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What a difference a year makes. This time last year I was a favorite for the Classics. At the start of Flanders the race announcers called my name as I made my way to the sign in. People cheered my name as if I was a gladiator heading into battle, I had great legs. I felt amazing and I finished second. Second! This year I won’t even have the chance to finish Flanders. Read the rest of this entry »

The Cervélo TestTeam riders will be rolling up their sleeves to take on the challenge of E3 Prijs Vlaanderen and Ghent-Wevelgem this weekend. Before things get underway, we’ll have a short look at the two races.

Saturday 27 March, 53rd E3 Prijs Vlaanderen
Traditionally, a rider trying to peak for Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix took part in E3 Prijs Vlaanderen. The 210 kilometers single day semi-classic race starts and finishes in the town of Harelbeke. The first half of the course is mostly flat before tackling many of the same climbs that the riders will see at Flanders. The twelve climbs in the last half of the race usually make sure that only a small group of riders will compete in the final kilometers.

Thor Hushovd, who finished fouth last year, will be Cervélo’s man for Saturday.

Sunday 28 March, 72nd Ghent-Wevelgem
Ghent-Wevelgem which is known to favor the sprinters more than any of the other Spring Classics. The course sandwiched between Flanders and Roubaix, it has been toughened up, with 16 climbs, including a double passage up the Mont des Cats en Mont Noir. The distance isn’t quite “classics” length, but at 219km, and the famously harsh Belgian wind and rain, the race will be interesting to follow.

Last year’s star Heinrich Haussler was expected to take the next step this year. Unfortunately, things don’t appear to be working-out as planned. “With Haussler’s knee injury, opportunities for the other riders will open up”,  said Sports Director Jean-Paul van Poppel. “The team is general looking very strong.”.

Cervélo TestTeam:
Roger Hammond (GBR)
Jeremy Hunt (GBR)
Thor Hushovd (NOR) -  E3 Prijs Vlaanderen
Andreas Klier (GER)
Brett Lancaster (AUS)
Daniel Lloyd (GBR)
Gabriel Rasch (NOR)
Martin Reimer (GER)
Dominique Rollin (CAN)

Photo: © TDWsport.com

With the spring upon us, it’s time to dress lighter, doing big rides and getting ready for racing. The new stunning Castelli  Spring / Summer collection will be there for every mile of the journey.

Glimpse of the Men’s Collection.

Glimpse of the Women’s Collection.

Considered the true start to the spring classics and at 298 kilometres, the single longest one-day race in the UCI calendar, the 101st edition of Milan-Sanremo was won by Oscar Freire (ESP-Rabobank) who captured his third victory in this historic race. Best result for Cervélo TestTeam was Thor Hushovd (NOR) crossing the line in sixth position.

“I was strong today and last week when I did Tirreno I was happy with my performance improving day by day,” said Thor Hushovd. “Today I think I showed my form, in the last 14 km I missed the sprint and I should have been on the podium but that’s my own fault in the end. I’m looking ahead now. I did a good job all winter training well, except when I was sick and now I think my performance is getting better and better.”

“Overall we saw an impressive final from Thor. We can see he’s in the right shape, he came to the final but needed some help to bring him up there.” said sporting director Jean-Paul van Poppel. ” In the last 14 km he was pushed back and couldn’t find his position anymore, it was a shame and unfortunately he got 6th. But we saw, a strong Hushovd. We feel very comfortable to go the classics now with this whole team.”

Milan-Sanremo – 298km

1. Oscar Freire (ESP) Rabobank
2. Tom Boonen (BEL) Quick Step
3. Alessandro Petacchi (ITA) Lampre-Farnese Vini
4. Sacha Modolo (ITA) Colnago - CSF Inox
5. Daniele Bennati (ITA) Lampre-Farnese Vini
6. Thor Hushovd (NOR) Cervélo Test Team

Photo: © TDWsport.com

Cervélo TestTeam rider Heinrich Haussler will be out of competition until he fully recovers from the knee problem that has plagued him since a crash in the Volta ao Algarve. After initial treatment and recovery, he crashed again in Paris-Nice, suffering another contusion of the same knee.

“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.”

Photo: © TDWsport.com

This weekend saw the launch and start to a successful 2010 road racing season for the newly formed Felt Colbornes Cycling Team.

The existing Felt Bicycles road team of five riders have been one of the most competitive small teams on the UK circuit in 2009. The Felt Bicycles road team will form the basis of the new Felt Colbornes Cycling Team. The new partnership and increased support will allow the team to flourish in the UK.

The Felt Colbornes cycling team riders have been well equipped for the job, Colbornes Group have supplied brand new Skoda Octavia team car’s. Saddleback Ltd has supplied the team with aero Castelli clothing,  Felt AR1 carbon road bikes equipped with SRAM Force, Zipp wheels, Vredestein tubular tyres and Ritchey components.

The team line-up consists of: Justin Hoy – Elite, John Wager – Elite, Tim Elverson – Elite, Lee
Smith – Elite, Tom Smith – Elite, Ian Legg – Elite, Duncan Jamieson - 1st, Pete Wager - 1st,
Richard Mardle - 1st, James Taylor - 1st, David Curtis-Whitfield - 2nd, Gary Clark - 2nd.

For more information: Felt Colbornes Team

Last month, João Correia, a 34 year-old cyclist and ex-business man, was putting on the Cervélo TestTeam kit and starting in his first professional race in Europe, Etoile de Besseges. Just a few months ago he was running a sales meeting in New York City.

When I started my job as Bicycling’s associate publisher in 2004, I had already spent years selling Italian fashion accounts for the men’s magazine Esquire. As a kid, I had qualified for the junior world championships, and I had raced in Europe into my twenties. Now, I was getting dropped on the lunch ride, I looked like somebody’s idea of a prank with my 205 pounds.

In 2006, I set myself the audacious goal of competing in the time-trial national championship of my native country, Portugal, without being embarrassed. I finished twelfth in the TT in 2007. I kept riding — though now I thought of it as training — and the next year I was offered a chance to join the domestic American race team Bissell Pro Cycling. Late last year, the founder of the Cervelo team, Gerard Vroomen, asked me if I wanted to ride for him.

So 14 years after I stopped racing, and 60 pounds lighter than my peak weight, I find myself on the same team as Carlos Sastre, Thor Hushovd and Heinrich Haussler. I can’t adequately explain how odd it is to up-end your life the way I have, or how it feels to take the risk of leaving the solid career I’d built for the uncertain life of being a neo-pro at an age when many around me are considering retirement.

Today is the day, the first race of the season on my calendar, Etoile de Besseges. Let’s see how this season goes. As you can see I have a pretty good schedule and I’m looking forward to do these races — but for now I’m just going to enjoy the crazy ride.

Follow João Correia online: www.joaoisme.com - www.twitter.com/joaoisme

You might have heard of Stefan Denifl? The now 22-year-old Austrian rider finished 23rd in the overall classification at the Tour of Murcia last week. The former mountain biker changed to road cycling in 2003 where he quickly improved his climbing and time trialling skills to become the perfect GC rider of the one week stage races.

From the first day we meet with Stefan, he already knew about the innovative advantages of Castelli clothing. “A lot of riders have been talking about how fast the Cervélo kit is.” Denifl said.

Stefan, who lives outside Innsbruck, often drives across the Italian boarder to find warmer climate for training. Over the last three months, Stefan has already proven to be part of the Cervélo TestTeam by testing and helping in product development on the Castelli Winter 2010 collection.

Here are three of Stefan’s favorites:

MEZZO WS JACKET (New for Winter 2010)
I almost couldn’t believe how light and comfortable it was, and how well it kept the wind out. With a weight of only 359 g, full windproofness and water protection, you hardly feel it on. The Windstopper® X-Lite fabric makes it warm enough for even cold rides and very stretchy in all directions. Good for a temperature range around 5°C to 12°C degrees.

DILUVIO GLOVES (available in stores)
The Diluvio’s, my favorite gloves, are light and amazingly warm even in very cold temperatures. You just need to wear them properly. When putting on the gloves right before heading out on a cold day, no moisture built up, my hands stayed dry but a bit cold. But, if I put them on while my hands were still warm, they stayed that way during the full ride. 0°C - 10°C degrees.

MANNAGGIA! JACKET (available in stores)
This jacket has a fabulous “anatomic fit”, and a whole range of off-season conditions. I was wearing nothing under it except for the lightweight (129 g) UNO:UNO PLASMA LS baselayer. And when going uphill, I’d regulate the temperature with the chest zip vents and undo the main zip a bit at times — it really is an exceptionally warm winter jacket, perfect for riding in cold conditions and great styling. Temperature range: -5°C to 10°C degrees.

For more information, click here:  Diluvio Glove -  Mannaggia! Jacket -  Uno:Uno Plasma Baselayer

Stefan Denifl, profile: www.cervelo.com