport.jpg Ryan Cox is being paid the ultimate tribute in Italian cycling with his cycling jersey and photo being handed over on Sunday to hang proudly inside the Madonna del Ghisallo church on the shores of Lake Como, Italy. Madonna del Ghisallo is regarded as the shrine of Italian cycling, displaying cycling memorabilia from all the sport?s greatest champions dating back more than 100. ?It?s very sad news about Ryan,? said Brent Copeland, a South African and former team manager of the Lampre squad living in Como. ?Living in Como means he was always at our shop and cycling with us. We are all shocked and will miss him terribly. It still feels like it can?t be true. ?We have arranged a memorial service for Ryan at the Madonna del Ghisallo at 10am on Sunday. We will hand over his cycling jersey and photo to the Ghisallo Church which will then be put up and kept in the church,? he said. ?There will be a ride arranged where we will cycle to the church, leaving from ComoBike, Via Grandi 15, Como at 8am (http://www.comobike.com/en/main/frameset.php?area=guscite). We will ride one of Ryan?s favourite climbs, ?Ghisallo?, before going to the service.?

I see another rider has tested positive - Spanish climber Iban Mayo from Saunier Duval-Prodir. Phen2007-07-30 15:34:13

Riis never tested positive while he was on drugs. Same for Zabel. Same for Millar. Aldag too. Etc. Etc. The list goes on a lot longer. Obviously the riders are getting past controls while on drugs.

Do you guys seriously believe that any guy is clean simply because he doesn't test positive...? Naive. Very.

Astana should've known they were gonna get it from that French lab - They guttered off the French champ - What idiots. No, I'm just kidding - I'm sure all the riders at level dope.

Will Andy Schleck be riding? It will be a dumb move from team management if they let a 22-year old ride two Grand Tours in a year. Especially the tour and the Giro, and after how hard he went in the Giro.

hehe Alejandro only has sisters.

Twin brother of Alexander Efimkin. He rode for Barloworld before they signed Alexander, but then moved on to Caisse.

He said it's just because he's still too young. I reckon they don't wanna risk burning him out - he still has his entire career ahead of him.

Geraint is the same age as John-lee, actually, but I spoke to his brother the other day, and John-lee definitely won't ride the Tour this year.

Spoke to John-lee's brother lastnight - He is currently one of the best downhillers in the country, and he can still only go to Worldchamps this year if he can get the money together to pay his own way. This is kanda sad that it is like this.

Knorrie, waar het jy gefinish by SA's. Just for interest sake... I don't wanna speculate on anything that happened between him and his team, 'cause I don't know the facts, so all I'll say is that Shaun is a very strong rider when he's on good form.Phen2007-06-07 11:14:50

I once did 4 hours on the indoor trainer, although that was back when I was still an U16. I don't sport the same stupidity and dedication nowadays.

Very nice very nice... but I already have my heart set on another bike... let's just say it is super(six)ior to this one

Hanco finished. Juan stopped with a knee problem.