EF Education-EasyPost : Chirps, Opinions, Updates

[Cav']

imagine Al Jet as well

Petacchi should hate this move for sure

[Cippo]

 

 

I think it's SRAM on there...

 

Even with the new DA11 it would still look cheapish, as long as they didn't put Campy on. That would've been an abomination.

Edited October 31, 2012 by MCipollini

[Cippo]

Lampre pink probably gonna change to green as with Multivan.

['Dale]

Lampre pink probably gonna change to green as with Multivan.

 

No, don't say...

 

:-(

[Cippo]

 

 

No, don't say...

 

:-(

 

Cannondale is going to get an all black kit with some subtle green and blue striping from Liqui- colours. You would like that hey?

['Dale]

Cannondale is going to get an all black kit with some subtle green and blue striping from Liqui- colours. You would like that hey?

 

Stealth mode.

Nice.

['Dale]

I'll really miss the pink and green of Lampre and Leaky in the overhead helicopter shots...

[Cippo]

Hows those Ergo 3's working for you? Are those vents in sole effective or just a gimmick?

['Dale]

Hows those Ergo 3's working for you? Are those vents in sole effective or just a gimmick?

 

I cannot say, Cippo'...

They're cool though, in flight.

Edited October 31, 2012 by Puncheur

[Cippo]

 

 

I cannot say, Cippo'...

They're cool though, in flight.

 

Didnt you score a pair of those Ergo 3 Leaky specials?

['Dale]

Didnt you score a pair of those Ergo 3 Leaky specials?

 

Yeah, these.

They're lekka.

 

[nickc]

Vandborg returns to Cannondale.

 

 

 

http://1.1.1.2/bmi/cdn0.media.cyclingnews.futurecdn.net//2012/05/12/2/pic269560413_220.jpg

Brian Vandborg (Spidertech Powered by C10)

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Danish rider becomes 25th rider on 2013 roster

Danish rider Brian Vandborg will return to the WorldTour after spending a year on the Professional Continental team Spidertech, Feltet.dk reports. The 31-year-old will return with Cannondale after two years away from the Liquigas squad, first with Saxo Bank and then with the Canadian squad, which dropped out of the peloton for 2013.

"We parted on good terms at the time, and I was really happy to ride for them. They have a great setup, and I know that things are working well. So I am very pleased to again be a part of it," Vandborg said to TV2 Sporten.

"They [Liquigas] respected that I wanted to try riding for Bjarne Riis then. Many of my Danish friends raced there, and the team had Alberto Contador. This meant that I could work for victory in the Tour de France."

Vandborg was part of the Saxo Bank team for the 2011 Tour, in which Contador placed fifth after winning the Giro d'Italia, but he was subsequently stripped of those results after losing his arbitration over the 2010 Tour de France clenbuterol positive.

Vandborg then moved onto the Spidertech team, but the team announced last month that it would not field a team for 2013 after failing to secure a title sponsor.

 

 

 

Good to see someone returning home !!

 

Not good to see another team going down due to lack of sponsership !!

[nickc]

More riders join Cannnondale Pro Cycling.

 

 

The Cannondale Pro Cycling Team announced the signing of three more riders today, three of which come from the Spidertech team: Canadians David Boily and Guillaume Boivin join Brian Bach Vandborg from the defunct squad, while Italian Tiziano Dall'Antonia renewed his contract, bringing the 2013 headcount to 28.

Boily, 22, is a notable climber from Quebec who in 2011 placed second overall in the Tour de l'Avenir. Boivin, also from Quebec, is a sprinter who took the bronze medal in the 2010 U23 world championship road race. He also was second in the Ronde van Drenthe and third in Tro Bro Leon this season.

"With these four arrivals, the headcount for 2013 is starting to get full," said team manager Roberto Amadio. "So far we have set up the team as we wanted: competitive, and equipped with a strong international focus. In the coming weeks we will evaluate the possibility of new entries to make the formation even more complete. "

Other new arrivals to the team include Alessandro De Marchi (Androni Venezuela), Mathias Krizek (neo), Cameron Wurf (Champion System), Nariyuki Masuda (Utsunomiya-Blitzen) and Michel Koch (LKT).

Return riders are: Stefano Agostini, Ivan Basso, Maciej Bodnar, Damiano Caruso, Federico Canuti, Mauro Da Dalto, Tiziano Dall'Antonia, Ted King, Kristijan Koren, Paolo Longo Borghini, Alan Marangoni, Moreno Moser, Maciej Paterski, Daniele Ratto, Fabio Sabatini, Juraj Sagan, Peter Sagan, Cristiano Salero, Cayetano Sarmiento, Elia Viviani.

Leaving the team after 2012 are: Alessandro Vanotti (Astana), Valerio Agnoli (Astana), Daniel Oss (BMC), Dominik Nerz (BMC), Eros Capecchi (Movistar), Sylvester Szmyd (Movistar) and Timothy Duggan (unknown).

['Dale]

I see former Leaky workhorse Smyzd is heading to Movistar.

 

:-(

[nickc]

MILAN (VN) — Italy’s financial crisis has crept to the cycling world as several teams are struggling into the 2013 season. Acqua & Sapone is closing its doors after nearly 10 years, and other teams are fighting to stay alive.

Team Cannondale is the only team that stands on firm ground in the nation that brought us cycling icons such as Campagnolo and Fausto Coppi. On Wednesday the team confirmed two new Canadian riders — David Boily and Guillaume Boivin, both from SpiderTech — to support stars Peter Sagan, Ivan Basso, Elia Viviani and Moreno Moser.

Earlier this year, Canadian company Dorel, parent company to Connecticut-based Cannondale since 2008, granted permission to the bike company to take over title sponsorship of the Italian-based team from Liquigas.

Cannondale is estimated to be a 40-percent owner of the team, with the other percentage coming from Lombardy’s wealthiest businessmen, Paolo Zani. Zani is the former head of Liquigas Italia and maintains 30-percent stake in the company. Liquigas has sponsored pro cycling teams since 1999.

For 2013, Italy’s other first division team, Lampre, takes on Merida as a secondary sponsor, but stands on a shaky foundation. The team may be crushed by the Mantova investigation, which is nearing its end. It involves several of its staff and riders, including general manager Giuseppe Saronni. The former cyclist and 1982 world champion allegedly encouraged his riders to visit Guido Nigrelli’s pharmacy in Mantova for banned drugs.

The Mantova investigation does not account for Lampre’s top stage racer, Michele Scarponi, who is involved in the Padua investigation and on Tuesday had to explain his relationship with Dr. Michele Ferrari to the Italian Olympic Committee’s chief prosecutor, Ettore Torri. Scarponi is temporarily suspended by the team and could face a three-month to lifetime ban.

Italian team manager Gianni Savio has been running teams for 28 years, which helped his Androni Giocattoli team finish the year as Italy’s top second-division team. As such, Androni won the Coppa Italia and already earned itself one of four wildcard spots to the 2013 Giro d’Italia.

“In my 28 years directing teams, the biggest thing I’ve learnt is to be attentive and keep a balanced budget,” Savio told VeloNews. “I’ve been able to help the team to many wins over these years, but the most important one is to honor all of my commitments. I’ve never ended in the red, not by one euro or one lira.”

Farnese Vini will keep drinking wine, but will be sponsored by Vini Fantini instead. It loses top gun Filippo Pozzato to Lampre, but along with Androni serves as home to many of Italy’s aspiring cyclists. The other second division teams are worse off.

Acqua & Sapone says “addio” this winter. The Italian perfume retailer first appeared as a co-sponsor in 2002, enjoying Mario Cipollini’s world championship title, and stepped up to title sponsor in 2004.

Acqua & Sapone’s 17 riders are looking for teams. Colombian Carlos Betancur joins French first division team AG2R after making his mark in several one-day races this and last year. Danilo Di Luca and Stefano Garzelli have been linked to Vini Fantini. Many of the others are still searching for work.

Famous manufacturer Ernesto Colnago is also stepping away from sponsorship. Colnago will no longer be the title sponsor or technical sponsor of Colnago-CSF Inox. Roberto and Bruno Reverberi’s team will become Bardiani-CSF Group, race on Cipollini bikes and lose Gianluca Brambilla (to Omega Pharma) and Domenico Pozzovivo (to AG2R). Reverberi was able to hold on to Sacha Modolo, but as of last week, lacks a second division license.

Also, Irish-registered Italian team Utensilnord-Named is tightening its belt and dropping to the third division with a budget of less than $1.3 million.

With teams closing shop or racing in the lower ranks, the stars are going abroad. Italy’s biggest star, Vincenzo Nibali, signed a contract with Astana this season before Cannondale confirmed its commitment. Italy’s next generation of stars, however, face an uncertain future at home.

Edited November 14, 2012 by nickc

[nickc]

Sagan ready to lead Cannondale into 2013 Classics

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Following a breakthrough season in 2012, Peter Sagan says he is ready to assume leadership of the newly titled Cannondale Pro Cycling team next year. And after a string of near misses last spring, the Slovakian is determined to make his mark on the Classics in 2013.

Asked if he felt extra pressure going into next season, following several high profile departures from this season’s Liquigas squad, the 22-year-old sounded bullish. ”I'm not scared of responsibility,” he told Cycling News HD.

 

“I'm still learning but I think I've earned my position. I'm not worried about being a team leader or being under pressure to get results. They're the easy part of cycling. The hard part is actually winning, no?

 

”It's a pity that Vincenzo left,” he continued, referring to Vincenzo Nibali’s transfer to Astana, “because we get on really well, but I respect his decision and we've still got a strong team. I'm sure we'll be good in 2013. Ivan Basso is a role model for us all and then Moreno Moser, Elia Viviani and Fabio Sabatini are pretty good in sprints. We can all get results.”

 

Despite talk after his dominant green jersey display at the Tour de France of Sagan slimming down to become a GC contender in the future, the rider insisted that for now he has unfinished business with the spring Classics, races where he already has the attributes to be successful.

"I was fourth in Milan-Sanremo, second in Gent-Wevelgem, fifth at the Tour of Flanders and third at Amstel Gold," he recalled.

"It's true I didn’t win but they're not bad results for my second full spring campaign. The classics are more complicated than other races, experience counts a lot and I'm happy to admit I made mistakes. I also learnt a lot. Now I know the routes more, and know when and how to position myself better in the key moments. I won't make the same mistakes again."

Edited November 16, 2012 by nickc